Just curious as to what you'd do. I think it'd be better to rebuild them myself; I rebuilt the rear calipers before, it wasn't hard at all! If I rebuild them myself, I know they're done right.

BUT... since a caliper's so easy to rebuild, what are the chances that one out of Pep Boys would be bad? Would it be bad if their calipers sit for years in a hot dusty warehouse and the seals get all dried up? I just can't decide.

I know alot of you are going to say "They're so cheap they're not worth the effort to rebuild yourself so just buy them"- I don't even want that as an option. It's really no effort for me to rebuild them. I honestly wouldn't mind spending $5 more to buy a rebuild kit then an already-rebuilt caliper.

Or, would you just leave the calipers alone? I have no problems with them. I just figure, hey, 250,000 miles must mean they're a -little- tired! Yes, they're both still the originals.

Thanks!!

Oh yeah and I'll be changing the front brake hoses soon, that's why I'm asking. Might as well just do it all at once <a href="https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/showthread.php?s=&threadid=187293" target="newwin">(that sounds familar!)</a>...

 

You know you won't be confident unless you do it yourself, just do it!

 

Upgrade to the 1LEs....

You cheap ***...spend the $15 each for rebuilt ones and don't waste your time fooling around rebuilding the single piston calipers. Better yet, buy mine. They only have about 300 miles on them since I replaced them and will be removed for the C4 setup when I get the bracket finalized.



Ed

Also, don't go to Pep Boys.

 

Wow, hey, those kits -are- cheap. Bendix #66715, $10.92. So I guess that's another benefit of rebuilding it myself.

Unloaded calipers, right = Bendix #R55209, left= Bendix #R55210, $28/each. Hey didn't someone say the front calipers were only $9.99 from somewhere?

 

If you make more than $8/hr working at some job and can get in a few extra hours during the week just get a loaded caliper. They come complete and ready to install. Saves you time and hasle. I have 170k miles on my original calipers and they work fine.... for now. For long caliper life it's a good idea to keep good pad thickness. Low pads and hard braking will lead to premature brake failure most likely from a sticking piston. I've seen it even on new vehicles where the pads were left on till they squeeled then later the pistons got so far out of the hole that they jamed and the caliper no longer floated. In some cases the inside face on the rotors is worn away. Beyond the min thickness for getting them turned down.
Another options is leave them as is and save up the money for one of the C4, C5, new f-body brake upgrades. You can always buy time with brakes but when they suck from the factory it's hard to give any good reason why they're still on the vehicle after 200k .

 

LOL, no, my brake pads are still fine. Just changed them out in March (Bendix MKD154's). And loaded calipers still don't come with the mounting bolts or slides, right? Those damn mounting bolts... $10/each... mine are still fine (no rust, always lube them w/silicone at every brake job), but I still want to replace them anyway. Good point though; I've never ridden a pad that far into the ground... there'd really be no caliper damage...

I wish I could find f-bodies with the 1LE brakes in a junkyard... (sigh)

 

I'm with him

 

upgrade to LS1 front disc brakes
or C4 brakes
or C5 brakes
or even aftermarket ones.





hehe, seriously though, i would look at the calipers... if they are in good condition, id take them apart, clean them, paint (or powdercoat) them then rebuild them..... if you dont want them to stand out, do them in black... but make them look nice and clean...

 

(laughs) Keep in mind too that I've just got a v6; the car stops great with these J50 front calipers. 1LE would be great if I found the setup in a junkyard including spindles for $100... but I don't think that'll happen any time soon.

That's the other twist, too, MrDude... I'm hoping that a rebuild shop would be honing the caliper body, polishing the outer surface of the piston, etc... stuff that my sandpaper can't do as good of a job on. That to me is the benefit of going with a unit already rebuilt. I might open my calipers and find a ton of rust inside. Kinda doubtful since I've changed my brake fluid a few times already thru the years, but who knows?

I like to stress out over stupid crap, eh?

 

The 10 dollar ones from Advance Auto (A1 Cardone) also have a lifetime warranty... If a bleeder brakes off, screw it (no pun intended), take the whole thing and exchange it..

 

well, in that case, if for nothing but your peace of mind, just get some replacement ones.. its not like they are expencive anyway

 

Yeah, that's the problem... I don't mind about the cost. Like I said if a rebuild kit was $20 and a caliper was $10, if it was better to rebuild them, I'd spend the extra $10.

What about a different twist to the question: Has anybody bought a remanufactured FRONT caliper that didn't work?

 

ive never heard of anyone having a prob with a reman front caliper except one guy i know had a cross threaded bleeder valve screw.. but to be honest, i think he did it himself and just said it came that way.

 

Before my 1LEs, I got my iron calipers from Autozone for $10 + lifetime warranty. Go to install one, and the bleeder screw wouldnt stop leaking - crosstheaded. Just took it back and they gave me a different one that worked fine. IIRC, All Autozone Fenco calipers come with the bleeders installed by them, but who knows what happened to the core before they got it.

Its worth buying them just to get the warranty, Not to mention easier.

 

Hey Eb whats with Pepboys? i work there but hey if need a part number and price i can get u it for just about anything excupt for things we can not get at all.

 

lol

pep boys is one of the places i deliver to almost every day.

at least the one locally here uses napa parts

btw tom, i vote for buying the calipers with the warranty.

 

Hmmm my 251,xxx mile calipers will stay on the car for now...

 

Changed my mind, AutoZone had front replacement calipers for ~$70 with returning my old ones as cores.