Caliper rebuild
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: panhandle Florida
Caliper rebuild
Has anyone re-built their own calipers? My car has been sitting (worst thing possible for seals) and the seals began to leak. Two of them were frozen up. The sleeves are not stainless but honed to be in near perfect condition. The worst problem I am having is finding decent rebuild kits for these.
Has anyone rebuild theirs and been happy with the rebuild kits they purchased ? If yes, where did you get them?
thanks, STEVE
Has anyone rebuild theirs and been happy with the rebuild kits they purchased ? If yes, where did you get them?
thanks, STEVE
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Yes, you can easily rebuild them yourself. Most Vette vendors sell the kits. Take a look at this: http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/25438/index.html
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From: Cape Cod, Mass.
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I know I'm great at spending other people's money, but it really makes sense to just bite the bullet and buy 4 stainless steel sleeved calipers and be done with it. There are some pretty reasonably priced deals out there and it's a simple bolt on and bleed.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: panhandle Florida
Yes, you can easily rebuild them yourself. Most Vette vendors sell the kits. Take a look at this: http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/25438/index.html
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: panhandle Florida
My calipers are in PERFECT condition for rebuilding. I just need to find a good seal kit.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,581
Likes: 28
From: Spring, Texas
If they're honed well, you should consider rebuilding them with an o-ring seal kit. I've successfully rebuilt many C-3 calipers but they eventually leak again if the car sits. The most permanent resolution would probably be replacing the calipers with stainless steel sleeved calipers that use o-ring seals.
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Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,629
Likes: 4
From: Somers CT
It's a pretty easy thing to rebuild them as stated above and parts are readily available, I've done mine in the past.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge Louisiana
I know this is not going to be a popular opinion but I don't agree with this. As long as your calipers arent rusted in the bore there's nothing wrong with rebuilding calipers that aren't sleeved.
It's a pretty easy thing to rebuild them as stated above and parts are readily available, I've done mine in the past.
It's a pretty easy thing to rebuild them as stated above and parts are readily available, I've done mine in the past.
But to avoid that you have two options, buy sleeved calipers (as there are good deals out there) or fix yours. If you buy new, make sure they are fitted with o-rings. If you re-do yours you will need to replace the pistons with the o-ring style and use silicone brake fluid.
I think I got my parts from Vette Brakes & Products.
Good Luck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 23
From: Kawartha Lakes and PEC, Ontario
I agree with TopGunn, most of these need to get sleeved because the bore is pitted. If your bore is not pitted and within spec (you need to measure with a bore gauge) you can just rebuild the caliper. I would guess that you could take them apart, clean them and reassemble and it would work like new. The problem with the OE design is the seals work with pressure, take off the pressure and they may leak. If you were to get in your car once a week and press the brake pedal I doubt it would have ever leaked.
But to avoid that you have two options, buy sleeved calipers (as there are good deals out there) or fix yours. If you buy new, make sure they are fitted with o-rings. If you re-do yours you will need to replace the pistons with the o-ring style and use silicone brake fluid.
I think I got my parts from Vette Brakes & Products.
Good Luck
But to avoid that you have two options, buy sleeved calipers (as there are good deals out there) or fix yours. If you buy new, make sure they are fitted with o-rings. If you re-do yours you will need to replace the pistons with the o-ring style and use silicone brake fluid.
I think I got my parts from Vette Brakes & Products.
Good Luck
I've seen a lot of posts saying to replace Dot 3 fluid with Silicone but I'm not sure how that works as I am under the impression that all dot 3 needs to be removed before you can introduce the silicone fluid to the system. Is this true? If so, how do you get all of the old fluid out?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: panhandle Florida
I know this is not going to be a popular opinion but I don't agree with this. As long as your calipers arent rusted in the bore there's nothing wrong with rebuilding calipers that aren't sleeved.
It's a pretty easy thing to rebuild them as stated above and parts are readily available, I've done mine in the past.
It's a pretty easy thing to rebuild them as stated above and parts are readily available, I've done mine in the past.
Where did you get your parts?
Were you happy with them?
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge Louisiana
and flush well.
The problem with Dot 3 and non sleeved calipers is that it attracks moisture and causes pitting corrosion. So if you do not want to clean the system and replace elastomers, go with the stainless sleeved.
Also, an industrial rubber supply company is a good place to get high quality o-rings. They should be able to help you with sizes and compounds. Not all rubber is the same. There are differant compounds and quality of blend. Some of the imports use a higher percent of fillers with will affect compression set and chemical resistance.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 91
I know this is not going to be a popular opinion but I don't agree with this. As long as your calipers arent rusted in the bore there's nothing wrong with rebuilding calipers that aren't sleeved.
It's a pretty easy thing to rebuild them as stated above and parts are readily available, I've done mine in the past.
It's a pretty easy thing to rebuild them as stated above and parts are readily available, I've done mine in the past.
Orings and aluminum piston swap and your go to go for a looooong time. When I bought mine from the maker of the piston(ZTI), about 12 years ago, he said,"DO NOT SLEEVE A GOOD BORE". Not a bit of trouble since
Last edited by dennis; Apr 24, 2008 at 01:38 PM. Reason: pic
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,629
Likes: 4
From: Somers CT
http://www.vbandp.com/
Sounds like dennis has a good source also. I did run across a rebuilding document that someone did that was pretty good, can't find it at the moment but I'll locate it and post the link.
Edit: This is a process for installing 'O' rings but it gives a pretty good step by step on how to take things apart and how to put them together again.
http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c3/joe...ructions.shtml
Sounds like dennis has a good source also. I did run across a rebuilding document that someone did that was pretty good, can't find it at the moment but I'll locate it and post the link.
Edit: This is a process for installing 'O' rings but it gives a pretty good step by step on how to take things apart and how to put them together again.
http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c3/joe...ructions.shtml
Last edited by TopGunn; Apr 24, 2008 at 02:59 PM.