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Caliper overhaul
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Hamilton Ontario
Caliper overhaul
Just paid $106.00 with tax to have the leaking right rear caliper rebuilt on my 73. While installing and bleeding it (no problems with air getting trapped) I decided to take out the pads on the left rear just to check them out and now I see it is leaking just a little bit now too. It'll be OK for this season but here's the thing, it looks damn easy to overhaul these things. Not rocket science. Have you done your own, and what do the kits cost per wheel?
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,581
Likes: 28
From: Spring, Texas
I've rebuilt several through my ownership of three C3 cars, it's a very easy job (relatively speaking). Particularly if you're not concerned with originality, a good option is to just replace them all with stainless sleeved calipers and o-ring seals. If your calipers are in good enough condition (may require piston cylinder honing), you can purchase just the o-ring kit and install it while rebuilding them.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 206
Likes: 0
From: Bardstown Ky
anyone who has enough basic brake knowledge to bleed the system successfully, can reseal the calipers successfully.
O-ring kits run ~$38 per caliper, they come with instructions, and it's a fairly straight-forward process. only special tooling required is a good torque wrench to torque the halves back together.
after replacing leaking (lip-sealed) calipers for three years in a row, I resealed a set with the O-ring kits, and that's been two summers back with no problems. (including the sitting-thru-winter storage period).
all of the above is stated with consideration taken that the calipers are rebuildable. if you get them apart and the piston bores are corroded or pitted, I don't know how successful one would be in replacing the sleeves (requires a press)... that's probably a whole 'nother ball of wax.
O-ring kits run ~$38 per caliper, they come with instructions, and it's a fairly straight-forward process. only special tooling required is a good torque wrench to torque the halves back together.
after replacing leaking (lip-sealed) calipers for three years in a row, I resealed a set with the O-ring kits, and that's been two summers back with no problems. (including the sitting-thru-winter storage period).
all of the above is stated with consideration taken that the calipers are rebuildable. if you get them apart and the piston bores are corroded or pitted, I don't know how successful one would be in replacing the sleeves (requires a press)... that's probably a whole 'nother ball of wax.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,574
Likes: 0
From: Middleboro/Boston MA
Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 465
Likes: 1
From: FRANCE (Lyon)
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