Caliper Rebuild

[84Vette]

Collecting any and all Info And Help (lots of it) on rebuilding Brake calipers.

84

 

[WhalePirot]

For your car?

I exchanged mine with Muskegon Brake. Nice folks; good service; professional job.

 

[80convertible]

I purchased my calipers already rebuilt from Autozone for $55.00 each. Makes it really easy.

Jim

 

[Nut]

84vette,

Rebuilding calipers is not that difficult with the proper tools, a good work bench and vice and some patience. The hardest part I've found is getting the new pistons/seals back in. Easy though once you know the trick. The rebuild kits range from $12 to $25 per caliper from a number of different auto parts stores and Vette speciality catalogs. Personally I prefer Vette Brakes Products, though others are just as good. You may also consider changing your flexible brake lines if they look even remotely worn. It's a good to time to do it since you'll have them off anyway.

Good luck, BE PATIENT and ask questions, we're all here to help.

............ Nut

 

[84Vette]

The hardest part I've found is getting the new pistons/seals back in. Easy though once you know the trick.

So whats the trick?

84

 

[Nut]

The trick is using a small plastic flexible card and DELICATELY pushing in the edges of the lip seals. The piston should push right back in without much difficulty. However...... be carful not to tear or puncture the edge of the seal. Oh yeah..... be sure the spring is in place first before you put the seal back in.

Later.............. Nut

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Isn't there something here about stainless steel sleeves for the pistons or is this just a given part of the rebuild kit?

 

[Nut]

Bob,

When I had my calipers rebuilt by VBP over 15 years ago they inserted the SS sleeves and new pistons. The older rebuilds still need the "lip" seals. VBP told me the newer rebuilds use the much better O-ring seals. SS is the only way to go. Until I blew out that tiny .50 O-ring between the caliper halves, they have worked perfectly all those years w/o a dip of a leak.

.......... Nut

 

[JohnZ]

You can't SS sleeve them yourself - requires machining and special tooling; all you can do at home is hone them and install new seals and dust boots.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

84,

If yours don't have the SS sleeves you might want to consider purchasing a rebuilt set that have them. $70 or 80 a piece as I recall.

Bob

 

[84Vette]

I will Definitly go with a better set of brakes down the road right now i just need a way to give my baby some stopping power till i can get $$ to redo the whole brake system thanks for all the info though

84

 

[cntrhub]

Use softer compound brake pads. You can tell if the pads are softer by the density of the material. If the material looks solid and packed tight, with the surface of a chocolate bar, this is a hard compound type pad. If the material is less dense, and looks like the surface of a coffee crumb cake, this material is prone to wear out faster, but bites better, and stops sooner. Hard compounds slide on the discs, and it takes more pedal to slow the car down. If you switch to softer compound pads, inspect for pad wear more often. You did say you wanted to...."give my baby some stopping power......"

 

[84Vette]

You did say you wanted to...."give my baby some stopping power......"

Yeah because right now i really have to push to pedal into the carpet to get it to stop half way decent. Thanks for the info was planning to use ceramic brakes pads in the future if i am able to find them.

 

[JohnZ]

Unless you're going to road-race the car competitively, ceramic pads are a complete waste of money, and will take even more pedal pressure to stop with (they're also noisy, expensive, and will eat your rotors in short order). GM pads will work just fine, or the next step up is Performance Friction pads. Brake pad life is NOT a problem on Corvettes - calipers are, unless they're sleeved.

 

[Hib Halverson]

There are two long articles on 65-82 disc brake service at http://www.idavette.net/hib/vette_bbfh.htm

 

[84Vette]

Thanks