To buy new caliper or rebuild current?, Gah! No brakes!!! Options

[Brando]

I've had my first caliper death... or it is still slowly dieing...

Original calipers on the rear and the right rear is finally puddling everywhere. I can drive, but cautiously. Now i'm faced with buying a rear caliper, a pair of rear calipers... or rebuilding the blown caliper. Pelican Parts has a good how-to and also a rebuild kit available for $20. Has anyone rebuilt their calipers? how long does it take and how hard is it? I think if i follow the directions precisely i can rebuild it... problem is I dont have a lot of spare time on a weeknight to take it apart and spend a few hours rebuilding it... especially with the projected rain this week... All advice apprecieated (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

PS: Posted a 'want' ad in the fs/wanted forum.

[Carlitos Way]

You might want to look at the other thread called S-Calping... I just went through the same.

Here is the link: Caliper Hell

GOod luck. If I hadn't bought my calipers from Eric, I'd probably have bought a pair of rebuilt rear calipers from the outfit listed in the next to last post.

Best of all, they're local... in Reseda.

Good luck!

Carlos

[McMark]

I'd guess it would take you about 3 hours to rebuild one stock rear caliper the first time. Fronts are much easier. Once you're experienced it'll only take about 30 minutes to do new seals and boots on a rear. Messing with the adjusters is the most confusing part. Once you have them apart and can see how they work, things make more sense.

Answer to the inevitable question: Use compressed air. You'll understand once you get started.

[Rusty]

Rebuilding your caliper isn't a difficult task... time depends on how much you want to do.

If you want to really clean up the caliper (bead blast rust off), then paint - it's going to take you more than 3 hours. There are nice paints out there specifically for calipers. Powdercoating is nice, but more costly. I try to take time to clean stuff up nice, so I only have to do the job once... but that's me.

Since you're doing brakes, you should consider doing both calipers on the same axle. Odds are, they're both the same age, and you only want your car on jackstands once.

Get a couple cans of brake cleaner, some 400 grit sandpaper (to polish the cylinder bores, if you need to) and your rebuild kit(s).

If the torx-style caliper bolts are REALLY stuck and stripped out, spot weld a nut onto the end of them (or have your machine shop do it), and use that for leverage. If you destroy your hardware, take a sample to your local CAT dealer... they have an amazing network for all types and grades of nuts and bolts. Usually overnight delivery cheap, too.

Get enough brake fluid (usually 2 or 3 quarts) to bleed the system. Speaking of bleeding, now is an excellent time to install some speed bleeders.

Oh, one caviat - if your parking brake arm is leaking... I can't help. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) But I know there's stuff in the archives, and the parking brake arm rebuild kits are available.

Hope this helps,
-Rusty (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif)

[Brando]

thank you, all of you, this does help incredibly (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

After a chat with Dr. Evil... culprit may be (among other things) my lack of washers on both the inner and outer adjustment screws. There were none on there before and this leak only occurred after changing my pads and adjusting them for the parking break and clearance. After i can get my car in the air tomorrow I'll see if i need those washers which i may have at the shop already. Worst case I'll be buying a pair of calipers to use interim, and rebuild my old ones which sounds like the best idea yet. Either way i need one caliper still. One other 914 clubber gave me a freakin awesome price for a pair, and i get paid thursday.

Either way, I think this will work out well. Thank you again everyone (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) 914 clubbers rock.

[McMark]

Washers? If brake fluid is leaking out of the adjustment screws, the o-rings on them are toast. If you need to do the adjuster o-rings, you have to split the caliper. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Leaking after new pads could be badly pitted caliper pistons. I'll bet your in for a rebuild or replacement.

[scotty914]

lose the p brake put a set of fronts on the rear, less to mess with ie not venting clearence

[Brando]

interesting idea, but how do i park on hills?

[SLITS]

interesting idea, but how do i park on hills?

Turn wheels into curbs, put it in gear.

OR

Carry two large rocks to block wheels (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[scotty914]

like slits says turn the wheels, i personaly would not just trust the e brake on a bigger hill any way. when, if i ever get my car back on the road it was i plan to do. i am just going to keep a plastic wheel chock in the car.