VBP O Ring Kit for calipers
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 463
Likes: 0
From: South Haven MI
VBP O Ring Kit for calipers
If I get the "Complete O-Ring Caliper Conversion Kit(4 Wheel)
ID: 11312 " kit from VBP does it basically completely new rebuilt calipers when I'm done? Best I can tell it replaces all the internals. Also, when I look at the inner sleeves of my calipers how can I tell if they are stainless stell or not? Just by the color? Can anyone recommend how to make calipers look good? Any paints stand up to brake fluid?
ID: 11312 " kit from VBP does it basically completely new rebuilt calipers when I'm done? Best I can tell it replaces all the internals. Also, when I look at the inner sleeves of my calipers how can I tell if they are stainless stell or not? Just by the color? Can anyone recommend how to make calipers look good? Any paints stand up to brake fluid?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 929
Likes: 5
From: Marietta GA
Re: VBP O Ring Kit for calipers (jacobsed)
Not sure about the paint but I know the big auto supply stores sell caliper paint. Anyway, the VBP o-ring conversion kit includes the new pistons, o-ring seals and dust boots, I think. When you take the dust boots off the caliper bores you will be able to see whether or not the bores have been stainless steel sleeved. If they are not sleeved I would highly recommend sending them off to get sleeved or buying sleeved ones on an exchange basis. The piston bores without the sleeves will pit and cause brake fluid leaks.
BTW, I myself tried the VBP o-ring conversion kit but it didn't work very well for me. Some forum members have had good success but the pistons ending up cocking in their bores on my car and I had to redo the whole job with billet aluminum pistons which were a little larger but solved the problem. Just my two cents.
BTW, I myself tried the VBP o-ring conversion kit but it didn't work very well for me. Some forum members have had good success but the pistons ending up cocking in their bores on my car and I had to redo the whole job with billet aluminum pistons which were a little larger but solved the problem. Just my two cents.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 19
From: Manhattan Beach Ca
Re: VBP O Ring Kit for calipers (BB68Vett)
I recently did mine with the kit and they are working fine although putting in the top dust seal gasket was much harder than anyone ever mentioned. Getting it to seat right without distorting was hit or miss. My .02.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 3,544
Likes: 448
From: Central Pennsylvania
Re: VBP O Ring Kit for calipers (BB68Vett)
but the pistons ending up cocking in their bores
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 929
Likes: 5
From: Marietta GA
Re: VBP O Ring Kit for calipers (ettev)
I installed them per the instructions and I did re-use the springs. I believe my problem stemmed from the fact that the piston diameter is based on a lip seal not an o-ring seal. Because of the increased pressure put on the wall of the piston bore with an o-ring seal, the standard size pistons were cocking and it wasn't just one caliper. I think every single caliper had at least one piston cocking problem. I know some people have this problem and others don't but that was my personal experience.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,052
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Re: VBP O Ring Kit for calipers (BB68Vett)
I installed them per the instructions and I did re-use the springs. I believe my problem stemmed from the fact that the piston diameter is based on a lip seal not an o-ring seal. Because of the increased pressure put on the wall of the piston bore with an o-ring seal, the standard size pistons were cocking and it wasn't just one caliper. I think every single caliper had at least one piston cocking problem. I know some people have this problem and others don't but that was my personal experience.
[Modified by Turbo-Jet, 3:28 AM 5/8/2004]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 3
From: Wildwood IL
Re: VBP O Ring Kit for calipers (jacobsed)
Can anyone recommend how to make calipers look good? Any paints stand up to brake fluid?
Eddie
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 929
Likes: 5
From: Marietta GA
Re: VBP O Ring Kit for calipers (Turbo-Jet)
A little late in responding, sorry about that. Well, in my case the skirt on the o-ring caliper piston needed to be a little different (longer) than the skirt for a standard lip seal. As far as I know, to create an o-ring piston a standard lip seal piston is machined to accept an o-ring, with no other modifications. As I stated in my previous post, the lip seals are less prone to piston-bore clearance issues (on the high side). In other words, at least in my case, the piston-bore clearance was too much for the o-ring piston. I bought larger billet aluminum pistons with longer skirts and this solved my problem. Previously, I had at least 1 piston in each caliper that was cocking in its bore. As far as the bore diameter before I started the initial rebuild, I think the rebuild kit has specs (or I called VBP for the specs, I can't remember which) and I used a caliper to measure the bore diameter to make sure it was within the required specs.
Like I said, my experience may have been in the minority but I know I am not the only person to have suffered this fate.
Like I said, my experience may have been in the minority but I know I am not the only person to have suffered this fate.
