caliper rebuild

[britbits]

Looking for a place that could rebuild my calipers here in So Cal (Riverside would be close)

Thanks in advance

 

[jmthehermit]

First remove the calipers and tear them down, but don't split them. If the piston/cup and bores are not scored or pitted it's an easy repair. Each piston/cup uses one seal and a dust cover, four rubber pieces per caliper. It is not a difficult job to do yourself. Lubricate with brake fluid before reassembly. Jeff

 

[britbits]

Thanks Jeff
Yeah-the piston have a lot of pitting.
The rebuild kit and pistons would be about $150 from SS.
I can get new Capri calipers for $49 each.
Don't think they bolt into the S2 though, so might just take the "innards" out and install in my calipers.
What say you?

 

[howard]

The Capri innards fit the old calipers?

 

[britbits]

Actually I was going to take the capri one apart.
However it is a moot point because the innards are the ame as triumph tr4 to 6 austin healy etc.
So I just ordered rebuild kit and pistons from Moss for tr 4.
Pistons are $15 each and kit is $29 which does both sides.
Much cheaper than SS

 

[mikephillips]

I know it's been said to never break the calipers apart, but I always do and have not had a problem. The reason for doing this is so that I can get the grooves for the dust seal and the square O seal completely clean. Particularly for the dust seal this is important since the groove tends to be filled with dirt, rust and bits of the old seal. I use a dremel tool and a flat bonded cutoff wheel to do this. Run it around the inside of the groove a couple times until clean. It's impossible to damage the groove itself since the feel of the loose material being cut/ground away is different from cutting into the actual cast body of the caliper. I've used a soft circular stone with a square edge the same way for cleaning the piston seal groove as needed.

 

[howard]

I know there's a difference in the quality of metals used in the pistons. I believe some of the cheaper pistons are chrome plated and susceptible to rust eventually, so I made sure and bought the solid stainless pistons ($20.00 ea. at the time).

 

[Andrew]

caliper rebuid

If you pull them apart:

Also make darn sure that they are good and clean, the surfaces are true, that you have the correct "O" rings that go between each half, oh and that you make sure you torque the correct amount. You shop manual will tell you the correct torque setting. I rebuilt my callipers over 6 years ago and they are still working fine.

Andrew

 

[tylerite3124]

I just replaced my S5 calipers with 76 Capri rebuilts from ABC Auto and they fit perfectly and work great. The total exchange cost was less than $100 including taxes & shipping for both sides.

Rick Guest
Series 1
Series 5

 

[thill35803]

Capri Calipers

So I have been doing some caliper research lately. I have the "parts store" rebuilt calipers that are for Capris and, believe it or not, Deloreans. They are Raybestos and came fully loaded with pads and all. The mounting holes are larger diameter than the Sunbeam calipers and they have a metric fluid inlet fitting. I made some inserts for the mounting holes and reamed them to fit the original Sunbeam hardware.

For what its worth, if you check around on the Capri boards, you will find they recommend upgrading certain models to "M16" calipers. The Alpine/Tiger calipers are referred to as "P16" calipers. According to Google, the M16's are metric and the P16's are imperial. Also, Wilwood and Outlaw Brakes make M16 replacement calipers. They appear to target a larger disk than the Alpine/Tiger is equipped with.

Tom Hill

 

[Alpine 1789]

If you pull them apart:...make sure you torque the correct amount. You shop manual will tell you the correct torque setting.

I am nowhere near my WSM (currently stuck in Hamburg 'till Weds with an inner ear infection that prevents me from flying, or doing much more than laying down watching TV), but I thought the lack of a known torque setting was one of the big reasons so many people recommend never opening them up.

 

[Rodewaryer]

Actually I was going to take the capri one apart.
However it is a moot point because the innards are the ame as triumph tr4 to 6 austin healy etc.
So I just ordered rebuild kit and pistons from Moss for tr 4.
Pistons are $15 each and kit is $29 which does both sides.
Much cheaper than SS

Would it be presumptous to ask for you to verify that these parts worked? I am pretty sure I will be needing the pistons so I might just as well get a set.

 

[Andrew]

I am nowhere near my WSM (currently stuck in Hamburg 'till Weds with an inner ear infection that prevents me from flying, or doing much more than laying down watching TV), but I thought the lack of a known torque setting was one of the big reasons so many people recommend never opening them up.

Hi Jim,

The torque setting are in there but not at the front of the WSM. If you look in the brake section it tells you not to open them up but, "if it is done then use the following torque setting". I will scan the section and provide a PDF this evening. I had to open my callipers as they could never have been cleaned and rebuilt due to sitting for so many years in a barn. I rebuilt them, used the correct torque setting and they have been good for over 6 years. Another important thing is to make darn sure they clean and smooth not unlike your head/engine block.

Regards,
Andrew Masse

 

[puff4]

The torque for bolts on both Girling and Lockheed calipers is the same - 40lbs. Personally, I've never found a reason to pull them apart - they can be adequately cleaned as they are - but that's the torque figure that's listed in my Girling and Lockheed service manuals.

 

[bbonner]

Hi Mike

My front caliper on SIV alpine froze up on drivers side and melted the seal it looks like somekind of liquid black weather seal....Caliper is not very good my husband had to take the front off it was smoking I thought the car was on fire....I looked for a new one and to my shock it looks like one is over $300....Unbelieveable....My husband is hoping when it gets the back part of that he will be able to rebuild it but I am not so sure....The car has been bucking we thought it was engine related...perhaps it was this brake all along....What a mess.....My car has not had any problems until this....I was devastated but She is fixable.... Bev

 

[65beam]

caliper

bev,
if you have an advance auto parts near you ,thay have a caliper that can be used . the part # is 19- 245. it fits a 1976 mercury capri. the fitting for the brake line is different so make sure you get an adapter . maybe 45.00 each. should be a bolt on item.

 

[bbonner]

great that is much better than over $300....Bev

 

[Rodewaryer]

bev,
if you have an advance auto parts near you ,thay have a caliper that can be used . the part # is 19- 245. it fits a 1976 mercury capri. the fitting for the brake line is different so make sure you get an adapter . maybe 45.00 each. should be a bolt on item.

Did the same auto parts store have this adapter?

 

[BRZDAD67]

Driver side front brake problem

Bev,

Just curious, did you get the replacement caliper from Advance? I'm in the process of getting our 67 SV on the road. We're still having some electrical problems, but the right front brake just froze up. I'd be interested in if this is a bolt on replacement. Just don't want to mess with it any more than I have to. Please let me know.

Thanks.
Brzdad67

Jamie

 

[bbonner]

We bought a rebuild kit from NAPA auto parts for $15.00 EACH side we did not have to replace the caliper but advance auto did have 76 mer capri calipers for about $45/each....Then my car was bucking and finally fixed that by blowing air into the carburator after my husband took it off the car and used cleaner on it. Runs better than ever.