Date:         Tue, 17 Nov 1998 03:03:55 EST
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Jeffrey R <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      disconnect brake line to remove caliper?
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

hello folks--

I need to replace my front wheel bearings. Am I supposed to disconnect the
brake line from the caliper to remove the caliper to remove the rotor?

There is a steele (or at least metal) length of brake line directly off the
caliper which is attached to a metal bracket hooked to the front end
suspension. This keeps the caliper from being moved without bending the brake
line or the bracket. On the other side of the bracket, toward the master
cylinder is a rubber brake hose, then brake line and so on. From my experience
checking the bearings the only way to move the caliper clear of the rotor is
to temporarily bend the bracket or disconnect the brake line. The latter means
I have to bleed the brakes after installation, and seem like a bit of a pain.
Bending the bracket risks breaking the bracket.

Am I missing a way to clear the caliper from the rotor without disconnecting
the brake line? My guess is bending the bracket holding the brake line isn't
the best idea since it could fatigue and break. And it seems like that bracket
is welded to the body, or rather suspension, and therefore can't be unbolted
or temporarily moved.

If I have to disconnect the line and bleed the brakes do those one-man brake
bleeders that have a pump on them actually work well (like the bleeder I see
in Rocky Mountain Motorworks catalogue)?

Thanks for any information.
Jeff
83.5 Westy
NYC