Front Caliper Leaking. Conflicting archive fixes
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 13,515
Likes: 12
From: Fisher, IL
Front Caliper Leaking. Conflicting archive fixes
Discovered i had almost zero brakes today when i took the vette out. Saw it was leaking brake fluid from the front caliper.
I started researching fixes and whether i would have to buy new or fix myself.
I saw a lot of don't waste the time and just pay the $60ea to get a new caliper.
Then i saw rebuild kits were $10 and some say are easy to do...
Then some said the rebuild kits are just a waste unless you have stainless steel boars?
Just wondering where i should go with this problem...
I started researching fixes and whether i would have to buy new or fix myself.
I saw a lot of don't waste the time and just pay the $60ea to get a new caliper.
Then i saw rebuild kits were $10 and some say are easy to do...
Then some said the rebuild kits are just a waste unless you have stainless steel boars?
Just wondering where i should go with this problem...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
If you do not have SS sleaved bores the cast iron bores must be free of pitting caused by rusting from water in fliud. Pistons which are aluminum need to be corrision free where the seals go. Water normally collects where lip seal contacts bore. Easy to rebuild if still in good shape. You can not tell if it is repairable until it is disassembled. Remove caliper and disassemble it and tell us what you have. mike...
Last edited by mds3013; May 30, 2010 at 06:50 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 10
From: New Paltz, New York USA
If you buy rebuilt calipers they come with SS sleeves. I bought a few rebuild kits then went out and bought a re-built caliper, much easier. I got it from Auto Zone and it has a lifetime replacment. I have had it about 6 years and no problems.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 13,515
Likes: 12
From: Fisher, IL
Notice this bottom photo is of the side that most likely has the leak. I noticed that the seals on the pistons are not even. The top seal is almost flush with the piston while the bottom seal is recessed a bit on bottom piston...
Last edited by PUNISHER VETTE; May 30, 2010 at 08:29 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
Rust looks like from back of pads. Dust boot pushed out on top piston poss. due to leaking lip seal. Take out brake pad pin and remove pads. Pop out piston dust boot, remove piston and inspect piston bore. Keeping my fingers crossed that you have SS sleaved calipers. mike...
Last edited by mds3013; May 30, 2010 at 08:46 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Just stick a screwdriver under the edge of the dust seal and pop those suckers out. All calipers rust on the outside the stainless is inside the bores.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
Definately look stainless. Can you feel any wear inside bores? Third pic. left bore looks suspect? I Cleaned bores with gray scotchbrite pad with brake fluid as a lubricant. Rebuild kits will come with small o-ring to seal halves to totally rebuild caliper. Here is mine waiting to go back on. mike...
Last edited by mds3013; May 30, 2010 at 10:46 PM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 13,515
Likes: 12
From: Fisher, IL
Definately look stainless. Can you feel any wear inside bores? Third pic. left bore looks suspect? I Cleaned bores with gray scotchbrite pad with brake fluid as a lubricant. Rebuild kits will come with small o-ring to seal halves to totally rebuild caliper. Here is mine waiting to go back on. mike...
What I don't get is it seems easy to do the rebuild and i'm wondering why i saw so many threads where people just said to buy new. I find that to be very unlike the do it yourself type crowd that is usually around here.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
Mine had the same discoloration as yours but I was not sure from the photo if it had damage. This is how I was taught to do the rebuild. Clean halves in laquer thinner. I then used a wire brush on a bench grinder to remove rust on outside surface. Clean up bores with the gray scotchbrite pads with brake fluid as a lubricant. Usually 3 or 4 light passes will return bores to a uniform appearance. I then used a piece of glass as it will be flat and secured 100 grit wet or dry sand paper to the glass. Sanded mating surfaces of halves to clean them up and to be sure there are no high spots, should not be any. Clean again in laquer thinner blow out with compressed air. Filled bores with paper towel covered holes for bleeders and line and reinstall old dust seals. Primed and painted caliper halves, remove masking. Lube bores and seals, not dust seals, with brake assembly lube or fluid and installed springs, pistons with seals installed and used a properly sized socket or other to lightly hammer dust boots untill seated slightly below caliper surface. Place small o-ring in recess of half and place other half over it, bolt halves together. I went with o-ring piston seals but the lip seals were still good after 20+ yrs. with silicone fluid. mike...
Last edited by mds3013; May 31, 2010 at 09:56 AM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 13,515
Likes: 12
From: Fisher, IL
I should have just bought new and been done with it by now
I've gone through 2 rebuild kits on 1 caliper and will not have enough extra seals to finish with all the mistakes that have happened.
The stupid seal keeps getting ripped when i push the piston in. It's not due to me pushing it in crooked as i know i'm straight. It's either the piston or the new seals that just don't fit 100% right. I was able to get 2 pistons in no problem then **** hit the fan. So i guess i know i'm doing it right as 2 went in perfect....
Looking at ordering some from autozone and just chalking this up as a complete loss.
I've gone through 2 rebuild kits on 1 caliper and will not have enough extra seals to finish with all the mistakes that have happened.
The stupid seal keeps getting ripped when i push the piston in. It's not due to me pushing it in crooked as i know i'm straight. It's either the piston or the new seals that just don't fit 100% right. I was able to get 2 pistons in no problem then **** hit the fan. So i guess i know i'm doing it right as 2 went in perfect....
Looking at ordering some from autozone and just chalking this up as a complete loss.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I should have just bought new and been done with it by now
I've gone through 2 rebuild kits on 1 caliper and will not have enough extra seals to finish with all the mistakes that have happened.
The stupid seal keeps getting ripped when i push the piston in. It's not due to me pushing it in crooked as i know i'm straight. It's either the piston or the new seals that just don't fit 100% right. I was able to get 2 pistons in no problem then **** hit the fan. So i guess i know i'm doing it right as 2 went in perfect....
Looking at ordering some from autozone and just chalking this up as a complete loss.
I've gone through 2 rebuild kits on 1 caliper and will not have enough extra seals to finish with all the mistakes that have happened.
The stupid seal keeps getting ripped when i push the piston in. It's not due to me pushing it in crooked as i know i'm straight. It's either the piston or the new seals that just don't fit 100% right. I was able to get 2 pistons in no problem then **** hit the fan. So i guess i know i'm doing it right as 2 went in perfect....
Looking at ordering some from autozone and just chalking this up as a complete loss.
