Rebuilding -vs- Replacing front brake caliper
12-01-2017, 05:41 PM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Rebuilding -vs- Replacing front brake caliper
One of my front brake calipers is not releasing and is dragging. I see that there are rebuild kits available.
Have any of you rebuilt your caliper(s) and if you did, whose kit did you use and how did it work out ?
Have any of you rebuilt your caliper(s) and if you did, whose kit did you use and how did it work out ?
12-01-2017, 05:51 PM
#3
Safety Car
Before deciding to rebuild you have to check the piston and bore to make sure it’s rebuildable. If they are too pitted then you can’t. I used ac delco.
Also, are you sure it’s your piston and not the guide pins that are sticking?
Also, are you sure it’s your piston and not the guide pins that are sticking?
12-01-2017, 07:18 PM
#4
Safety Car
Thread Starter
I just put in new pins and pads and rotors this summer as I was going through and bringing the car back to life. The pads and rotors really could have stayed, I just don't like trusting my life on old stuff.
The car had sat for most of the last 10 years before we bought it last year. I did replace one rear caliper as I was trying to get ready to drive it to Carlisle and I just didn't have time to source a rebuild kit.
Now that I have time, I will probably rebuild it.
I am/was more concerned that they might turn out to be like the C2 calipers I tried to rebuild, an exercise in futility. The rebuild worked but weren't as good as when I replaced them with calipers that had the bores relined with stainless.
The car had sat for most of the last 10 years before we bought it last year. I did replace one rear caliper as I was trying to get ready to drive it to Carlisle and I just didn't have time to source a rebuild kit.
Now that I have time, I will probably rebuild it.
I am/was more concerned that they might turn out to be like the C2 calipers I tried to rebuild, an exercise in futility. The rebuild worked but weren't as good as when I replaced them with calipers that had the bores relined with stainless.
12-01-2017, 08:11 PM
#5
rebuilt my originals on my 85 about 10-12 years ago using AC Delco kits. not a bad job. 
12-01-2017, 10:15 PM
#6
thanks OP i need to do mine. ill do ac delco.
Last edited by VikingTrad3r; 12-01-2017 at 10:16 PM.
12-02-2017, 08:24 AM
#7
Team Owner
We did the caliper rebuild kit in shop class. It seemed to work but I guess the question is what you are trying to do. Are you trying to keep originality or is one not available like more and more C4 parts? Autozone has them for under $60 fronts and rears shouldn't be so far behind
12-02-2017, 09:22 AM
#8
Safety Car
12-02-2017, 09:31 AM
#9
We did the caliper rebuild kit in shop class. It seemed to work but I guess the question is what you are trying to do. Are you trying to keep originality or is one not available like more and more C4 parts? Autozone has them for under $60 fronts and rears shouldn't be so far behind
for me, 1 caliper is $140. rebuild kit is 25$.
being in canada sux for prices!!
12-02-2017, 12:04 PM
#10
Team Owner
12-02-2017, 12:38 PM
#11
Melting Slicks
Back when I had my stock C4 Z51 brakes one of my front brake calipers started leaking. I took it apart, and everything looked fine except the seal, so I rebuilt both front calipers with news zeals and boots. It worked fine with no issues after the rebuild.
I Later upgraded to C6 J55 brakes but the C4 calipers worked fine until they were swaped for the c6 parts.
I Later upgraded to C6 J55 brakes but the C4 calipers worked fine until they were swaped for the c6 parts.
12-02-2017, 01:46 PM
#12
Safety Car
I had a car which sat for several years. I replaced all of the calipers on the car just to be "Safe". I am saving the original calipers to rebuild during the the winter months.
I bought a set of four AC Delco calipers and a set of slotted/drilled rotors from RockAuto. I like the idea of having a old set in case I sell the car to a restoration nut. But in the mean time I have a spare set in case a problem arises. My car has the smaller 12" rotors and the parts seem to be harder to find than the larger 13" rotors.
One of the biggest things that you should be concerned with is the "condition" of your original brake lines!!
My 1988 Coupe came from New Jersey/Eastern PA area and saw salt. After replacing the calipers and bleeding them I stomped on the pedal pretty hard with engine on and the brake pedal went right to the floor. Sitting for periods with any water in the system will make weak spots on the lines. On my ABS control module there were sections of the tubing that had swollen up indicating a future failure point (an Accident waiting to happen). For some reason the only place I saw lots of corrosion on my brake lines was where the lines go into the Box with the ABS system.
I can't stress just how important it is to visually inspect as much of the brake lines as is humanly possible. In my case everything was going great until I tried a stomp on the brake pedal, I was testing the system with an emergency stop simulation and it flat out failed due to the old brake lines. I would hate to imagine what it would have been like if I were on the road when this happened. My pedal went literally to the floor, I don't know if the front brakes were still functional but I doubt it.
On my 1988 the master Cylinder is where it is normally located. Two lines take the fluid back to the ABS module and from there it is distributed to the four wheels. When my brake line broke the fluid ran out of the rear master cylinder reservoir. I always thought that the dual reservoir master cylinders where there to be sure we had the front or back half of the brakes still working in a fluid loss situation.
Brake fluid absorbs water any way it can, over time that water is at the low spots in your brake system. On my car three lines started leaking at the point they come together to enter the box with our ABS control system. I am now replacing every inch of brake line as it has been compromised.
Replacing the lines is not easy on the ground, it is hard dirty work. I bought a complete set of new brake lines from Classic Tubing in the original steel. They offer them in stainless if you choose to use that material.
My daughter wants to use this car so I am going to do anything I can to make it safe for her. Brakes are one place you don't compromise.
