Zoomin Dan

My 2012 GS was diagnosed with a leaking front left brake caliper 3 weeks ago (more details below). The dealer says that the caliper is on an extended back order and there are probably literally none available, and no information on if / when more might be produced.

Here are my options:

a) Keep waiting. The dealer has looked at aftermarket solutions and used solutions with no luck so far, but maybe something will turn up.

b) Buy an aftermarket brake kit and cough up the $5k to $8k necessary to get a quality system with comparable rotor and caliper specs.

c) Try to buy any caliper that I can that fits on my corvette. If it doesn't match the rest of the brakes, too bad as long as the car stops.

d) Call GM (again, first call was useless) and demand that they ... ???

From an outsider's perspective, it feels like GM's accountants decided that the need for this part is rare enough that they won't produce spares and will deal with any need for one as a special situation. So what should happen now that I'm in that situation?

Zoomin Dan

By the way, it took them a couple tries to get the diagnosis right. At first I would get a trio of flashing messages: "Check ABS System / Service Active Handling System / Service Traction Control System" intermittently maybe once in every 4 or 5 drives, and turning off the car would make the messages go away. On the first visit, the dealer said there were no stored codes. I returned with those messages on the display and the car running, and the dealer was able to pull some codes. That's when they subsequently were able to diagnose the problem (correctly, I hope).

cclive

A. There are lots of options that would reduce the waiting time.

B. I can't imagine a brake kit costing $5,000 to $8,000. Comparable performance to the oem brakes is not hard to find and just isn't that expensive.

C. It just doesn't make sense to replace just the one with something different and have a mismatch...the braking performance would end up being dangerously unbalanced.

D. Sure, you can call GM, but if you want the car running again soon, this wouldn't be my pathway.

I would look at the for sale section on this forum for a caliper...lots of people replace them with aftermarket parts and then sell the oem parts. Rebuilt calipers are likely available through auto parts stores. A Corvette recycling place will certainly have these calipers available as they are unlikely to be damaged in an accident, even one that renders the car scrapped. Your bad caliper probably has a bad seal, which is not a big deal. Unless the actual casting itself has a defect in it, rebuilding it is very easy.

Zoomin Dan

Just talked to zip-corvette, since they stock Z06 brake parts. They confirmed that the part I need is the Z06 left front brake caliper, which they have had on back-order since the first day of August and no anticipated delivery date.

bgspot

I would go with option A. Except don't waste time waiting for the dealer to look. I've seen red, yellow, blue and silver/grey z06 calipers on ebay over the past week. So im pretty sure there are vendors out there that have them in stock. Actually now that i think about it, i would try RockAuto or GMpartshouse. Either way don't even waste your time or dime on the dealership.

bgspot

looks like ecklerscorvette.com and rockauto.com may have them in stock

Zoomin Dan

I tried autopartswarehouse, zip-corvette, rockauto, and finally ecklerscorvette. Nobody has this part. Even more disturbing, eclkerscorvette had excellent customer service and they called the manufacturer (AC-Delco I think) for me -- 10 minutes later they called back saying that the manufacturer has no supply and does not intend to produce more.

So if you have a C6 grand sport or Z06, better hope your brake calipers don't die. There are no GM approved replacement parts and no plans to build any as far as I can tell.

myfunz

How about fixing the original caliper rebuild it? Something we used to do when I was a kid.

bgspot

Dam i stand corrected. What color are your calipers? There is a nice grey/silver set on ebay. Unfortunately its both fronts for $599 and i know you need just the front left.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/05-13-C6-Gra...VW-skP&vxp=mtr

Zoomin Dan

I asked a couple local shops around here about that and they didn't want to do it -- too much legal risk I guess compared to simply bolting on a new caliper. Unfortunately I'm no mechanic.

My calipers are red. There is an expensive pair on ebay right now that look pretty beat up for the "2006 to 2010 Z06" -- is that part any different than the newer Z06s?

