Broke a brake caliper
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette IN
Broke a brake caliper
After rebuilding the rear end, I was tightening up the bleeder screws and bolts on my rear calipers yesterday because I noticed a slight leak. Apparently, I over torqued the the bolt (right rear, outside of caliper), and the "ear" it screwed into more or less crumbled and broke. Definitely not happy about this 
....I was just trying to get it tighter.
I could grind down the tip of the bolt and screw it into what's left of the thread in the ear, but I'm afraid it won't seal well enough. Basically, I just want to plug the hold, but I'd hate to fool with brakes cuz I kind of need em in a bad way.
I don't see any way of getting around this other than buying a new caliper. A friend of mine says if I'm doing one side, I might as well do the other - should I? Muskegon Brake appears to be the cheapest...Is there a discount available for being a forum member?
BTW, in all my looking, I've noticed there's a lip seal design and an o-ring design....What's the difference?
Thanks for the help.
....I was just trying to get it tighter.I could grind down the tip of the bolt and screw it into what's left of the thread in the ear, but I'm afraid it won't seal well enough. Basically, I just want to plug the hold, but I'd hate to fool with brakes cuz I kind of need em in a bad way.
I don't see any way of getting around this other than buying a new caliper. A friend of mine says if I'm doing one side, I might as well do the other - should I? Muskegon Brake appears to be the cheapest...Is there a discount available for being a forum member?
BTW, in all my looking, I've noticed there's a lip seal design and an o-ring design....What's the difference?
Thanks for the help.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
O-ring is more reliable and don't leak so much. Definately have to replace the broken one, but no real need to do both if the others are ok. But, that said, if they are old and leak or are lip seal, I would at least put in o-ring kits on all 4
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
its not clear to me what broke....is it where the bleeder valve screws into broke? or is it where the caliper mounts to the hub?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette IN
No pics... at work (limited resources)....plus I don't have a camera.
If you take the wheel off and stare at the caliper, there are 4 ways for brake fluid to get into (or out of) the caliper. So relative to the front and back of the car:
At the front side of the car on both halves of the caliper, there are the two bleeder screws - they look exactly the same. At the backside of the car, there is the small bolt and brake line; the brake line screws in on the inside half of the caliper whereas the small bolt screws in on the outside half of the caliper.
I don't know how else to describe it without a picture. Being an engineer, I have a limited vocabulary
If you take the wheel off and stare at the caliper, there are 4 ways for brake fluid to get into (or out of) the caliper. So relative to the front and back of the car:
At the front side of the car on both halves of the caliper, there are the two bleeder screws - they look exactly the same. At the backside of the car, there is the small bolt and brake line; the brake line screws in on the inside half of the caliper whereas the small bolt screws in on the outside half of the caliper.
I don't know how else to describe it without a picture. Being an engineer, I have a limited vocabulary
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i'm with you.....some guys actually have a bleeder screw in that extra hole. those calipers are pretty substantial and if its flaking apart i think i would be concerned about the integrity of the rest of the unit. i would not want any caliper on my car to be flaking apart. i don't know what would make that deteriorate like that but perhaps it was a bad casting from 30 yrs ago, i would replace it with a new one
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,672
Likes: 1
From: New Cumberland PA
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
i'm with you.....some guys actually have a bleeder screw in that extra hole. those calipers are pretty substantial and if its flaking apart i think i would be concerned about the integrity of the rest of the unit. i would not want any caliper on my car to be flaking apart. i don't know what would make that deteriorate like that but perhaps it was a bad casting from 30 yrs ago, i would replace it with a new one
I would not trust it if its falling/crumbling apart.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette IN
Thanks for the help....
I think I'm gonna go for an entirely new brake job - calipers, pads, master cylinder, hoses, lines, etc. Is there a point in replacing the lines that run from the master cylinder to the rest of the calipers? I can't tell how old mine are and whether or not they are tin or s/s. Some of my compression fittings are rounded off so I have to use channel locks to get em off. Like I said, I'm thinking of doing everything...I'm just not that excited about trying to route the lines around the car, if its necessary. From what I saw in the archives, its a mediocre job that just requires some patience.
But so far, I'm looking at Van Steel. Anyone know if their price (509.99 for caliper kit w/ master cylinder) include a core price? Anyone know what the core is worth at Van Steel for calipers and/or master cylinder?
Thanks again.
I think I'm gonna go for an entirely new brake job - calipers, pads, master cylinder, hoses, lines, etc. Is there a point in replacing the lines that run from the master cylinder to the rest of the calipers? I can't tell how old mine are and whether or not they are tin or s/s. Some of my compression fittings are rounded off so I have to use channel locks to get em off. Like I said, I'm thinking of doing everything...I'm just not that excited about trying to route the lines around the car, if its necessary. From what I saw in the archives, its a mediocre job that just requires some patience.
But so far, I'm looking at Van Steel. Anyone know if their price (509.99 for caliper kit w/ master cylinder) include a core price? Anyone know what the core is worth at Van Steel for calipers and/or master cylinder?
Thanks again.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
If you're replacing everything else, I'd swap the M/C lines, too. The only one on my car that hasn't been changed is the front/rear line that runs down the driver-side frame rail. Cheap insurance.