Corvette Caliper Curse
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,149
Likes: 265
From: The frozen wastes...
Those are the "high-heat" O-ring kits from CSSB Inc. I was fortunate enough to have previously rebuilt calipers with clean stainless sleeves. It took some time on the wire wheel to clean up the outsides for epoxy, though.
If you have more time than money, lots of C3 parts are better with a DIY refurbish than buying a new replacement @Alan 71 was the master at this.
If you have more time than money, lots of C3 parts are better with a DIY refurbish than buying a new replacement @Alan 71 was the master at this.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,931
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From: Virginia
EDIT: Are you sure the ones you got from your neighbor are NOT sleeved? You have to partially disassemble them to check, but you might get lucky.
Last edited by Bikespace; Aug 23, 2022 at 09:00 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,149
Likes: 265
From: The frozen wastes...
Your best bet in that case is to buy used caliper cores with sleeves. You need a machine shop. I think someone in Europe was starting to do these, but in the US, Lonestar is your best bet. CSSB Inc might do them, or farm them out, I'm not sure.
EDIT: Are you sure the ones you got from your neighbor are NOT sleeved? You have to partially disassemble them to check, but you might get lucky.
EDIT: Are you sure the ones you got from your neighbor are NOT sleeved? You have to partially disassemble them to check, but you might get lucky.
I am not sure. Sounds like they've been on the car a LONG time. All i know is that they didn't leak.
Just priced out Wilwoods. $1500 Cdn landed. I dont know man... thats not a small jump. I LOVE the weight reduction, and i mean, i'll pay a lot extra for that, but still... Thats just calipers too. So i'd be using my old stock rotors on those new gems...
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 9,067
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From: US-PNW
Stainless sleeved calipers have been around for upwards of 35-40 years now. You never know until you pop the outer dust seal - which should be doable without separating the halves. (You won't be able to reinstall it correctly though unless they are separated.)
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
I am not sure. Sounds like they've been on the car a LONG time. All i know is that they didn't leak.
Just priced out Wilwoods. $1500 Cdn landed. I dont know man... thats not a small jump. I LOVE the weight reduction, and i mean, i'll pay a lot extra for that, but still... Thats just calipers too. So i'd be using my old stock rotors on those new gems...
Just priced out Wilwoods. $1500 Cdn landed. I dont know man... thats not a small jump. I LOVE the weight reduction, and i mean, i'll pay a lot extra for that, but still... Thats just calipers too. So i'd be using my old stock rotors on those new gems...
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9,063
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2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
I would not waste money on Wildwoods……just another solution looking for a problem. Properly rebuilt o-ring factory calipers work every bit as good. I can lock up wheels anytime I want and I have factory manual brakes. Mine have never leaked and bled the system without problems.
So……the curse is actually something else.
So……the curse is actually something else.
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Race Director
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From: South Western Ontario
I might have missed it, but the C3 caliper is different than most in how the seal works. Remember, pistons slowly move further and further out of the caliper bore as the brakes wear.
In most calipers, the seal is in the bore and the piston moves through the seal. This means the part of the piston that moves into the seal is/was surrounded in brake fluid and has been kept clean and lubricated. The caliper floats, so if the rotor has runout the whole caliper follows the rotor movement.
In the C3 caliper, the seal is attached to the piston and moves with the piston. This means the part of the caliper bore the seal moves into is dry and only protected by the dust seal. This can tend to be more damaging to the seals and it is more likely the bore the piston moves into has some damage. The pistons are also spring loaded, so if the rotor has runout the pistons get moved in and out of the bore every rotation of the rotor.
In most calipers, the seal is in the bore and the piston moves through the seal. This means the part of the piston that moves into the seal is/was surrounded in brake fluid and has been kept clean and lubricated. The caliper floats, so if the rotor has runout the whole caliper follows the rotor movement.
In the C3 caliper, the seal is attached to the piston and moves with the piston. This means the part of the caliper bore the seal moves into is dry and only protected by the dust seal. This can tend to be more damaging to the seals and it is more likely the bore the piston moves into has some damage. The pistons are also spring loaded, so if the rotor has runout the pistons get moved in and out of the bore every rotation of the rotor.
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 9,067
Likes: 4,200
From: US-PNW
In the C3 caliper, the seal is attached to the piston and moves with the piston. This means the part of the caliper bore the seal moves into is dry and only protected by the dust seal. This can tend to be more damaging to the seals and it is more likely the bore the piston moves into has some damage. The pistons are also spring loaded, so if the rotor has runout the pistons get moved in and out of the bore every rotation of the rotor.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,149
Likes: 265
From: The frozen wastes...
I would not waste money on Wildwoods……just another solution looking for a problem. Properly rebuilt o-ring factory calipers work every bit as good. I can lock up wheels anytime I want and I have factory manual brakes. Mine have never leaked and bled the system without problems.
So……the curse is actually something else.
So……the curse is actually something else.
Thats down the road though. I dont have that kind ov money kicking around right now... It'll get a new engine first.