05 STS front brakes

[kevm14]

Sigh.

NUT, Hub Front and Rear Select vehicle options to narrow down result
9596863
NUT, WHEEL(2ND DESIGN IS 20MM HEAD & 36MM LONG, FOR 1ST DESIGN SEE 9596069)(M12X1.5)(W/ STAINLESS STEEL CAP)
Fitting Vehicle Options:
D29(N87,QF8)(2ND DES)
$5.98
$4.02

9596069
NUT, WHEEL(W/DOME CAP)(1ST DESIGN IS 27MM HEAD & 42MM LONG, FOR 2ND DESIGN SEE 9596863)(M12X1.5)(W/STAINLESS STEEL CAP)
Fitting Vehicle Options:
D29(N87,QF8)(1ST DES)
$8.99
$6.04

First and second design lug nuts?? Oy. I think I have the longer ones...I will try to measure. I love how it says select an option to narrow down. I put in my VIN. I don't know how much more narrowed down I can get. I can't narrow down any further! This reminds me of the shift rod - GM did not know which I had and I happened to pick the right one...

By the way, I think it is that stainless cap that is actually failing. The sheet metal seems to be splitting and bunching up.

Also my 19mm impact socket is cracked and will fail at some point. I already busted my 21mm long ago. But overall this is an older HF set that has lasted plenty long and is the only set I've ever had. I am sure they offer something better quality, for a good price. Will put that on the list...

Speaking of which, my electric HF impact is still going. It was like $40 and I've never tried to grease the hammer mechanism or anything. I've had that thing for probably going on 10 years. Imagine that.

[Adam]

I wonder if it had AC Delco pads. They obviously were super easy on the rotors, and probably had minimal dust compared to these HPS pads (luxury car people can be annoying about brake dust), but I don't care about any of that - I want brake performance.

I had a similar experience with AC Delco pads on the Fleetwood. It now has HPS pads and stops real good (for a 4500 lb car with rear drum brakes).

[kevm14]

Feel has stopped improving. I am hoping more miles are still the answer. There is still too much dead travel and initial sponginess.

[kevm14]

Sigh.

NUT, Hub Front and Rear Select vehicle options to narrow down result
9596863
NUT, WHEEL(2ND DESIGN IS 20MM HEAD & 36MM LONG, FOR 1ST DESIGN SEE 9596069)(M12X1.5)(W/ STAINLESS STEEL CAP)
Fitting Vehicle Options:
D29(N87,QF8)(2ND DES)
$5.98
$4.02

9596069
NUT, WHEEL(W/DOME CAP)(1ST DESIGN IS 27MM HEAD & 42MM LONG, FOR 2ND DESIGN SEE 9596863)(M12X1.5)(W/STAINLESS STEEL CAP)
Fitting Vehicle Options:
D29(N87,QF8)(1ST DES)
$8.99
$6.04

First and second design lug nuts?? Oy. I think I have the longer ones...I will try to measure. I love how it says select an option to narrow down. I put in my VIN. I don't know how much more narrowed down I can get. I can't narrow down any further! This reminds me of the shift rod - GM did not know which I had and I happened to pick the right one...

By the way, I think it is that stainless cap that is actually failing. The sheet metal seems to be splitting and bunching up.

Also my 19mm impact socket is cracked and will fail at some point. I already busted my 21mm long ago. But overall this is an older HF set that has lasted plenty long and is the only set I've ever had. I am sure they offer something better quality, for a good price. Will put that on the list...

Speaking of which, my electric HF impact is still going. It was like $40 and I've never tried to grease the hammer mechanism or anything. I've had that thing for probably going on 10 years. Imagine that.

Ordered 3 of the 1st design. Came to $27.05 which is probably exactly what it would have cost locally though they were not in stock so meh. Used my Paypal balance again. Sweet.

[kevm14]

Also my 19mm impact socket is cracked and will fail at some point. I already busted my 21mm long ago. But overall this is an older HF set that has lasted plenty long and is the only set I've ever had. I am sure they offer something better quality, for a good price. Will put that on the list...

Speaking of which, my electric HF impact is still going. It was like $40 and I've never tried to grease the hammer mechanism or anything. I've had that thing for probably going on 10 years. Imagine that.

Small digression for HF. I went there to get a metric impact socket set. I also had a coupon for a free headlamp for Ian. I impulse bought a pretty nice LED flashlight.

Sockets set is a 13 piece 6 point impact, with 10, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 27, 30 and 32mm.

And the flashlight is 588 lumens with a single surface mount LED. Adjustable zoom projector lens. Striking edge around the lens (for self-defense, they say) and weighted barrel for bottom striking (smash a window?). Not that I would but that's a thing I guess.

The sockets were $25 so $20 with the 20% coupon. And the flashlight was $15.