There are a ton of Wilwood replacement calipers available. I know these aren't as well regarded as, for example, brembo but would they be worse than stock? I'm also not sure if they would work with the stock pads and rotors or if I would be on the hook for a full kit.

I did investigate kits. A 4-corner, fully matching kit with drilled or slotted rotors and sized the same as the Z06 brakes are generally $5k to $8k. I could see if any of these kits will use some of the OE parts like rotors and pads, and / or only do the fronts ... I'm pretty annoyed at having to do a major research project because GM can't be bothered to build spare parts for a recent vehicle.

cclive

How about a rebuild kit...

http://www.c5racer.com/catalog/c5-c6...kit-front.html

http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...50h&ukey=53820

http://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts/...-05260938.html

96GS#007

Sounds like the dealer is trying to screw you.

Unless you've been betting the sh*t out of the car or using it for track days, the Z06/GS calipers don't have issues.

There are 3 places the caliper can leak....
1) Past the piston seals....6 pistons in each front caliper
2) Brake line fitting at the caliper ("banjo bolt" & crush washer)
3) Bleeder screws

All three of those items are easily addressed via any competent shop.
- The pistons and piston seals can be replaced after the wheel cylinders are honed
- The banjo bolt and crush washer can be replaced. Worst case, a new brake line is needed
- The bleeder screws are also easily replaced

The calipers are manufactured by PBR.

Doug Rippie Motorsports is a good place to check for a rebuild kit.

bgspot

I can't believe calipers are out of stock. Your rotors should fit just fine with aftermarket calipers, but not your pads. I don't think most brake manufacturers even use padlets but i could be wrong. Having said that, i don't believe you need to go out and replace your entire front and rear brakes just because of one caliper

Zoomin Dan

I don't have the expertise to do a rebuild myself, and none of the shops in the area are willing to do it (too risky, just replace the caliper they all say).

cclive

100%. You need to get on the phone and talk to some people who really know Vettes. DR, Lingenfelter, LG etc. I agree with you that you should not have to do this, but the situation is what it is, so you either get involved or let the car sit till the dealer resolves it.

Zoomin Dan

Nobody can. Every time I call a repair shop or parts place they say that they don't have one in stock but they can order one ... I ask them to double-check if they can really get one and they eventually come back with ... oh wow you're right

Zip Corvettes

Ok this is not that difficult. They asked me earlier about this but I had asked what color was your caliper. The red caliper is what came on a ZO6, it also came on a GS if you ordered it with red calipers. If not they came with silver. It is SOP for us to give a 7-10 day lead time on ordering parts. However I could have that caliper tomorrow if you need it. I do not understand why your dealer is having issues, what could possibly be wrong with your caliper. GM has a rebuild kit for that caliper that includeds new seals and pistons. They are also in STOCK at a GM warehouse in TN which means they could ship overnight to any dealer. If we need to help let me know how. This should be a really easy problem to fix.
Justin

Zoomin Dan

Hi Justin, I called several places today and I don't recall exactly how the discussion with your colleague went. I do remember he wanted to ask you a question but you were on the phone with someone else. I plan to call back.

However with respect to availability through normal channels it's not just a case of dealer incompetence, for example see below that I just got a few minutes ago:

eshuber

Rebuildable a brake caliper is not difficult. I suggest you find a Corvette independent shop near you and ask them to rebuild it. The dealer obviously doesn't want to do it. Replacing the entire caliper is a last resort only if your original caliper is defective - but I doubt that since the car is fairly new.

cclive

Exactly. A caliper is a very simple casting with a piston bore or bores in it. Unless the actual casting is defective, porous or damaged, the seals can just be replaced. If there is corrosion in the bore(s), they must be honed and cleaned up, but this is unlikely on a fairly new car with low mileage.

Try calling these guys for a used caliper...

http://www.corvetterecycling.com/