Brake Caliper Rebuild

[loon]

Originally Posted by tdz840

Perhaps we can supply Simon??!

Russ

I wouldn't supply him with anything again,

[Volvo Canadian]

A long-overdue post, it should go into the "articles" section. I re-did a set of used ones I bought, but it does take some time to get the pistons out - even with air sometimes (to say nothing of the patience required get the seals and all to go back in right!). Some pistons will pop right out, leaving the stuck ones and now the air is of no use. I jammed stuff in there to hold-in the ones which wanted to pop out so as to be able to push out the ones which really needed it.

All this is not for the faint-hearted: a real p. in t. a. if you are a novice at least, or want to have your car back on the road asap.

What wasn't mentioned was the inside face of the cylinders - mine were rusted too if I recall - can't that be an issue, and the one which ultimately decides if it is time for a new caliper or not?

As far as breaking the calipers apart, yes that could be helpful, after you get the pistons out. I would make sure all was clean and use lock-tite when I put them back together though. I got curious and broke-apart my old ones, but not the set I was using.

[Bladerider]

Originally Posted by Derek UK

There is a Jag E type specialist in New York who has the little and large pistons available. Not cheap and unfortunately I can't find the link. Similar ones might be available from Jag spares companies here in the UK but I'd think a Volvo specialist somewhere would also have them.
An opportunity for someone in a machine shop somewhere perhaps?

These probably fit.

http://ssbrakepistons.com/product_in...j1v9omcukjcnh0

Here's an old thread I did about doing mine.

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=157592

I attach the lost photos below

[Underdrive]

On the subject of calipers and the cost of replacement, has anyone bought them from these people http://www.cheapbrakecalipers.co.uk/...578470?search= ? At £65 each they seem like a bargain to make diy rebuilds hardly worth doing, because the bores are sleeved and honed as well. In the various threads on this forum about rebuilding calipers no one seems to mention the condition of the bores.

[swedishandgerman]

Originally Posted by Underdrive

On the subject of calipers and the cost of replacement, has anyone bought them from these people http://www.cheapbrakecalipers.co.uk/...578470?search= ? At £65 each they seem like a bargain to make diy rebuilds hardly worth doing, because the bores are sleeved and honed as well. In the various threads on this forum about rebuilding calipers no one seems to mention the condition of the bores.

They're cheap enough! I have to say that at £35.95 + VAT each, the caliper rebuild kits are expensive from Brookhouse, but I have been unable to find an alternative source,let alone cheaper. If I had found that caliper at that price, I wouldn't have bothered with the ball ache of doing mine... Plus I notice it's free postage too.

I see no reason to re hone the cylinders other than an alternative to good shot blasting to get rid of rust. Don't forget that the pistons don't actually touch the bores as they're floating pistons; they float on the rubber seals. One of my customers is a caliper re-manufacturer and they just shot blast instead of hone.

The attachment is a (badly) shot blasted caliper which has been coated: http://catalogue.brake-eng.com/index...=nsf&part=CA97

As it happens, there was very little rust in the bores on mine prior to shot blasting that could quite easily have been dealt with using a little dremmel or similar.

The only thing that would concern me would be if rust had completely ruined the groove so badly that the seal wouldn't seat properly.

[tdz840]

Originally Posted by Underdrive

On the subject of calipers and the cost of replacement, has anyone bought them from these people http://www.cheapbrakecalipers.co.uk/...578470?search= ? At £65 each they seem like a bargain to make diy rebuilds hardly worth doing, because the bores are sleeved and honed as well. In the various threads on this forum about rebuilding calipers no one seems to mention the condition of the bores.

Is this for a pair?

[c1800]

Originally Posted by tdz840

Is this for a pair?

I clicked on the link and it said quantity: one!

[Gordon Hunter]

Originally Posted by loon

I wouldn't supply him with anything again,

I'll second that!!!

[swedishandgerman]

Originally Posted by Gordon Hunter

I'll second that!!!

Go on then - tell us why!

[Gordon Hunter]

Originally Posted by swedishandgerman

Go on then - tell us why!

Hundreds of pounds spent on developing tooling on a panel that was supposed to be no longer available to be told that a mistake had been made and the panel was still in production. I could understand a mistake having been made, but muggins here was left holding the baby and footing the bill! It put me in a very difficult position at the time.