One of the things that I like to do to a car "new to me" is flush the brakes fluid out and replace it with fresh fluid with a high boiling point. The newer brake fluids are much better than 30 years ago. I use one that has a boiling point over 100 degree over the original type fluid.
Good luck getting your Corvette back on the road safely, I hope that your lines are in better shape than the ones that were on my car.
I bought a set of four AC Delco calipers and a set of slotted/drilled rotors from RockAuto. I like the idea of having a old set in case I sell the car to a restoration nut. But in the mean time I have a spare set in case a problem arises. My car has the smaller 12" rotors and the parts seem to be harder to find than the larger 13" rotors.
One of the biggest things that you should be concerned with is the "condition" of your original brake lines!!
My 1988 Coupe came from New Jersey/Eastern PA area and saw salt. After replacing the calipers and bleeding them I stomped on the pedal pretty hard with engine on and the brake pedal went right to the floor. Sitting for periods with any water in the system will make weak spots on the lines. On my ABS control module there were sections of the tubing that had swollen up indicating a future failure point (an Accident waiting to happen). For some reason the only place I saw lots of corrosion on my brake lines was where the lines go into the Box with the ABS system.
I can't stress just how important it is to visually inspect as much of the brake lines as is humanly possible. In my case everything was going great until I tried a stomp on the brake pedal, I was testing the system with an emergency stop simulation and it flat out failed due to the old brake lines. I would hate to imagine what it would have been like if I were on the road when this happened. My pedal went literally to the floor, I don't know if the front brakes were still functional but I doubt it.
On my 1988 the master Cylinder is where it is normally located. Two lines take the fluid back to the ABS module and from there it is distributed to the four wheels. When my brake line broke the fluid ran out of the rear master cylinder reservoir. I always thought that the dual reservoir master cylinders where there to be sure we had the front or back half of the brakes still working in a fluid loss situation.
Brake fluid absorbs water any way it can, over time that water is at the low spots in your brake system. On my car three lines started leaking at the point they come together to enter the box with our ABS control system. I am now replacing every inch of brake line as it has been compromised.
Replacing the lines is not easy on the ground, it is hard dirty work. I bought a complete set of new brake lines from Classic Tubing in the original steel. They offer them in stainless if you choose to use that material.
My daughter wants to use this car so I am going to do anything I can to make it safe for her. Brakes are one place you don't compromise.
One of the things that I like to do to a car "new to me" is flush the brakes fluid out and replace it with fresh fluid with a high boiling point. The newer brake fluids are much better than 30 years ago. I use one that has a boiling point over 100 degree over the original type fluid.
Good luck getting your Corvette back on the road safely, I hope that your lines are in better shape than the ones that were on my car.
12-02-2017, 04:14 PM
#13
Instructor
I donno what the price of the rebuild kit is.. but you can pickup ACdelco calipers for like 115$ and 55$ of that is core so if you send yours in you get that back...
12-02-2017, 06:20 PM
#14
Team Owner
I like the idea of having a old set in case I sell the car to a restoration nut.
One of the biggest things that you should be concerned with is the "condition" of your original brake lines!!
My 1988 Coupe came from New Jersey/Eastern PA area and saw salt. After replacing the calipers and bleeding them I stomped on the pedal pretty hard with engine on and the brake pedal went right to the floor. Sitting for periods with any water in the system will make weak spots on the lines. On my ABS control module there were sections of the tubing that had swollen up indicating a future failure point (an Accident waiting to happen). For some reason the only place I saw lots of corrosion on my brake lines was where the lines go into the Box with the ABS system.
One of the biggest things that you should be concerned with is the "condition" of your original brake lines!!
My 1988 Coupe came from New Jersey/Eastern PA area and saw salt. After replacing the calipers and bleeding them I stomped on the pedal pretty hard with engine on and the brake pedal went right to the floor. Sitting for periods with any water in the system will make weak spots on the lines. On my ABS control module there were sections of the tubing that had swollen up indicating a future failure point (an Accident waiting to happen). For some reason the only place I saw lots of corrosion on my brake lines was where the lines go into the Box with the ABS system.
I toss the rubber as soon as I get it.
I follow the MB schedule since I have a power bleeder and flush all my brakes on a 2 year basis. Every car.
12-03-2017, 07:10 AM
#16
This is good advice for any car. Old fluid sucking up water in a braking system, especially ABS will be trouble. Fluid is nice and clean when you flush it, two years is my schedule too, and you can usually see a slight tinge of color beginning by then.
12-03-2017, 09:16 AM
#17
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Are you trying to keep originality or is one not available like more and more C4 parts?
I am trying to get the most for the buck, with the emphasis on performance parts. So if the rebuild kits work well, they will take the least bite from the pile.
12-03-2017, 10:59 AM
#18
Team Owner
No, I am not an originality type of person. I am looking at a budget. I just sold an odd lot of Keycorp stock, and a shotgun and 2 extra stocks and parts are being sold, So I have $1700.00 to stick into the car.
I am trying to get the most for the buck, with the emphasis on performance parts. So if the rebuild kits work well, they will take the least bite from the pile.
I am trying to get the most for the buck, with the emphasis on performance parts. So if the rebuild kits work well, they will take the least bite from the pile.
12-03-2017, 12:12 PM
#19
12-03-2017, 12:19 PM
#20
Safety Car
Thread Starter
I wouldn't buy the rebuild kit first since you don't know what is wrong with it yet.
of machine one on my friend's lathe, I should be able to create a seal so the fluid doesn't drip out. then I can take it apart and inspect the bores.
one side is releasing and allowing the wheel to spin freely, the other has a definite drag on it.