Richard Daugird

I will be doing the brakes on my '74 soon. I want to get my calipers locally for warranty/shipping reasons. Does anyone know if O'Reilly calipers are stainless sleeved, O-ring calipers? The clerk on the phone couldn't tell me. I know opinions vary on O-rings vs. lip seals, but I am somewhat a clod when it comes to maintenance, and since the car won't be driven much, I have come to the conclusion I want the O-rings.

MelWff

the calipers are re-manufactured. In all probability they would have to be steel sleeved but use the stock lip seal.

keithinspace

If getting the correct type of seal is important to you (which I agree, it should be important), then I would point you in the direction of a Corvette restoration parts supplier.

Zip Corvette, as an example, has their "correct" o-ring seal calipers for $120 each. While on the surface that may seem like quite a stretch from $70 at O'Reilly's, you will be absolutely assured of the specifics regarding the part.

A story:

I was in my Speed Shop yesterday. He was wrapping up a build for a Nash Metropolitan. No ordinary Nash, mind you...this is a 482 with a huge supercharger. Dual Quick-Fuel carbs. Huge everything. $18,000 engine build...and counting. The goal was to get the scoop higher than the roof.

I was looking at the build and noticed what looked like a MSD Billet distributor, but it didn't have MSD written on it at all. Turned out it was a chinese MSD knock-off that the owner had in his shop and insisted be used on the engine. The difference between that distributor and a proper MSD unit was maybe $75. So...congratulations...he saved 0.4% of the cost of his overall build on what is arguably THE MOST critical item on the engine...certainly with a huge blower.

My point:

Do it right. Get the right part. Don't wonder. The lip seal design has a weakness specific to non-use and admitting air into the system. Why wonder? And why not go with a lifetime warranty part?

Like it or not, you WILL spend money on the car. Pinching pennies will only force you to re-invest sooner than you'd like.

For critical items on my car, I go to the folks that have the right parts.

If I need Armor-All, I go to O'Reillys.

Richard Daugird

I sure don't want Chinese. I was thinking these calipers were made by Lone Star, just wanted to confirm. I am not especially concerned about cost(although it is a factor; otherwise I'd just get some Wilwoods), and I believe the parts house caliper offers lifetime warranty. Not concerned about "correctness" either, my car has lots of modifications. I was more concerned with ease of replacement, if I have a failure, and being able to exchange at the corner store. From what I have read, the less these cars are driven, the more likely for problems with the brakes. So I DO foresee problems.

revitup

I replaced my calipers with stainless lined units with lip seals in 1994, along with pads. I drive the car 1000-2500 miles per year, replace brake fluid every 2-3 years. Use the parking brake all the time. Never a single issue with brakes. Never any air in the system, still running the same pads with the original rotors. I can not understand why these brakes are thought to be so problematic.

Richard Daugird

I have just read here countless times, as well as people I know personally, who have had headaches with them. I hate doing brakes, never even heard of changing brake fluid until a couple years ago, as far as I can remember, and I've been fooling with cars for over 30 years. Maybe it won't be so bad with one of those vacuum pump brake gizmos...

jb78L-82

Absolutely spot on....lip seals are the "correct" brake caliper design! O ring calipers were designed for those brake system where the rotor runout is not to GM spec and to prevent air entering the system.

I have you beat LOL. VBP SS lip seal calipers on my 78 since 1985 and I have never had an issue...Never! I changed the brake pads to performance Friction about 13 years ago and before that the semi Metallics that I installed in the early 80's were barely worn...I still have those pads......I change the brake fluid every 3-4 years. BTW-I also use my parking brake................

I drive my car maybe 500 miles per year and the car sits 99.9% of the time. No I do not go out to the garage every week to step on the brake pedal either. The C3 brakes are still terrific by today's standard and were far superior back in the 60/70/80's. When folks have all these brake issues, SOMETHING is NOT right with the system....its NOT the brakes being problematic

Richard Daugird

So if my rotors are out of spec, go O-ring. Is there any reason NOT to just go with the O-rings, in case my rotors wear funny, with my shitty luck? What I mean is, it can't hurt, right? I haven't even checked them yet, but there is definitely air in the system. Is the sky falling???

jb78L-82

I have no experience with o-ring calipers but you are probably right that they can't hurt.............from what I read. I generally post comments based on my personal experience with parts that I have or have used............

lvmyvt76

you could look at them and see if the are sleeved, which they are. at least they will warranty their parts!

havesometo

I have rotors from O'Reilly's on all 4 corners of my car. 3 years now 0 problems.

'75

I've had no problem with parts store calipers, mine are from Napa 10 yrs ago, no issues.

ddawson

More then likely they are Cardone rebuilds. Mine were.

They were all sleeved and ready to install. One of them was not a delco moraine casting so I made them order another one and it was a delco moraine casting.

keithinspace

The point was made, but I'd like to reiterate it: The brakes on these cars are awesome. They are still pretty amazing, even today. Not many cars...even Corvettes...come stock with 4 piston fixed calipers on front and rear.

My brother is building a FFR GTM and used a 1999 Hardtop as a donor. I was surprised to see the floating 2-pot calipers on the front. They'll stop his 2,400 lb car just fine, but I had a little flutter of satisfaction that the brakes on my now-46 year old car are so bad ***.

I have a Wilwood dream in my future as well, but it isn't going from a Pinto to a Porsche. We're starting with a nice setup.

BLUE1972

Rick's and other rebuilders state: "O" ring calipers are better for cars that are not driven often or are driven hard.

I put "O" ring calipers in my 72 in 2006 and have not touched them. The car is a low mile car and I go 1K per year maybe.

On my 71 and friends 72 I used AutoZone rebuilt calipers , all 4 both cars, which were Delco Moraine - remanufactured in the USA as per the box. They are working fine 2+K miles this summer on the 71. (some in stop and go traffic)

I indicated the disk and set it to the lowest run out on both - no issues.

jb78L-82

This ^ is what I have heard as well, especially C3's that sit most of the time but hard to argue with my VBP SS Lip seal calipers on the car for 31 years now that sits 99.9% of the time and is driven fairly hard when on the road. Maybe I am just lucky but somehow I doubt that....

7t9l82

I have the o ring caliper and they work great.it's really personal preference. if you snuck in to someone's garage and swapped their lip seal calipers for o rings, they'd never know the difference. I will say most modern calipers use orings there must be some reason.

Jebbysan

I used a pair of O'reilley calipers on the front of a customers 76' and puller the dust seal back...they were sleeved, but cannot confirm if it was stainless........they bled easy and worked great.....they were also Delco castings and painted silver....and as a previous poster said...I believe they were Lone Star re-mans....which would make sense seeing as that is where I am at!

Jebby

Richard Daugird

When the time comes, I think I'll just hit the local parts house, and check the boxes to make sure they are Delco Moraine castings. If I have a problem, they are a ten minute drive to return them.

ajrothm

Cardone does the calipers for O Reilys. I've used them, 50/50 success rate, they are sleeved with lip seals... I've used Lonestar Calipers, 50/50 success rate.....

I had 3 of 4 O Reily calipers start leaking over the course of 4 months, swapped in replacements one at a time as they started leaking. I ended up buying a full set of Lonestar calipers, and immediately had a leak on one of them, replaced that one and so far they have been ok after a year, 3k miles.


I think its a crap shoot with any of them.