Rear (brake) torque member

[George Roffe]

---- Ben Fenner <fenfam at sc.rr.com> wrote:

>I'm pretty sure the existence of that part in the purchase makes it
>"loaded".


I was the one on the list who "discovered" loaded calipers. I did this my first week with Big A Auto Parts. I actually brought 2 loaded AD22VF calipers home from Denver that week to install at the first Texas Rally (OMG that was 12.5 years ago!).
Anyway, what is supposed to make a caliper "loaded" is that it is ready to install one the car. That means it has new pads and shims installed as well. For the installer, they can cut time on the installation while getting a nice book rate for the job. Some supplers "cheat" the loaded part by simply including pads and shims in the box with a standard remanufactured caliper (no torque member and not assembled).
If you go to buy a loaded caliper and it does not come with the torque member, don't accept it and find another source. Loaded calipers are common and most suppliers actually sell a true loaded caliper.
Even though your torque member is shot, return it for the core charge anyway. Normally I would be against this sort of thing, but having worked in the industry and knowing what goes on, I can tell you cores are the most f*cked up part of that business. The installers seldom have their cores straight. The stores that sell them don't really care and will take damned near anything back because of competitive pressure. The distributors and suppliers do the same for the same reasons.
When I bought my loaded AD22VF calipers, the Wagner rep happened to be at our DC (distribution center) and I asked if it would be OK for me to return the AD18 cores instead and his direct quote was "Sure, we've done MUCH worse."
George Roffe
former Inventory Accounting Manager for Big A Auto Parts
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