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Brake Job

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Hi guys my brakes are finally on their way out. I would like to re-do them with high quality parts. I am having issues with caliper pistons not returning so i am looking at replacing all four calipers, pads and disks. Does anyone have recomendations on brands or products?

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  • Owner

Typically I just break down the caliper clean the pistons up and put in a seal kit which is way cheaper than buying new calipers. Now buying new packed calipers is way easier to do than rebuilding. So it depends on how deep your pockets are. I suggest getting stock rotors if your replacing the rotors. As for pads looks for mid grade and avoid high performance pads being they enhance rotor wear.

 

I buy budge pads typically and get 180k miles from the OE pads. Now to my next brake job at 360k miles.

I don't bother with resealing them, if they are bad I just buy new ones.  I think they were under $30 for a caliper.

 

As for pads, I always run the cheapo pad.   they wear faster, but that is what they are supposed to do.  Saves the rotors.  They stop the truck pretty good.  

Saving $60 in caliper cost is pretty good for an hour of work to rebuild. Plus once you do it you'll be more likely to maintain them more frequently. It's like $4 per caliper for seal kit.

  • Owner

Like myself I rebuilt my calipers for about $28 bucks for all 4 calipers and did the piston cleanup and installed. Super easy but much cheaper. I would only consider replacing the caliper if there was rust damage to the bores.

I spent 4 hours trying to pull the bleed nipple out after it busted, I was so mad that I decided to go buy a new caliper for "whatever it costs"

 

I got to the parts store and it was like $26 for a new one.

happy-everything-went-better-than-expect

 

I must just have a bad taste in my mouth after dealing with it.  As it sits my drivers caliper is sticking bad.  I am just going to buy a new one and not worry about it. 

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    • Like 1
    • Owner

    Solution to that problem is easy. Don't lose your rubber caps for the bleeder screws. If you do lose then find some vinyl tubing that fits over the nipple. Cut the vinyl tubing about an inch long. Then heat the tubing with a cigarette lighter and melt the vinyl a little. Quick squeeze the end shut with pilers it will make a perfect cap for your bleeder screws and never have that issue again. Don't torque the screw in just lightly tighten (think single digit inch pounds).

    Dont forget about the brake hoses. The liner will break down/swell up which restricts flow and give the illusion of a sticky caliper.

    • Like 1
    • Owner

    Typically because brake fluid was allowed to age and eat the rubber liner in the hose. If you change you brake fluid every 30k miles this won't happen.

    Do you hold stock in brake fluid producing companies?

    Another thought. I put reman calipers on a car recently and while bleeding them I got a good shot of brown goo. Popped the piston out and the bottom half of the caliper bore was rusted out like it had been sitting for a while with moisture in it. So that shiny "new" part might not be any better than what you're taking off.

    Another thought. I put reman calipers on a car recently and while bleeding them I got a good shot of brown goo. Popped the piston out and the bottom half of the caliper bore was rusted out like it had been sitting for a while with moisture in it. So that shiny "new" part might not be any better than what you're taking off.

    I agree rebuilt calipers are typically garbage, the guys rebuilding them must toss the calipers around like Frisbees as most of the machined surfaces are beat to hell. It often takes me 20 mins a caliper to file the mating surfaces flat that are dinted. One caliper I noticed metal filings coming out bleeder hole, I pulled the pistons and it was full of machine filings. I now refuse to buy rebuilt calipers but its getting harder to find rebuild kits.

    Edited by bcbigfoot

    • Owner
    I now refuse to buy rebuilt calipers but its getting harder to find rebuild kits.

     

    Hua?

     

    Piston seal OE Mopar Seals.

    https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=5017170&cc=1440064&jnid=491&jpid=0

     

    Full caliper rebuilt kit for $4 a piece. ($16 for all 4)

    https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=2046132&cc=1440064&jnid=492&jpid=3

     

    Slide pin boots.

    https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=3053931&cc=1440064&jnid=493&jpid=0

    I actually just threw a new caliper on last night, well new being reman.  Hopefully it works as it should.

    Mike, have you done a writeup on the rebuild? When I go to third gen brakes and drilled / slotted rotors I'll likely rebuild the calipars.

    I tried and tried to rebuild my front calipers.  On the 99's there is only one piston per caliper.  I couldn't get the boot to seal to save my life.  I tried every trick in the book.  I found a note deep in the interwebbs that said you have to have a special press.  After many hours attempting this rebuild I broke down and bought remann'd claipers and I haven't had a moments issue.

    Thanks Mike, I can still get the kits through local parts store if they order them in, however ( I should have been more specific) I can't get new pistons at any of my local parts stores. Next time I head south of the border I will order some from Rockauto as its the only place I could find them.

    For some reason the tin cap on the pistons are rusting between the cap and ceramic (bubbling) creating a uneven mating surface for the brake pads.

    My special press was a 2" piece of PVC pipe and a hammer.

    My Pistons didn't have any metal on them. But I've got 2 piston calipers on all 4 wheels.

    My special press was a 2" piece of PVC pipe and a hammer.

    My Pistons didn't have any metal on them. But I've got 2 piston calipers on all 4 wheels.

    I hope the new one's I get from Rockauto don't have the tin cap, seem problematic. Perhaps I could just pop the cap off the one's.

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