Front brake calipers
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,541
Likes: 1,975
From: Temple Terrace Florida
Open them up by removing the dust shields and popping out the pistons. See if they have been sleeved in stainless steel. If so, are the bores pitted or corroded? If so, they can be honed and rebuilt. I use O-ring pistons. You can thoroughly clean them with soap and water and finish the job with denatured alcohol. Really pretty easy. If they have not been sleeved, I would trade them in for stainless steel sleeved calipers. You can get the kits from Van Steel. If the fronts are that bad, the rears are, most likely, in the same shape. Lastly, replace the four rubber hoses at each corner and check the master cylinder. Don't forget to flush out the lines with new Dot 3 or 4 fluid. Jerry
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,291
Likes: 493
From: Salmon Arm, BC
I'm always pro DIY......They are super easy to rebuild, and then you know what kind of care was put into the assembly. The choice you have is lip seals or O-ring seals, and the piston will decide that for you as they are different. Now on those calipers you won't know what you have until the pistons are removed and the bore inspected for corrosion. They should have the stainless sleeves installed, but if not, I'd go the exchange route.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 988
Likes: 183
From: South Carolina
I opened one side,and they are sleeved and no rust,shiney but dirty,from sitting up,and yes I could clean them pretty easy,so have no problem replacing with a kit.and with O rings.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,800
Likes: 1,943
From: LONG ISLAND
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Don't f- around or cut corners with autozone crap. We are talking brakes here, that one day might save your life. Not floor mats a battery or radio.
Why not get new stainless steel DELCO Moraine - GM - OEM calipers ??
CLICK HERE >>>>> https://www.cssbinc.com/
CLICK HERE >>>>> https://www.cssbinc.com/corvette-calipers.aspx
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Verdad Gallardo
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 9,354
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
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Yes they are sleeved and it doesnt matter if they are or are not sleeved if they are smooth. The sleeving was to repair the pitting caused by water in the brake system. I have both on my car with the CSSBinc Oring kit and they stop great and havent leaked in 4 years
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 470
From: Wichita Kansas
Yes they are sleeved and it doesnt matter if they are or are not sleeved if they are smooth. The sleeving was to repair the pitting caused by water in the brake system. I have both on my car with the CSSBinc Oring kit and they stop great and havent leaked in 4 years
So if they are smooth and not sleeved, you can convert from lips to O rings with the kits?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,291
Likes: 493
From: Salmon Arm, BC
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 9,354
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 186
Likes: 63
From: a little West of Houston Texas
Am I mistaken, when converting from lip seals to O-ring seals you need to get the correct pistons for the O-rings due to a slight variation
AND if there is ANY corrosion on your current pistons they need to be replaced or not depends on your concern
It's been 20 years or so since I changed mine & I thought I had to buy all new pistons.
Doing a quick search I do see mention of my statement, don't know what's going on with brakes today.
CC kinda confirms my memory
https://www.corvettecentral.com/c3-6...version-192318
AND if there is ANY corrosion on your current pistons they need to be replaced or not depends on your concern
It's been 20 years or so since I changed mine & I thought I had to buy all new pistons.
Doing a quick search I do see mention of my statement, don't know what's going on with brakes today.
CC kinda confirms my memory
https://www.corvettecentral.com/c3-6...version-192318
Last edited by 1971CorvetteII; Sep 20, 2023 at 07:37 AM. Reason: added information
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
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From: US-PNW
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 9,354
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
The CSSBinc kits come with everything for the conversion . No guesswork or hunting parts
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 492
Hey Golfer,
I generally don't trust reman'd units. I bought these last year for my '69 vert before I decided to do an entire rolling chassis replacement. I'm holding on to them in case I get another C3 someday.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wil-140-10789
They get excellent reviews and best of all, the pistons are stainless steel. It just improves on all the flaws of the original unit, whilst maintaining basically the same look/dimensions as the OEM units.
You really can't go wrong with Wilwood brakes - How could Leno be wrong?
He uses Wilwoods on just about every classic car he has, IIRC.
I generally don't trust reman'd units. I bought these last year for my '69 vert before I decided to do an entire rolling chassis replacement. I'm holding on to them in case I get another C3 someday.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wil-140-10789
They get excellent reviews and best of all, the pistons are stainless steel. It just improves on all the flaws of the original unit, whilst maintaining basically the same look/dimensions as the OEM units.
You really can't go wrong with Wilwood brakes - How could Leno be wrong?
He uses Wilwoods on just about every classic car he has, IIRC.
Last edited by Corvette-ZL1; Sep 20, 2023 at 03:24 PM.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 9,354
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Lenos also a billionaire......
As for autozone rebuilds, they changed the contractor and they are done very poorly now with zero good reviews....
As for autozone rebuilds, they changed the contractor and they are done very poorly now with zero good reviews....
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,953
Likes: 4,508
From: Virginia
