Left-hand electric side view mirror, a new unit to fit an '84 Electra. Physically mounted to the door using the original arm and the new power head re-drilled to mount up. All wired with a joystick in the manual remote joystick location. Was planning to use a joystick with a paddle switch to make it control left or right but I fried that one trying to figure out the wiring. :-(

Brakes Licked!

Brakes: Well that didn't last. Pedal started getting squishy again fairly quickly. All I can say is RTFM! First, I found this on eBay, of all places, I think in reference to a GN:

• "The spring loaded plunger on the front of the proportioning valve should be depressed while bleeding the system. . A "C" clamp or piece of wire and chunk of wood can be used to hold the plunger while bleeding the brakes."

Then I decided maybe I should check the shop manual... who would have thought there would be anything special about this task...

• "Disc brake equipped vehicles except H [Electra is C] require a manual over-ride of the front brake metering valve to permit flow to the front brakes. This is done by depressing the pin, under the rubber boot on the front end of the combination valve..."

OK... Once again, and following the directions this time, and was able to bleed they system properly. But... there was more than one issue. Now I had a good firm pedal, but it still felt like the pads were not gripping well. I knew the drums, rotors, shoes, and pads were all new, and had all been thoroughly degreased with brake cleaner before assembly. I knew nothing was leaking, so the surfaces could not be wet with brake fluid or the friction material soaked with it. The only other answer was the friction material itself. Shoes, I don't remember, but the pads were semi-metallic. Well, it seems Helen doesn't like those. In fact, organic is the recommended replacement material according to PartsAmerica. For $16.99 I could afford to give it a try. Pads are easy to swap out anyway.

You guessed it. Braking is *way* improved and the firm pedal is proof that following the manual is always a good idea. I didn't try any panic stops, since I want the pads to wear in a bit first. But I can feel the difference easily enough already. The brakes feel confident again. Keeping fingers crossed that this time I really have it licked!

Brakes

Re-bled with the pressure bleeder... pedal feels firmer now but I think there is some contamination in the linings from the cosmoline that was on the new drums and rotors... more after a better test drive. [Yes! The pedal is nice and firm now.]

More Brakes

Booster is in and the system is re-bled. It is better, but not by as much as I had hoped for. I think part of the problem is the material the linings are made from. The shoes were not arced and the pads are semi-metallic. Maybe ceramics would be better. But I can see that there is also some moisture still in the fluid at the very furthest wheel cylinder. I'm getting a new pressure bleeder for this car so I can do the job better. Hopefully next weekend! (Bleeder arrived 4/23... missing chain so need a hardware store run.)

Brakes Again

Not much though... just ordered a booster and adjusted the parking brake cable for a bit more travel.

Brakes

Front rotors, calipers and hoses. Boy, did I screw up. Didn't buy new inner wheel seals for the rotors and didn't buy new banjo bolts for the calipers.

Left banjo bolt kept leaking slightly. I have the feeling I over-tightened it but it isn't leaking now. Right seems ok. But the right flair nut would not come loose from the hose. So I had to improvise. The parking brake does not have enough slack so I need to loosen that a bit. The brakes still feel a tad mushy so I think a re-bleed is in order. I'm too beat to do it today. I may end up buying a booster later on because it seems kinda weak. But I'm sick of brakes for now.

Right-hand side view mirror from an '84 Electra. Physically mounted to the door but not yet wired.