WP_20181103_17_17_11_Pro.jpg

WP_20181103_17_19_10_Pro.jpg

WP_20181103_17_19_17_Pro.jpg

Ah, maybe a tad bit of buyer's remorse on the flashlight.

https://www.amazon.com/Reiled-Flashligh ... ight&psc=1

Looks like about the same thing, but with more stuff, and a rechargeable 18650 Li-Ion cell, for about the same price. Damn. If you scroll down it compares a bunch of similar ones. Well I still stand by those sockets for $20. That is cheap as hell.

[kevm14]

I forgot something.

I heard a cashier radio for help for a lifetime warranty replacement. I looked over and some dude was returning some very used medium size chain cutters and a 3 foot pry bar with the rubber handle half missing. Just got brand new ones. No charge. I am not sure if he needed a receipt or how that works. Cheap stuff + a lifetime warranty is pretty crazy.

[kevm14]

Sigh.

NUT, Hub Front and Rear Select vehicle options to narrow down result
9596863
NUT, WHEEL(2ND DESIGN IS 20MM HEAD & 36MM LONG, FOR 1ST DESIGN SEE 9596069)(M12X1.5)(W/ STAINLESS STEEL CAP)
Fitting Vehicle Options:
D29(N87,QF8)(2ND DES)
$5.98
$4.02

9596069
NUT, WHEEL(W/DOME CAP)(1ST DESIGN IS 27MM HEAD & 42MM LONG, FOR 2ND DESIGN SEE 9596863)(M12X1.5)(W/STAINLESS STEEL CAP)
Fitting Vehicle Options:
D29(N87,QF8)(1ST DES)
$8.99
$6.04

First and second design lug nuts?? Oy. I think I have the longer ones...I will try to measure. I love how it says select an option to narrow down. I put in my VIN. I don't know how much more narrowed down I can get. I can't narrow down any further! This reminds me of the shift rod - GM did not know which I had and I happened to pick the right one...

By the way, I think it is that stainless cap that is actually failing. The sheet metal seems to be splitting and bunching up.

Also my 19mm impact socket is cracked and will fail at some point. I already busted my 21mm long ago. But overall this is an older HF set that has lasted plenty long and is the only set I've ever had. I am sure they offer something better quality, for a good price. Will put that on the list...

Speaking of which, my electric HF impact is still going. It was like $40 and I've never tried to grease the hammer mechanism or anything. I've had that thing for probably going on 10 years. Imagine that.

Ordered 3 of the 1st design. Came to $27.05 which is probably exactly what it would have cost locally though they were not in stock so meh. Used my Paypal balance again. Sweet.

I got my lug nuts. So exciting. I should be able to install them this weekend.

[kevm14]

The pedal is slowly improving again. It really seems to benefit from a good, firm use of the brakes. I think the surfaces are still mating. I suppose new rotors would have drastically sped up this process...

[kevm14]

So this is pretty funny in light of Bob's brake feel quest of his own on his Vsport.

Over the past 2 days or so I've detected a slight brake pull on the STS. Simultaneously, the brake feel is improving. Fearing caliper hang I did determine that the left front is quite a bit hotter than the right front. Also it doesn't roll quite right in gear like at a light.

So I just ordered two reman AC Delco calipers which come with brackets and slide pins. And boots. And all of the stuff I just replaced last time and spent a while doing. Maybe this will finally make the feel better.

But the great irony is, and this happened in my Ram as well, when the caliper pistons hang, it keeps the pads like right on the rotor. This improves brake feel because much less fluid displacement is required to achieve actual clamping because it is nearly doing so already. It is a real shame because the feel is MUCH better. Too bad it's an actual malfunction....grrr.

$190 shipped and then $70 comes back as a core (minus return shipping I think). So maybe $130-$140 total? Not too bad actually. They are dual piston PBR calipers.

I don't think I will get them until Monday so....this is why it would have been nice to have A/C in the Roadmaster. Or I can just drive the CTS-V. OR....keep driving the STS because, who cares (it isn't locking up.....yet).

[kevm14]

Not having good car weekends lately.

The AC Delco reman brackets and calipers are wrong. Well, I think they are for JL9 brakes (the base brakes). I have JE5. It does not fit. It was unlisted and I should have bought an explicitly listed part. Or perhaps double checked that the AC Delco P/N is actually for JE5. Not sure if it is really my burden to do all of that between RockAuto and AC Delco. That said, now I will be out $12 in return shipping.

I will order Cardone JE5 remans even though I am not a huge Cardone fan. I can get an OEM PBR caliper from RockAuto for like $197....probably pass on that.

Now I have to put the car back together and bleed the brakes for no reason. This somewhat mirrors what happened with the Roadmaster...brought in running vehicle (well with a light caliper drag) and disabled it for no reason. Hopefully everything tightens up. I was having issues with the brake line leaking at the old caliper even though I switched to the new copper washers. Seriously.