Front brake caliper rebuild help

[dddaaa]

I am using a kit that costs only like $4 to rebuild front brake caliper to save $
1. What can I plug the brake line with after disconnecting it?
2. Can I get the piston out of its bore without using compressed air since i dont have it (ie can it be pryed or pushed out?

[braddojm]

Last time I needed to work on a caliper, I just replaced it, but I can understand the need to save some $$. You could try taking the caliper off and support it with a hanger. Then before removing the brake line, push the brake pedal to get the piston most of the way out. Don't worry about plugging the line, just put a plastic baggie to cover the end and then tie it up with the end as high as you can get it. You're

[shim bucket]

I just rebuilt both fronts on my daughters 96 SL2. I found on the front calipers compressed air would NOT blow out piston. Leave brake hose connected to caliper but remove caliper from mount and let hang. Secure away from rotor and pads and wrap caliper in a towel. Pump the braeks until the piston spits out or nearly comes all the way out. The brake hose can be crimped/kinked closed with locking vise grip pliers or even a c clamp. This minimizes fluid loss. You will definately need to bleed that caliper out when its reinstalled. I got my kits from rockauto.com. $1.85 each. I have replaced all the hoses as they looked to be original, rusty and unrecognizable. Hoses were $13 each at Autozone. Good luck.

[underthehood]

I have to tell ya, even though I can rebuild them with my eyes closed to me it ain't worth my time. Especially when you can go to NAPA and get "loaded" calipers for not much more than pads alone.

[shim bucket]

Originally Posted by underthehood

I have to tell ya, even though I can rebuild them with my eyes closed to me it ain't worth my time. Especially when you can go to NAPA and get "loaded" calipers for not much more than pads alone.

This holds true. On my daily Olds ciera driver the calipers are under $20 remanned. The saturn I bought for my daughter has brakes that work fine but I am doing preventative repairs. Saturn front calipers are $33-$36 each. I rebuilt both fronts for under $6. The rear calipers are much more $$. Advance can order them for $63 each. Napa is close to $80 each! I have ordered the rear repair kits- O reilleys can get the rear kits for $7 each. I enjoy old motorcycles and rarely is a cycle caliper replaced. Simply dissassemble and clean all corrosion. With cycle calipers Ive never replaced the rubber- just cleaned and reused. They work like new. Its a HUGE HELP that I have a sandblaster to use at work as the rust on the exterior of these caliper bodies is crazy. The pistons in my calipers were not pitted but if they were rockauto.com has the pistons for $5. This car is not currently being driven so I am taking my sweet time doing these things-and Im enjoying it as well. When Im done the painted calipers are a work of art! If I need it now it would simply purchase a remanned. I have replaced all the brake hoses as they looked to be original to 1996. The hoses are $12-$13 each.

[shim bucket]

I didnt realize I was joining in on such an old post!

[caveeagle]

I agree on the topic of motorcycles. Back pre-internet, I would just take apart, clean and reassemble the brakes on my old suzuki and yamaha.

Nothing wrong with rebuilding your brakes as long as you are carefull.

Not sure if I like the idea of 'crimping' off your brake lines with vice-grips. Thats ok if you are replacing them. NO way I would do this on lines I plan to use again.

I plan to try electralisys to clean off rusty brakes the next time to do this. I have seen great results on rust removal from a couple youtube videos. I want to put rear-disks on my daughter's '01 SC2, and all the junk yard calipers are super-rusty up here in IL. I plan to de-rust them with electralysis and rebuild them.

[shim bucket]

I crimped my brake hoses but yes- I knew they would get replaced with new ones. So if I were to have reused them I would have run a plain nut and bolt with the existing copper washers thru the hose end and tightened them down. The strands in the rubber and the rubber itself can be damaged when kinking off with vice grips.

Caveeagle the rear calipers are expensive. If you do not have any cores to turn in when purchasing remanned units you will spend about $95 each- Advance auto price. My local pick and pull currently has 6 saturns but none with rear discs! If you get some used one the biggest obstacle will be rust removal. The electrolosis works great and maybe even fun to do but dont rule out chemical removers such as naval gel. Muratic acid would be a very aggressive remover you would use with caution and CLR would be a very mild one that would take a loooong time but is most user safe. I am fortunate my employer has a powerfull cabinet sandblaster. And a reminder- if you need new pistons I have found Rockauto.com has them the cheapest- actually you can get everything from them.

[caveeagle]

Are the rear calipers tricky to rebuild? I know on some cars, the e-brake can make the rebuild a PITA.

For some reason, the u-Pull yards near me in Chicagoland seem to have a lot of ABS cars with rear disk parts still on them. I was a little put off by the corrosion untill I saw the electolysis process on youtube.

[shim bucket]

The rears are more complicated than the fronts. The fronts just have the steel piston. The rears have more parts but their not impossible. The retaining rings need to be removed but I removed them without snap ring pliers- just carfull prying with a long ice pick type tool.

Here it is all crusty.


Contents of the piston.


Contents of the bore which the piston resides.


Parking brake actuation shaft and how it corresponds to the threaded shaft that actuates the piston.


Thats all the further I am. Rebuild kit will arrive tuesday. I will sandblast the body and paint it in the meantime. Ill clean all the metal parts up as well. ill keep you posted.

[caveeagle]

Thanks for the detail!!

I look fwd to seeing your progress.

[shim bucket]

Originally Posted by caveeagle

Thanks for the detail!!

I look fwd to seeing your progress.

Caveagle I cant post pics as I have not been active enough? Email me at castcrankguy@gmail.com if you want pics and details on the caliper rebuild.

[wi111y]

Originally Posted by shim bucket

Caveagle I cant post pics as I have not been active enough? Email me at castcrankguy@gmail.com if you want pics and details on the caliper rebuild.

Few more posts and you'll be able to.... ;-)

I did my fronts mostly because I had 2 spare calipers. The old ones weren't bad, just didn't like how rusty looking they were. Hit them with some black caliper paint and solved that problem. Brand new brake fluid along with new pads and rotors, and I'm happy.

[shim bucket]

My personal driver (1995 Oldsmobile)has inexpensive calipers- $15 each. Saturns are $35 each for the front and $65 each for the rear! If I had bought 4 remanned calipers the total (Advance price) would have been $210. I rebuilt all 4 for under $20. The exterior rust can be horrendous! Thats where the enclosed cabinet sandblaster was awesome! I enjoy spending my work brakes working on my auto and cycle stuff.