Has anyone ever rebuilt an automotive brake caliper?

[Pullstart 59,835]

It’s been a while.  I was in auto shop in high school when my teacher taught the class how to rebuilt a caliper.  It is very easy, with some compressed air and a little grit.  Not dirt grit, but gumption if you will.  I called a couple shops today asking about pistons and seals and you’d think I had another arm growing out of my forehead trying to explain to them I just want to rebuild a caliper.  

[squonk 38,988]

99% of the time it's just more cost effective to replace the caliper and move on to something else. and if there is an issue down the road you get another caliper for free and eat a half hour of labor. Rebuilt a caliper in 78. Had to in college chassis class. 

 

A new caliper for my truck is 68 bucks. A rebuild kit is 20 and that's if you don't need any pistons. Plus auto parts stores in general don't even stock the kits

Edited February 26 by squonk

[ri702bill 7,363]

Kev - one of the biggest aggrevations is getting the bleeder screw to come out - AND reseal. Tackle that first!!

Brake fluid is hydroscopic - attracts moisture. Dampness enters the system and collects at the lowest points - yup, the caliper bores. 

On its way getting there, it collects any rust and ALL that makes a nasty "Mud" behind the piston. Severe cases have the caliper bore heavily pitted - leaves that caliper not really worth fixing. The seal will not seal, or if it does, not for long.

 

Rebuilt calipers are not perfect either. I had to replace a good caliper on my wife's 1997 Mercury Sable because I could not get the piston screw retracted to fit the new pads. Not the push-it-back with a C clamp style... Ford used an "exposed" connection where the banjo bolt attaches - had 3 ot 4 concentric raised ridges to bite into the copper washer. Poor handling at the rebuilder facility - the FIRST (of 3!!) had impact damage that bridged all the ridges - it leaked terribly.

SECOND one same thing. Had to wait a day for them to get another one in - it showed up WITHOUT the copper washer - guy tells me to reuse the old one.

NOPE - let's see what your manager says!!! Left with the caliper and a "part pack" of various copper washers... 

Edited February 26 by ri702bill

[JoeM 7,688]

yep it was a long time ago when it was fashionable. I did several with no issue. Like you say pop, clean install new seals / orings. 

I suppose the kits are still available. IDK 

I remember one issue with the needing to rebuild was the rust would drag through the o ring. Actually the pucks would jell up and rust in place. 

If you need new pucks I figure that would be a deal breaker. 

[Pullstart 59,835]

I popped one in the Bravada apart the other day, cleaned everything up well and reassembled.  I didn’t see what was hanging a piston up (two piston caliper) but something did.  It got me excited to restore instead of replace.  Maybe teach a kid something.  I’m just surprised I can’t find a kit… it’s very minimal moving parts and very minimal seals.  They don’t make things like they used to!

[squonk 38,988]

Stores don't stock the kits because it is not profitable for the store or repair shop to rebuild them. Then you also have liability issues on top of it. If you want a kit, I'm sure you can order one.

[oldlineman 1,450]

Nop throw away generation, buy new from another country {china} couple months buy again, and over and over and over. Not like the good old days i'm afraid. Time for me to step down now .   

[Tractorhead 8,612]

The last Caliper i rebuilt was Motocycles Calipers.

 

the other day‘s there was cheap Hydraulic Seals available and the Seals they fit onto the Piston.

 

since several years it‘s here Prohibited to do that.

In the last years the Prices of new Calipers drops down

and so a rebuilt is mostly more expensive than a brand new one.

 

Independently if it‘s forbidden here or not, it is extremely hard to get just the gaskets as a set.

If you find here just the gaskets, a new camiper is mostly cheaper than the gasket set.

 

more worse,

the aftermarket calipers have different dimensions, so a rework of original calipers with aftermarket source make no sense.

 

[squonk 38,988]

Automotive shops deal on volume. Get a brake job done in an hour to 2 and get the next car in. Same thing with an alternator or starter. Folks want their cars back by 5:00 and they want a warranty. Rebuilt calipers are consumer driven. I have been on both sides of Automotive service shops professionally. The only reason to rebuild a caliper (for a customer) is if the vehicle is a rare bird and a rebuilt isn't available anymore. 

 

I remember years ago a Corvette came in the shop. Customer wanted the "originals to be rebuilt" He could have bought 2 rebuilt units for the price of the new stainless pistons alone. 

[Tractorhead 8,612]

Sadly you be that right mike.

 

 

[WHX?? 46,895]

Back in the day I rebuilt my 80 Ford ones. Known for hanging up.

Blast of air out pops the piston. A little clean up new rubber and done. Not any more sadly.

