Brake caliper rebuild Please HELP......
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
Brake caliper rebuild Please HELP......
Ok in an effort to cover all bases. I cleaned up and separated the 2 halves of each of my rear brake calipers. Now I have some questions;
1. Has anybody rebuilt there own and is it worth it?
2. How do I tell if I have SS sleeved calipers?
3. Don't I need SS to put the O-ring piston kit in?
4. Do I need to buy a brake hone and hone the cylinders?
5. How do the pistons come out?
6. Lastly is this worth it or should I just use them as cores and get a new set?
1. Has anybody rebuilt there own and is it worth it?
2. How do I tell if I have SS sleeved calipers?
3. Don't I need SS to put the O-ring piston kit in?
4. Do I need to buy a brake hone and hone the cylinders?
5. How do the pistons come out?
6. Lastly is this worth it or should I just use them as cores and get a new set?
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 677
Likes: 0
From: WInnipeg Mb
Re: Brake caliper rebuild Please HELP...... (BlackRat)
Black rat:
I am currently rebuilding mine right now. I was kind of pessimestic about doing it but now that i have them apart it seems easier that i had imagined
1. Has anybody rebuilt there own and is it worth it?
I'd say it's worth a shot, the rebuild kits are fairly inexpensive so if you mess it up it's not a big deal
2. How do I tell if I have SS sleeved calipers?
Once you pull them apart you will be able to tell, the inserts (sleeves) with be silver.
3. Don't I need SS to put the O-ring piston kit in?
Yes you need the SS to put the o-ring conversion kit in.
4. Do I need to buy a brake hone and hone the cylinders?
If they have alot of pitting then probably yes, if not you can just use wet/dry fine grit sandpaper and remove the rest inside the bores
5. How do the pistons come out?
Push down the piston with a screwdriver then remove the dust boot, once that is off they will pop right out due to the force the spring produces against the piston
6. Lastly is this worth it or should I just use them as cores and get a new set?
If you have alot of money i would recommend getting the vbp SS oring caliper set, but if you like the satification of working on your own car then rebuild them, it is really not that difficult
I am currently rebuilding mine right now. I was kind of pessimestic about doing it but now that i have them apart it seems easier that i had imagined
1. Has anybody rebuilt there own and is it worth it?
I'd say it's worth a shot, the rebuild kits are fairly inexpensive so if you mess it up it's not a big deal
2. How do I tell if I have SS sleeved calipers?
Once you pull them apart you will be able to tell, the inserts (sleeves) with be silver.
3. Don't I need SS to put the O-ring piston kit in?
Yes you need the SS to put the o-ring conversion kit in.
4. Do I need to buy a brake hone and hone the cylinders?
If they have alot of pitting then probably yes, if not you can just use wet/dry fine grit sandpaper and remove the rest inside the bores
5. How do the pistons come out?
Push down the piston with a screwdriver then remove the dust boot, once that is off they will pop right out due to the force the spring produces against the piston
6. Lastly is this worth it or should I just use them as cores and get a new set?
If you have alot of money i would recommend getting the vbp SS oring caliper set, but if you like the satification of working on your own car then rebuild them, it is really not that difficult
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
Re: Brake caliper rebuild Please HELP...... (Justin79-L-82)
Thanks Justin. I just went out to the VB&P web site and the conversion kit is fairly inexpensive. Is this the kit that you went with? Are you going to leave the springs out when you put them back together like some have suggested?
Wade
Wade
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 852
Likes: 0
From: Katy TX
Re: Brake caliper rebuild Please HELP...... (BlackRat)
Don't want to bash anyone or any vendors but.... think zero tolerance o-ring. Not all kits are the same and in my experience if you mess around with lip seal kits you will be doing them again in a year. The zero tolerance piston design is much better than what others have to offer IMO.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
Re: Brake caliper rebuild Please HELP...... (PatG)
PatG,
How do I find the zero tolerence kit. Is there a web site?
Joeveto,
What is the url to your web site?
Thanks
Wade
How do I find the zero tolerence kit. Is there a web site?
Joeveto,
What is the url to your web site?
Thanks
Wade
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
Re: Brake caliper rebuild Please HELP...... (joeveto)
Never mind joeveto I found your site and printed off the instructions. They are awesome thanks. :cheers:
Wade
Wade
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,407
Likes: 2
From: Carmichael CA
Re: Brake caliper rebuild Please HELP...... (BlackRat)
I just go down to Kragen/Checker/Schucks or Autozone and pick up their best caliper and return mine for a core...I find it easier, and gets me back on the road faster.
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Re: Brake caliper rebuild Please HELP...... (BlackRat)
Considering that I just did this to my 79, I would recommend just using you calipers as cores and getting fresh set from VB&P or one of the other great vendors we have as sponsors. I feel for what it costs in rebuilding, and the fact that you still don't have a warranty, the SS sleeved and O ring calipers are worth the extra cost. Everyone who has posted here and are using the SS and O ring equiped calipers have only good things to say about them. :)
