Rebuilt Brake Calipers

[Rut]

Whe rebuilds brake calipers or offers rebuilt calipers with a core?
Thanks, Rut

 

[Gerard]

Whe rebuilds brake calipers or offers rebuilt calipers with a core?
Thanks, Rut

Rut,

In my opinion, this is the best guy in the US for any brake or hydraulic work. I've done business w/him for over 10 years and never had better service from anyone. I've personally done over 20 master cylinders with him and have done at least 60-75 more in disc brake master cylinder conversions. ( I developed the disc brake conversion MC's with his help- https://gerardsgarage.com/Garage/Tech/DbrakeUg.htm ) He can do anything, even really odd stuff, but has done plenty of LBC stuff. He even has a special Spridget section on the web site. I assure you you will be satisfied with the work.

You can let Joe know I referred you.

https://www.brakecylinder.com/

 

[JPSmit]

Rut, assuming there is no damage to the calipers and the pistons don't need replacing, it's an easy rebuild DIY. PM me your email and I'll send you an article

 

[Rut]

Thanks for the offer...the pistons have pits and rust and need replacement. 1 Piston is stuck and I'm working to free it. If a rebuild is not too difficult Im willing to give it a try. How do you get these things clean enough to paint?
Thanks, Rut

 

[JPSmit]

do you have access to a media blaster? Otherwise, assuming you are talking rust rather than dirt, go to the CLR discussion in the Restoration and Car care forum.

 

[Rut]

John,
I read the CLR discussion with interest and probably need to buy stock in them before I begine cleaning. Is a parts washer a good way to go? I've also thought about a small media blasting cabinet to clean up all the parts and pieces. Which one would you prefer?
Thanks, Rut

 

[JPSmit]

I have a harbor freight parts washer and I absolutely love it! It's not exactly this one but, pretty much that size. I managed to do pretty much everything on the car with it. Just go to a dollar store and buy every kind of bristle dish scrubber, copper pad, tooth brush, baby bottle washer, steel wool that they make. That being said, I would love to have a media blast cabinet - and the compressor to power it. Still, if I had to choose, I think I'd buy the parts washer and make friends with someone who has a media blaster - that's what I did.

 

[HAN8L1965]

Calipers for the most part are easy to rebuild,if you do not have a part washer go to NAPA or Advance they sell a carb cleaner in a gallon can. put your parts in that to loosen them up, I have used this gallon kit for lots of parts. Take the caliper apart and go to a tire shop unless you have your own air compressor. Face the piston towards a large garbage can and apply air to the fluid port, give it a thrust of air and out she'll pop. You can buy new pistons from the usuals and new seals from your local part store, they have them listed under Midget parts.

Mark

 

[bob67bgt]

I have a rebuilt one still in the box and several untested ones.
I can make someone a great deal on these. PM for details. Bob

 

[JPSmit]

Oh, and, when it comes time to do the work, carb cleaner eats varnish, like off kitchen tables. Just sayin' :blush:

 

[Rut]

Thanks guys! I bought a degreaser that is water based (like super Dawn) and soaked them for an hour and then put them in the CLR mix. I hope they will come out perfect and ready for the kits. Last time I looked at the restoration forum I was pleasently surprised by the results of a CLR soak. Bob, I may be giving you a call if I go too far with this thing! BTW, I met a fellow Spridget (or 2) owner tonight and I feel better already. He had names and numbers that are good for the soul!
Thanks, Rut

 

[JPSmit]

Rut, when you order the kit, order the seals #180-285 (Moss) that go between the caliper halves - It is so much easier to split the calipers but the rebuild kit doesn't include the seals.

 

[Rut]

I just checked on the calipers and all the parts and pieces I'm soaking in the CLR mix and it's apparent that the result is not going to be as good as the pictures on the restoration forum. The rust is cleaning up, but there is a dark brown to almost black discoloration of the metal. This discoloration partially comes off with a little elbow grease, but the end result will be different from the posted pictures. I may media blast after I get thru with this soak.
Rut

 

[JPSmit]

casting colored rattle can paint - looks wonderful!

 

[nomad]

What is CLR? Is it phosphoric acid for rust? If it is that can create a coating.

Kurt.

 

[The_architect]

CLR is Calcium-Lime-Rust, a household cleaning product you can find at Home Depot, etc. People use it in a 50/50 mix to take off rust. Pretty expensive to do it that way, though. There is a thread on the BCF restoration forum discussing this right now.

You'd put phosphoric acid on afterward to keep surface rust from reforming.

Charlie

 

[tdskip]

Can you get that fully off the surfaces where the seals go?

 

[Hairyone]

When I did mine, after stripping them down I figgured there was only steel bits left, so I put them in the log burner to remove all the crud. Then wire brushed off the ash. Worked a treat.

 

[The_architect]

tdskip,
I have no idea whether you can get that off where the seals go or not. I just was answering the question, what's CLR?

Charlie

 

[Rut]

Update on the CLR caliper soak. I did the 50-50 mix and soaked for roughly 30 hours and the results were not as dramatic as the cylinders on the restoration forum. I did a little manual wire brushing and returned them to soak some more with a little extra CLR. They are starting to look pretty good and if I leave them I think the will clean up nicely. The grooves for the seals are cleaning up well also and I did forget to mention that you remove the seals prior to soaking. As always, 'your results may vary', but I think it will be worth it. My biggest problem is waiting on something to work...kinda like sitting in traffic waiting on a wreck or road work, I'd much rather be moving!
Rut