I still use the stock calipers now and last year generated some good heat and toasted the caliper seals on the passenger side front. So, figured I would just replace the seals with new seal kit for both front calipers. When I received the seals, I tried to replace the seals but was concerned I was going to damage the seal that attaches to the pistons and the outer caliper bore. So I decided to just get reman calipers. Installed them and test drove today and had fluid leaking from the caliper and ended up being one of the seals had a pin hole in it. Probably was damaged when it was being put together.

I did have the seal kit I had ordered and tried to install a new seal but couldn't. My opinion would be to just go with new calipers vs trying to do a reveal kit. Like I said before, I don't see how the seals could be installed without damaging them. Someone had said before that they were easy to do, but unless I received the wrong seal kit, I can't see how they can be installed without damage.

 

What problems are you encountering? I didn't do (rebuild) my C4 calipers, but I did do the C5 calipers I swapped over to. I don't remember any "issues".

 

I had trouble with the seal that Gets installed into the caliper bore and the piston. It could be referred to as a piston boot.

 

i rebuilt the calipers on my 85 several years ago. as i remember, it was a bit tricky getting the new, outer, piston to caliper, seal in place. there's a certain way to install the outer seal - really don't remember the details. i guess if i had one here in front of me, it might jog my memory. i did used a light coating of silicon grease on the seals. its been 6 or 7 years now, and 60K miles later, without issues. i must have done something right...

reading this post brought back some memories. i went through the very same thing. i did a search, and here's a link to my "i need frickin' help" thread from 2006 -

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...tion-help.html

good luck -

 

Thanks for the info. I thought about trying this but was afraid the boot would just get forced into the caliper and get damaged. I went ahead and called the distributor I got the rebuilt caliper from and they are sending me a new one. But just for curiosity I think I will try this method and see if it works.

 

have no shame.

I've rebuilt a set of calipers only once, and it sucked. a lot.

Plus, there was no refreshing feeling about putting a shiny new part on, it still looked like crap.

unless a reseal kit is your only option, I buy remans, every time.

 

Before giving up, take a minute or two and look at your options. You already have the caliper and the seal kit. OK - so if you try it and it doesn't work out - or you're not happy - how much have you lost ???? All the caliper is good for right now is a core. Even if you try to do the job and quit - the caliper is still good for a core... You really have very little to lose here.

With the PBR calipers that are on the Vette - the hydraulic seal is made with the seal that's in the caliper body - the other rubber piece is just a dust cover - it's job in life it to keep low flying birds and brake dust out of the caliper piston bore. The brake calipers on race cars don't even have those dust seals on them.

Take the caliper off the car - put a block of wood between the pads, and use some compressed air at low pressure (say 20 - 30 psi) at the brake line input to help get the pistons out. DO NOT get your finger in the area where the pads / pistons can bite you (many people also use a rag in between things - but it's really not necessary).

Now - remove the air pressure, remove the wood block , and pull the pistons out the rest of the way by hand (if necessary - you can use thinner and thinner blocks of wood). At this point the dust seals and pistons are out, and you're looking at the caliper with the hydraulic seals in there. Get a hook tool that looks like a dental pick, and carefully remove the old seals from the caliper (don't scratch the aluminum). Now - go have an adult beverage - you're half way there.

Clean up the caliper with a can of brake cleaner if necessary (I sometimes have needed to clean the seal groove in the caliper with Q-Tips), apply some new brake fluid to the new seals and slip them into the groove in the caliper. They'll go in pretty easily. Apply some new brake fluid to the outside of the pistons and press them back into the caliper one by one. It will take some force, but you should be able to do it by hand - just go slow... It's OK to use a block of wood on top of the piston to help, but you shouldn't need to use a C Clamp. Now - got the feel of that... OK - Remove the pistons from the caliper again (that piston install was just for practice), and get ready to put the dust seals in place. This part is a Pain in the neck, but lube the dust seal up with some brake fluid, turn them inside out, get them into the groove on the caliper piston, and then on the recess in the caliper, then reinstall the piston into the caliper with the seal in place. It will take more than one try as the seal will tend to slip out of the caliper recess, but you'll eventually get it. You're now done with the caliper rebuild. Reinstall it and bleed the brakes...

Seriously - try it - you really have nothing but a little time to lose....

 

This guy has done it before! My favorite tool for removing the seals is a toothpick.

 

If this is the correct functioning of the seals, then the inner seal was bad. The problem I was having, or thought I was having was with what you call the dust cover boot. I am finished already though, I had the company send me another caliper and already replaced it. I wish I would have known before and I would have just used my old calipers. Like I said before, I was having the problem with the dust covers (boot). Hopefully I will remember this next time.