Front wheels barely turn by hand after doing 11" brake upgrade

[gunslinger]

You've either got the wrong rotors or the wrong brackets. With everything bolted down, the rotors should be centered in the brackets. I seem to remember my caliper brackets being wrong when I did my swap. I think I had to use the brackets that came with the S-10 donor stuff, and I used just the new calipers.

Check to see if the other side is centered. Then you'll know that you've got one incorrect bracket, or two incorrect rotors.

Remove the washers...it's going to make your binding issues worse, but they shouldn't be in there.

 

[DCVING 6]

I have two fronts and two rears. The fronts are on the front and the rears are on the rear. I have to run a 3/4" spacer on the rear and a 1/2" spacer up front to run these wheels. Sounds crazy I know but its what I got.

Try reversing the wheels. I have my "fronts" on the rear with no spacer and a 255 drag radial. "rears" are on the front with a billet adapter instead of a spacer and they fit perfect.

Not the best camera angle, but you get the idea on the spacing.
View Gallery - FQuick.com

 

[jdpolzin]

You've either got the wrong rotors or the wrong brackets. With everything bolted down, the rotors should be centered in the brackets. I seem to remember my caliper brackets being wrong when I did my swap. I think I had to use the brackets that came with the S-10 donor stuff, and I used just the new calipers.

Check to see if the other side is centered. Then you'll know that you've got one incorrect bracket, or two incorrect rotors.

Remove the washers...it's going to make your binding issues worse, but they shouldn't be in there.

Based on the pics and thathe said he had to space the bracket to make the rotors clear in the first place, I'd have to agree with you. I'm going to say wrong rotors.

 

[d0n_3d]

UPDATE

Removed the washers. Still have exact same issue. Whoever said I might have the wrong rotors might be correct. Can someone measure their rotor thickness on their car and tell me if I have the right ones? Mine measure exactly 1 1/8" thick (pictured). There's barely any clearance inside the bracket, maybe a 1/16th of an inch on each side. Are my rotors too thick? I can picture a thinner rotor solving my problems. It would explain why when I BARELY touch the brake pedal, the pads clamp down on the front rotors. I should have to go about halfway down on the pedal even on manual brakes in order to totally lock down on the rotor.

The last picture shows when I push the rotor up against the bracket, simulating when I tighten the wheel down. You can see why it locks up.

 

[DR BOOST]

i have a precision lathe...a.k.a angle grinder...that will give you more than adequete clearance.

btw are those rotors for both 4wd and 2wd?

 

[d0n_3d]

I'm about to go insane!!!

I just measured my rotors and compared them to what Autozone sells. They are 29mm thick just like what Autozone shows for both a 2WD and 4WD 2000 Blazer. So I have the correct rotors. Do I have the wrong brackets? LOL why me...

Surej, I might have to grind these down if thats what the issue really is, but at this point in time...I just don't know.

 

[scot w.]

Hang in there man, there are some good guy's trying to help you figure this out..and I guarantee it will get figured out..

I would look into the bracket next! Something is wrong with one of the two...


*** The bracket in this picture just don't look right for some reason! It looks crooked or something...anyone else notice this? It might just be the photo...



Scot W.

 

[novaderrik]

NAPA shows brake rotor shims on their website that would move the rotor out a little bit, but they are listed as being used to compensate for a rotor with too much runout so they are probably not ground flat. i wonder if there is such a thing as a shim that goes between the bearing and spindle? maybe the hub assembly was put together or machined wrong- measure the distance from the wheel flange to the surface where it mounts to the spindle and compare it to the other side, and maybe take the hub off the other side and try it on the bad side and see if that fixes it.

if it was my car, i'd just attack the bosses where the bracket bolts to the spindle with an angle grinder to take a few thousandths off and move the bracket in a little bit or use that same grinder to open up the space where the rotor runs so it doesn't rub any more.