Can you hone the SS sleeves in the calipers?

 

I had to send a customer-provided set of SS sleeved calipers back under warranty (as a service).... the SS developed severe wear patterns over a very short time frame.... must have been a cheap grade of stainless they used or just a bad run.

If they were not covered under warranty, I would not hesitate to hone them.... but I would be inclined to use a super fine grit hone in case the SS is harder than the cast. This depends on which grade of stainless they used.... it's not "all the same". The seals & bores need to wear in to each other and a mega rough hard surface will tear up new seals before they even get a chance to wear in.

IMOP

 

As Bubba would say, "you can do whatever you want."

Seriously though, you probably shouldn't hone stainless. I know that when I spoke to VP&P, they suggested using a fine Scotchbright pad to clean up any small imperfections, making sure to go around the circumferance rather than top to bottom so that any scratches will be sealed by the o-ring. You can also clean up a lot of goo and rubber residue with rubbing alcohol and paper towels.

If your calipers are beyond this, I think that you should consider replacing them.

 

Mine had light grooves from years of use. I had great success
cleaning the bores with 1000 grit wet/dry and my finger with brake cleaner.
Like suggested above - go around - not in/out.

Fully installed - and no detectable leaks so far.

My post w/pics: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ake&forum_id=3

PS - I show a rear with wear and a front cleaned up - but they were all about the same to begin.

 

Okay... I just called the folks at VBP... here is the summary...

They recommend you do NOT hone SS, even with a 600 grit stone because the SS will load onto the stone and the "load" will be stainless on stainless which will leave grooves in the bore. The issue is not honing in general, but stone loading and the resultant bore damage.

They suggested a 320 grit flapper wheel might be okay as long as it doesn't load up, followed up by red or green scotch-brite for polishing.
Ultimately, a very smooth surface is the goal.

So.... the sleeves can be re-worked as long as you don't create a rough surface or grooves.


My .02c..
In my case, since I have a lot of machine shop equipment, including a "wet honing bench", and I have a series of specialty honing fluids, I could probably hone SS without the risk of "loading".... so I could probably get away with it. But for the DIY it's not a good idea, as suggested by the posts above and by VBP.

I also have a series of flex hones in a variety of diameters and grits..... so I would not have to use "stones" per se.

I also work with SS on a daily basis in equipment far more sensitive to detail than Corvette brakes... reactors. So I'm not afraid to experiment with SS.

Yes.... I bought that shirt at Target that says....
"Trust Me. I Do This All The Time."





Edit: Here's a trick I use on brake parts quite often... particularly aluminum master cylinders... with good results...

When the final surface is not quite as smooth as I want, I take a 3 leg hone (stone set) and compress the legs tight. Then I tear off & wrap a piece of fresh super fine 000 steel wool around the stones (or bare stone pads) and then let the legs loose. If the wool fits semi-tight in the bore, I then hone the bore with the steel wool. I have used this on aluminum where loading is a bigger problem than SS, and with the appropriate fluid it worked like a charm. Never tried it on stainless..... but now I have an unnatural desire to try it on SS. Of course, you have to monitor the progress diligently and be careful not to let the stones/pads come through the wool and ruin the work piece.