Thread: Help with brake caliper

I did mine a few years ago. Casting my mind back

It's in the tin press on cap that must be perfect.

Also the seal must be in the groove.

I think I had to buy a few more caps as I distorted the first lot, without sealing right.

Clive

Yeah I got the sealis in the groove but I thought I had the metal rings on top right! Obviously they were not right at all!

Originally Posted by synthium

Hi everyone. My front brake caliper was leaking so attempted to reco it with a kit. Split the caliper and Replaced all Pistons and seals. Unfortunately it is now worse than ever. The top seals all popped up with the Pistons so obviously I didn't do that properly. Wondering if anyone who knows what they are doing with these calipers (vented disc - 300tdi defender) can give me a hand sometime? Happy to come to you and bring the beer. Anyway let me know! I'm in sunbury vic.

Mate I am happy you want to have a go, but please, DO NOT work on any safety system like brakes without experience and aptitude, for one you do not split the caliper to replace pistons, and 2 to have it leak more than before means basically we are sharing the road with a dangerous/ unsafe vehicle. The results of which can and frequently do prove to be fatal.

Please people think very carefully before trying to save money; will the results of your thriftyness put other road users, yourself and your family at risk?

Jc

Hi jc thanks for the advice. unfortunatly the way to learn is to do it. Also many people split the calipers. However I understand where you are coming from.

Sorry to say guys, but I did this job two weeks ago, and split the callipers. I only did this to replace the seals between them because I had a leak. The seals were replaced, calipers torqued up with locktite.

What I found killed this job for me was the dust seal retainers. Those **** little flimsy things that just never seem to fit. I bought 6 seal kits in the end and only had 3 new ones fit . In the end I spent a couple of hours making the old ones perfect and reused them. Also just double check that you have the seals seated in the groove and also that your pistons are the right way in.

Hope that helped. It's a bugger of a job with the retainers, but the rest is easy. Good luck!

Not sure about a front caliper, but I just replaced a rear caliper as my old one was leaking bad. Was going to rebuild with seal/piston kit but ended up buying a new caliper for not much more, was $105. When you take into account all the stuffing around and maybe needing two kits if it dosnt work the first time, a bargain I reckon! Kar craft has good prices and deliver.
Cheers,
Andrew.

What was the procedure you used? I found the instructions that came with mine were not the best way.

Inner fluid seal should be easy.

It's the outer dust seal with metal retainer that is difficult. My instructions said to place the dust seal and retainer over a piston and push the piston in. I found this was hopeless and would never seat the metal retainer.

Sit the seal in the retainer and place the retainer over the bore. Get it sitting straight and starting to go in. Then I placed something flat over it contacting the retainer evenly and used a clamp to VERY carefully push it in evenly. It will require some patients and lining things up a few times before it pushes in straight.

That's how I did it without splitting calipers.

As a side note, I used OEM seals and after market Pistons.

Originally Posted by taylorslandy

Not sure about a front caliper, but I just replaced a rear caliper as my old one was leaking bad. Was going to rebuild with seal/piston kit but ended up buying a new caliper for not much more, was $105. When you take into account all the stuffing around and maybe needing two kits if it dosnt work the first time, a bargain I reckon! Kar craft has good prices and deliver. Cheers, Andrew.

I almost did this too. I somehow convinced myself that a rebuilt unit with OEM seals was better than a complete after market unit. I think next time I'll just buy the complete unit.