Rebuild brake calipers or buy new

[Zeke68]

I'm thinking one of my winter projects is to possibly rebuild the old brake calipers on my 68. I know it needs rotors. It actually stops well for the condition the rotors are in. I didn't know if there is any advantage to purchasing new or staying with the old. The car is new to me and I want to make sure it has a good and reliable braking system. She's a plain jane no A/C, no power brakes, no power steering.

 

[Echo1]

I have had better luck with new ones. I found out NAPA sell them for about 1/2 of the corvette places. The last ones from NAPA cost me about 70.00 no shipping and no hassel shipping a core. Just my experience.

 

[LVMYVT76]

Call Vette Brake Products(one of our sponsors of our forum), talk to them about rebuit calipers and new rotors. Make sure you know about zeroing in the wobble on the new rotors, not a easy job without the correct tools! Their calipers are stainless steel lined and will take care of the rust occured on the stock ones. Are you mechanically inclined? Since this important on if you should do the job or not. Mke sure they know you are a forum member, they might give a discount to you, doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

What (specifically) is wrong with your rotors? They are not a routine maintenance item like on most cars.

 

[Zeke68]

The rotors have not wore even over the years and rust has decayed the outer edges to the point the pads don't even come into contact. I'm a tool and die maker and run my own machine shop so checking runout I'm ok with.

 

[Hib Halverson]

On your 68, which way to go with a caliper rebuild sort of depends on how long you plan to keep the car.

If this is a case where you are going to repair the brakes then sell the car within a short to modest amount of time after the rebuild, I'd pull of the calipers, split them, take out the pistons and look at the bores. If there's no pitting or very, very slight pitting, I'd get a caliper bore hone, run it through the bores, change the piston seals and dust boots then put all the calipers back together. As for the rotors, if they are above min. thickness but are warped or have grooves deeper than 0.015-in. then machine the rotors. If they are not warped, do not have grooves that deeper than .015" and are above min. thickness leave them alone.

Now, if you intend to keep the car a long time and having original MY68 calipers isn't important, then I'd get some exchange calipers which have the caliper bores fitted with stainless steel sleeves.

If you intend to keep the car, but originality (ie: the proper pre-mid-70s calipers) is important, I'd find a brake vendor which will take your caliper halves and install stainless steeel sleeves in them. Once you get them back, add new piston seals and dust boots and do the rotors as suggested above.

Lastly, I'm going to guess with a car that old, there'd be a big benefit in overhauling the master brake cylinder, too.

There's more 65-82 brake service info at:
http://www.idavette.net/hib/BBfHInet12.htm
and
http://www.idavette.net/hib/BBfHInet12.htm

Good luck!