Has anyone rebuilt their non-staineless steel lined calipers with the VB&P complete O-ring kit (link below). I assume you honed the cylinders? Please share your experience. Thx!

http://www.vbandp.com/detail.aspx?ID=830

Edit: Clarification in bold. I'm particularly interested in those who rebuilt calipers that do not have stainless steel sleeves. I have heard that if the piston cylinders (cavities) are in good condition (i.e. no scratches or pits) and you hone them, it works great.

 

thats the kit I got ordered, looks like the answer

 

You must already have Stainless steel sleeves in the calipers. If not you are waisting your time. If you already have the sleeves just clean them up and install the Oring kit.

 

I did it, and it has cured my brake leaks. I did have the vette brake stainless steal sleeved calipers already, and the stainless pistons are too heavy for the old style seals. I did not hone anything out, but I did not have many miles on the calipers before I upgraded. That has been about 10 years ago and no problems.

FYI
I also run DOT 5 silicon break fluid

 

I'm like Warship. My pedal was persistently mushy and had had the stainless steel sleeves for nearly ten years. I went through the entire system which included rebuilding the master cylinder and installing the O rings, continuing to use silicon. Solid pedal since driving it to Nashville for the 50th annversary event.

 

I did it a few years ago, the cylinder bores were fine, so I cleaned em out and left em alone. Brakes work great still.

 

I just completed mine system, replaced MC, replaced all brake line except main front to back, and rebuilt all 4 calipers with O-Ring's. I'v bleed system 3 times I plan on doing it another 1 or 2 times, but so far everything is good and no leaks, pedal is firmer.

 

A question for those who have already rebuilt their calipers with the o-ring kit.

Did you put the springs back in behind the pistons? I've heard some say that if you leave the springs out, it will lessen pad wear.

Opinions?

TIA

Dave

 

I have reworked 8 sets of SS lined calipers with the VB&P O- ring kits and all have worked flawless with the oldest one being done about 9 years ago on my 67 and it sits most of the time.
I always order the upgrade o- ring calipers when I get new ones .
I have installed the springs on all the sets that I have used, I think you only gain by leaving them out if you are raceing the car.
I use a semi synthetic fluid that is made by Valvoline and have had good luck with it, most of the cars that I do sit more than they are driven and there has never been a complaint of a leaking caliper after the upgrade.
I got to the piont that I will not do a brake job on a corvette anymore unless the customer will go with the O-ring pistons .
I have used the O-ring kits on two sets of non sleeved calipers that had good bores and I have not had them leak yet either, they were done about a year ago.I thought that I would try it and see if it would work.

Thanks, Mark G

 

I'm doing mine right now and I'm putting the springs back in the way the unit was designed.

Bill

 

Did mine 3 summers ago. Calipers were in SS sleeved and in excellent shape. I cleaned up everything, repainted, etc...

The VBP O-ring pistons are much tighter in the bores than OEM lip seal. Brakes havent been an issue since. Pedal is rock solid. Highly recommend this.

Brent....

 

To answer your question...I have SS sleeved calipers and rebuild mine often and would never hone them...On a race car the o-ring pistons did NOT WORK but for the street the will be fine.
...redvetracr

 

Red,
why did they fail on the race car? I'm going to be helping a friend build his road car and he's thinking of using these calipers. I never have used them as I'll rebuild the bearings and dial in the rotors to correct any runout problem.
Thanks

 

Gary,
I used the billet Zero Tolerance piston, I was assured by the manufacturer Mike (who I also believe is the guy who came up with this idea first) it was unnecessary to modify and install my J-56 insulators....long story short, after grinding the bottom of all the bores because VB&P does NOT bore them on center prior to installing sleeves, I found it took two pumps at EVERY corner to have enough pedal to stop, besides the heat transferred into my SRF fluid causing it to turn black as in burnt (SRF is the best there is HANDS DOWN)....right there at the race track I rebuilt my calipers with the trusty J-56 pistons and lip seals...NO MORE PROBLEMS!! My feeling is the o-ring does not have enough sealing surface where the lip seal does.
....redvetracr

PS: Lip seals from Autozone are NOT the same as you would find at a NAPA or the ones sold by Lonestar (which is where mine come from)

 

I can see where the O-ring pistons would not work well on a road race car, the stiffer o-ring seal will not let the piston retract into the bore like the factory lip seal does.
The increased drag on the disc pads will lead to brake fade and increased temperature in the caliper that will boil the fluid. I think this is one reason that the springs are left out of race cars also.
I do notice that the cars that I have used the O-ring calipers on have more of a drag when you push them or turn the tires when the car is jacked up.
I contacted VB&P about this on one of the early cars that I did and they told me it is not a problem as long as the pads are not burned up.
I can say that we have a set on a 74 vette that has over 35,000 miles on it with them, most of the miles from long road trips across country and it is still on the first set of pads and the orignal rotors, so I take the little extra drag from the O-rings on a street car is better than the leaking calipers and having to rebuild them every year.
Maddvette products has a good article on the use of factory lip seals on race cars and they claim to sell a lip seal that is designed like the factory orignals that work very well compared to the auto parts house replacement kits that you get off the shelf.
The only set of factory lip seal calipers that I have used and had good luck with is a set from Lone Star Caliper here in Texas, they worked and held up well. I think that they use the same seals as Maddvette uses .

Thanks,Mark G

 

I had such a bad air pump problem, (go around the block and the pedal would be to the floor). I didn't believe anything would correct it. I still have the 1980 vette magazine article describing the air pumping/ runout thing.

Then 15 or so years ago I talked with the guy who designed the zero tolerence system. He sold me on them, and they haven't leaked since. He told me unless my calipers were really pitted , he didn't recommend sleeving. And I didn't, just a good honing. He later sold the company to one of the brake outfits.

BTW The piston springs aren't neede either.

 

OK, I been at this crap for allmost ten years now on my '72 here, the calipers were stainless lines when I got the car, and leaked a bit....so I put in new lip seals, and immediately tossed the springs as I could see NO reason for that design....

ran fine for about 3 years or so....then started leaking again...so I put in VBP oring pistons....obviously without any springs.....

DOT 5 fluid all this time....and found the pedal much better, but IMO, still that damn GM soft pedal feel.....

couldn't find any diagnosis of bad booster, so left it alone, but over the last few years, the forum here has touted the hydroboot system, and with Norvals' advice I finally decided to just spring for an overpriced ebay system....well...

for the very FIRST time in ten+ years that old shark will lock up and stand on it's NOSE....so....

I am saying IN FACT the problem is in the power brake booster being ....well whatever, worn?, worn OUT??, failed?? whatever...

from decades of experiences with GM cars....I have to assume it was more or less NORMAL....

for their design,....I preferr to have the power to lock them up and it's NOT a function of fluids, seals, bleeding (unless of course air IS in the system), or silly useless springs....


GENE

 

Rebuild my calipers two years ago. The fronts were almost new Delco units and the rear were almost new VBP sleeved units. Per folks at VBP checked for no scarring on the bores, cleaned them with brake fluid and installed the VBP o-ringed pistons.
Roger