..... if you're not sure if it's a stainless sleeve check with a magnet 
caliper rebuild
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
caliper rebuild
I want to rebuild the calipers on my 69 however I want to make sure I have the stainless steal sleeves. Is that easy to determine, and if they are stainless how big of a job am I looking at. I have done single piston calipers in the past but from what I can tell these are a whole diffreent animal. Procedures to do this job or a paper would be helpful. 
Thanks in advance,
Sly
Thanks in advance,
Sly
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,176
Likes: 3,994
From: Connecticut, USA
If they are lined you'll know it by the finish and appeareance. There will also be a parting line at the bottom of the bore.
Rebuilding a SS caliper isn't hard providing the bore is still in good shape-which they are in most cases. you have to be carefull not to nick the rubber seals and get the cups in the correct direction. Clean the bores with alcohol or clean BF only.
I use a little black RTV on the outer boot seam to piston and boot OD to housing. Don't forget the new O ring in between the halves either.
Gary
Rebuilding a SS caliper isn't hard providing the bore is still in good shape-which they are in most cases. you have to be carefull not to nick the rubber seals and get the cups in the correct direction. Clean the bores with alcohol or clean BF only.
I use a little black RTV on the outer boot seam to piston and boot OD to housing. Don't forget the new O ring in between the halves either.
Gary
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Bolingbrook Illinois
Caliper Rebuild
Do yourself a favor and use the VBP coupon and get the o-ring conversion rebuild kit. I just did all four of mine. I had to use a hone to freshen them up but otherwise no problem. And as the previous response indicated you will have no problem seeing the SS sleeve if it is there. I replaced the rotors (drilled and slotted) and lines (stainless)as well. No she stops as well as she goes!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,655
Likes: 19
One look, you'll know if they're sleeved.
Just did my fronts last night. Used the VBP O-ring kit. Very easy, came with pistons, O rings, and the small O rings for the caliper half connection.
130 ft/lbs for the bolts holding the calipers together, 70 ft/lbs for the caliper mounting bolt.
Also grease your front bearings and replace brake lines if needed.
Just did my fronts last night. Used the VBP O-ring kit. Very easy, came with pistons, O rings, and the small O rings for the caliper half connection.
130 ft/lbs for the bolts holding the calipers together, 70 ft/lbs for the caliper mounting bolt.
Also grease your front bearings and replace brake lines if needed.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,706
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Originally Posted by Garys 68
One look, you'll know if they're sleeved.
Just did my fronts last night. Used the VBP O-ring kit. Very easy, came with pistons, O rings, and the small O rings for the caliper half connection.
130 ft/lbs for the bolts holding the calipers together, 70 ft/lbs for the caliper mounting bolt.
Also grease your front bearings and replace brake lines if needed.
Just did my fronts last night. Used the VBP O-ring kit. Very easy, came with pistons, O rings, and the small O rings for the caliper half connection.
130 ft/lbs for the bolts holding the calipers together, 70 ft/lbs for the caliper mounting bolt.
Also grease your front bearings and replace brake lines if needed.
The standard, lip seal rebuild isn't all that hard, but the o-ring seal pistons are virtually idiot proof. Worth the extra few bucks.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 241
Likes: 0
From: St Louis Missouri
I just started on mine, found out they were not lined, and they ended up being pitted and junk. Before you jump onto the O-rings go to a little place called fastcorvette.com they have some really good info on brakes and part.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
This is a picture of a caliper that is stainless sleeved.
This is a couple of VBP O-ring pistons and seals.
The rebuilding process is really pretty straight forward and not too bad of a job. Just give yourself something like newspaper to keep the mess on the bench to a minimum. Be sure to torque the halves like said above and do not forget the o-rings between the caliper halves and you should be set.
This is a couple of VBP O-ring pistons and seals.
The rebuilding process is really pretty straight forward and not too bad of a job. Just give yourself something like newspaper to keep the mess on the bench to a minimum. Be sure to torque the halves like said above and do not forget the o-rings between the caliper halves and you should be set.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,176
Likes: 3,994
From: Connecticut, USA
Nice pictures Eddie.
I might add a few things I forgot to before.
If your runout and bearing endplay is correct-under .002" you don't need the O rings. Be sure to check the runout in some cases using the O rings is less of a hassle then trying to correct the runout, I still will set them up like that but others might not.
The torque spec in the GM manual is misleading(1972 issue) It lists 130 ft/lbs for the caliper halve bolt torque. That is for the fronts only, the rears are 60 ft/lbs and not referenced in my GM book.
Gary
I might add a few things I forgot to before.
If your runout and bearing endplay is correct-under .002" you don't need the O rings. Be sure to check the runout in some cases using the O rings is less of a hassle then trying to correct the runout, I still will set them up like that but others might not.
The torque spec in the GM manual is misleading(1972 issue) It lists 130 ft/lbs for the caliper halve bolt torque. That is for the fronts only, the rears are 60 ft/lbs and not referenced in my GM book.
Gary