 

BTW Kev your vid on rotor removal was spot on. EXCEPT when the rear ones hang up on the internal parking brake shoes. Aside of trying to adjust them down considerably which is a pain. 

Drill a 1/4 hole thru the rotor right in front of the shoes. Using the bolt holes to put pressure on the rotor and move it out abit use a punch thru the holes to get the shoes back in square with the rotor to get past the little rust ridge.

If you keep jacking on the bolts you'll pull the shoes off the retainers... 

[JoeM 7,688]

And this day and age, people are just not handy. When you add up the 70+ shop rate time in a rebuild it is cheaper to replace. 

If your a DIY now that saves you some bucks.

But now most of the time I don't even change my own oil. I have a good local shop and when they state inspect, the oil gets changed and it is only cost $20 more. I rather work on an old wheel horse I suppose. 

I repaired a mower last fall, something real simple. The owner was tickled. I just thought.....really? But hey that guy can do things I can't.......Maybe 

[953 nut 51,914]

3 hours ago, squonk said:

you also have liability issues

No shop is going to hang themselves out to dry to save the customer a few bucks. If a new or rebuilt part fails the shop passes the liability and lawyer's fees off to the supplier.Since shops aren't buying kits the stores don't stock them.

[Pullstart 59,835]

15 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

 

 

BTW Kev your vid on rotor removal was spot on. EXCEPT when the rear ones hang up on the internal parking brake shoes. Aside of trying to adjust them down considerably which is a pain. 

 

 

 

[ri702bill 7,363]

And just try to find a shop that relines brake shoes and actually arcs them to match a recut brake drum.......

[WHX?? 46,895]

12 minutes ago, JoeM said:

70+ shop rate time 

What world you live in Joe?

Try 100+++

Your right about oil changes tho. By the time I'm done cleaning up Jed's Texas tea 'cause the catch pan slid over by 5 foot... 

[WHX?? 46,895]

4 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

And just try to find a shop that relines brake shoes 

Was that back in '32 Bill ? 

But yep turning rotors & drums is a thing of the past.  

[953 nut 51,914]

8 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

turning rotors & drums is a thing of the past. 

Liability issue too. Guy that does our work said his insurance policy excludes lots of work everyone did a few years back.

[ri702bill 7,363]

No, actually in 1972, in Auto Trade School. Only rotors actually turning anymore are 8 lug 4x4 truck ones - Big American Dollars to buy new.....

"Cheap" offshore import rotors are plentiful, but not usually EXACT copies of the OE stuff.....

[Handy Don 10,656]

31 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

No, actually in 1972, in Auto Trade School. Only rotors actually turning anymore are 8 lug 4x4 truck ones - Big American Dollars to buy new.....

"Cheap" offshore import rotors are plentiful, but not usually EXACT copies of the OE stuff.....

Watched the “shop guy” at the truck parts place a couple towns over cutting one of these rotors. Setup is the whole challenge because it’s all automated from there.

 

Interestingly, the business next door is the Tesla delivery center for our area. They unload them off the trucks, do the delivery prep, and give “new owner” instruction including a road exercise. I went over and asked one of the employees what it was like to work there--she liked it.

[ri702bill 7,363]

6 hours ago, Handy Don said:

and asked one of the employees what it was like to work there

That experience will look good on her resume once this whole E-lectrik car fad goes belly up.....

[JoeM 7,688]

8 hours ago, WHX?? said:

What world you live in Joe

Greene Co. Pa. 576 square miles of nothing! LOL

 

8 hours ago, WHX?? said:

turning rotors & drums is a thing of the past.

My guy says there is usually not enough metal to keep the rotor in spec. They start out thin from the factory. 

It is all about just enough cause that equals dollars. 

 

If you really check into the offshore sources, global sourcing from investing to auto parts is alive and well. You would be surprised how much communist money is around us. 

 

[ri702bill 7,363]

1 hour ago, JoeM said:

My guy says there is usually not enough metal to keep the rotor in spec

Ah, yes - Cost Reduced!! I know that all too well - 14 years at a Teir I Automotive OEM.

[squonk 38,988]

I was the " brake lathe guy " at Napa. It was a PITA. Only dealerships had their own lathes. The independent shops wouldn't spend the money on their own lathe. Then the shop would call 10 minutes after the rotors and drums would arrive and want to know if they were done yet! 

[ri702bill 7,363]

There is still a good engine machine shop in the next town. He used to be open on Saturday's from 8 to 12.

I had to either get the parts off the car the night before or get up really early to drop them off by 8:15. ALL drums or rotors dropped off later than that got done Monday...