Howdy,
I had my calipers stainless steel sleeved back in the 90's. They need either rebuilding or replacing again. Took the first one apart and the sleeve looks perfect. I read where one rebuilder wouldnt accept resleeved calipers for the exchange, I'm assuming because they cant be resleeved again and they dont want to warranty without putting new sleeves in. My questions are 1. Is it likely that the sleeves would leak where they were glued in or if they arent pitted and still look good would it be ok to just rebuild them. 2. I'm assuming that the stainless sleeves are standard oem size and if so would the o-ring conversion kits work.
Thanks Tom

 

The sleeves are pressed in.
You'll be OK with a rebuild kit.
Insert the spring, lube the sleeves and new lip seals with brake fluid and carefully insert them.
Tap the dust cover even with the caliper with an appropriate size socket.

 

Lone Star Caliper in Texas will take them. I send mine to them all the time and have no problems.

I do not spend any time rebuilding calipers even though I have all of the tools to do it correctly. It is cheaper for my customers for me to sell them calipers that have been rebuilt.

Yes you can hone out those sleeves because I am sure that there has to be some wear in them. And if you do not hone that out...you are wasting your time. If they are perfect as you say...then do as you see fit.

I prefer lipped seals instead of the O-ring type but it is your car so do as you wish.

DUB

 

Thanks for the replies. Lone Star has full set of calipers for about 400. Wouldnt be enough saving to make me feel good about rebuilding them myself if I had any trouble at all. I've already took them apart, course it wouldnt take 20 minutes to stick them back together. Why you like lipped seals better Dub ?
Tom

 

I hope I do not stir up the 'hornets nest' on this but there are two reason why I like the lipped seals.

1.) It is what he car came with and dealing with brake systems . I have yet to see any data showing that the 'O' ring designed seals are DOT approved. So...I have to worry about that in making sure I do not install a part that IF it a different design...and it fails. And the brakes fail...and the person crashes their car and they get hurt. Then I am dragged into court and IF it is found out that the failure was the seals in the calipers and I am on the stand.. The attorney is going to ask me why I chose to use them when I am not a brake engineer...when I could have EASILY installed the correct designed sealed calipers.. I would have nothing to support my decision so I would be screwed. BUT...if I use the caliper with the correct factory style seals in it and it fails. And I had nothing to do with how the caliper was built. because I only installed it. Then the chances of my life being turned upside down is lessened.

2.) Dealing with brakes on these cars and working on know cars that have 'O' ring calipers in them. I can 'feel' how the crispness of the response of the brakes is different. It is not bad...but it is slightly different. The lipped seal calipers seem to respond faster and not seem to have a slight lag like the 'O' ring design has.

Many people choose to use 'O' ring seals in their calipers due to the car is not driven a lot and sitting around has created the concern that if you have lipped seal calipers you need to press the brake pedal every so often so the seals do not take seat and then possible tear when used. There are people here who have lipped sealed calipers that let them sit and have not problems...while other have an issue.

But I can say that I have replaced so many calipers that were leaking and YES...the 'O' ring seals also leak and need to be replaced. So just because a person has 'O' ring seals in their calipers does not mean that they are leak proof by any stretch of the imagination.

Making sure the bearing run-out and rotor run-out is still critical or a brake problems can develop. And if the brake fluid is allowed to get dirty and sludgy...and you have incorrect run-out on these parts...or even if they are correct...then do not be surprised if that sludge does not wear into the sleeve on the contact surface where the seal rides on it. So many times people just are resistant in changing out dirty brake fluid when if they only understand WHY you want to get the fluid that looks like dark coffee out of the system...it can increase the life of the system. But there is always someone who states that they never change out the fluid and the brakes are fine. Which is their choice. But yet they change the engine oil. Maybe because they are fearful that if they go in and try to loosen the brake bleeder it will snap off and then they have to deal with a problem that if they did nothing... it still would have been fine. People think how they think and I am no different.

DUB

 

Guess if I hadnt wanted to know I shouldnt have asked I thank you for the reply, I changed my calipers 20 some odd years ago, back then lipped seal was only choice, as long as I was driving the car regular I had zero problems. Judging by what they looked like when I took them off (at least half the plungers where froze up and they all were covered with this gritty looking gel that I guess used to be brake fluid) I dont imagine it would have made any difference if they had of been o-ring seals. Another thing Im puzzled about, one of the rear and and inside half of the other didnt look the same, they had some kinda plating on them or was cast outta different metal. Ill post a pic of that later. Probably do little more research before doing anything but leaning towards what Peterbuilt said, buying lip seal kit and rebuilding these. Worst case senero, wasted a day in the shop (nothing unusal) and 50 bucks, but if I decide to go with the oring style I'll probably buy rebuilt ones, the oring kits are pretty pricey.
Tom

 

If you decide to replace the seals yourself keep the seals 'square' in the bore.
Don't tip the seals to one side or the other.
When you reinstall the calipers insert the pads first, squeezing the pads flush to the caliper and then install the caliper.

As for a difference on one side vs the other, post a picture for someone to give you an opinion on that.
They worked before so they should work again.

 

Here are some pictures of the calipers i mentioned.

 

I have seen the calipers that look like they have a plating on them. I actually never looked into who is doing this due to it does not matter unless you are worried about judging. due to it is an exterior coating and that is all.... as you are well aware about. The coating has no bearing on how the caliper obviously works.

DUB

 

Howdy,
2 of my calipers have unusual feel in the sleeves, dont think its a wear pattern, looks like the guy honing them when the sleeves were pressed in had a knat, a bud knat that is, in his eye. Ever what the reason was doesnt matter, I dont feel comfortable rebuilding them. I been going in circles trying to decide who to order replacements. I dont think Im supposed to post links but a company CSSB has a real good price on the complete kit including m/c. Has anyone used them. There is an ebay seller called edgewoodmike has a very good price as well, he is in canton, tx and says his calipers are lonestar, Is it possible that lonestar calipers has ebay store seeing as they are in canton as well. The prices are better than their website.
Tom

 

I will add something if anyone cares................I dont like the O-ring type seal because as a master machine repair technician, any of the truly high pressure hydraulics on the machines that I work on (2500psi +) that have o-ring seals have two in tandem of each other. Why you say? Well the effective surface area of the sealing point is much smaller than a square cross section seal and will wear out much quicker giver the task it is asked to perform......which is huge hydraulic pressure (2000psi + in panic stop).
BTW.....stainless sleeve AC Delco calipers are available from Rock Auto.com.............
I have used the parts store A1 units on a clapped out 76' and they were surprisingly high quality..........but unsure if they were actually stainless sleeve. They were $65 three years ago.

Jebby
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...b,caliper,1704

 

have o-ring seals have two in tandem of each other. Why you say? Well the effective surface area of the sealing point is much smaller than a square cross section seal and will wear out much quicker giver the task it is asked to perform......


I am no rocket scientist to sealing point on an o-ring caliper does concern me even lots people brag on them. BTW I checked rockauto 69 each for delco stainless steel with lip seal plus 60 refundable core of course.
Tom

 

The idea behind the O-ring style was to eliminate "stiction"....the tendancy for the piston to stick in place. This may be a better deal for that....but I just do not like the idea. Maybe I am getting old and fogey LOL!

Jebby

 

Ditto