taylorcom
Well-Known Member
I don't have an air compressor, but I did once own a '64 Julietta.
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Rear brakes over-heating, possibly fading on 3.0CS
- Thread starter taylorcom
- Start date
It could be straight but in the image it looks a little crooked to me. Did you clean the bore and piston before trying to reinstall the piston? Was there any scoring, rust or marks on the piston or bore? If so, you need to clean them up. I use steel wool and Brakleen to remove any deposits. Lightly polish the piston until clean. Is the seal seated all the way into the groove? I can't speak to the Centric seal kit, but some seals have a chamfered inside edge and if installed backwards it makes it very difficult if not impossible to reinstall the piston. Look at the inside edge of the seal and see if there is any chamfering on the inside lip. It looks to me like the piston is hanging up on the seal, FWIW.
Interesting thread. I cannot be of much help, I just wanted to say that I like the word chamfered and as soon as I learn what it means I will add it to my lexicon. Good luck with the brake system, I know Don worked some magic on mine and now it brakes better than a modern car.
Similar to a beveled edge.
You used a prybar to install a brake piston that normally takes finger pressure to install?
Why?
Why?
taylorcom
Well-Known Member
I've R'd and R'd the piston since that pic was taken. I saw no scoring but did see some rust smears, not pitting, on the piston, which I cleaned off with steel wool. Yes, the new seal is seated all the way into the groove. There's no champher or bevel on either seal, though the new seal is a tad taller than the old one (which might be a result of 50 years of wear). The old seal has a thin lip that extends on both sides of its inner edge, which the new seal doesn't have. The new seal also seems a bit thinner than the old one.
taylorcom
Well-Known Member
Fingers didn't work. In fact, I've never known fingers to be strong enough to retract a piston during a brake pad change. I've always had to use a stout screwdriver as a pry bar for that. This time, I used a real pry bar.
Have you used the Centric rebuild kit? The new seal is a bit taller that the old one, which may be a reason for the hang up.
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With the caliper removed from the car and the bleeder open you should be able to slide the piston back into the bore with your hand/fingers as @sfdon said. The piston needs to be perfectly aligned with the bore to make this happen.
taylorcom
Well-Known Member
Fingers got the piston started, but then it seemed to hang up on the new, thicker seal. A C-clamp, which Dick recommends, got it further in. Then it was pry bar time. Eventually it seemed easier to move, so I've probably pushed the piston past the new seal.
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taylorcom
Well-Known Member
I'm starting to think my 50-year-old LR brake caliper may be a gonner. I looked at https://www.wallothnesch.com and saw new rear calipers listed at about $350 a pair. That's a lot, considering that rebuilts are still listed for $45 each at Napa Auto Parts (https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CALN1062?impressionRank=5), out of stock, of course.
Does anyone recommend Walloth Nesch?
Does anyone recommend Walloth Nesch?
Definitely recommend W&N if they have the part you need. Pretty fast shipping and (in my experience) excellent quality. High-ish prices, though, but sometimes they're the only choice.
Having said that, there's this option- https://www.iemotorsport.com/product/rebuilt-rear-brake-caliper-e3-e9-e12/
Having said that, there's this option- https://www.iemotorsport.com/product/rebuilt-rear-brake-caliper-e3-e9-e12/
IE’s customer service is very spotty and you have to send yours in, just noting as something to consider.
I've not had any issues with them personally and I've bought a few things from them. The link is more of a suggestion that one can get these rebuilt professionally without having to wait for Napa to restock rebuilt ones. I'm sure there's a place in the Bay Area.
taylorcom
Well-Known Member
I hear that Centric has offered rebuilt units, but has no cores at the moment.
Napa gets their e9 calipers from Centric. Unfortunately that means that Napa does not have any for sale. If you call joke local Napa store I’m sure they will tell you that they are not currently available.
taylorcom
Well-Known Member
Probably the same at O'Reilly and Autozone.
Try Jim at Mesa Performance. He can get anything rebuilt. My callipers still work like new!
Red Rubber Grease is a good lubricant for reassembling hydraulic parts, that's what it's made for. Castrol and others make it.
I still use Castrol red rubber greaseThe smallest tub of Castrol should last a Lifetime for a shade tree mechanic. I think the heavy consistency does a better job protecting the rubber components during assembly (esp. for delicate wheel cylinder seals on drum brakes) . Plus it doesn’t absorb water so I (irrationally?) feel better about using it to coat a ferrous steel caliper piston and bore. Yes I know it’s all sealed up under the dust cap, but it still bugs me to use BF outside of a closed system.
Friends who are better mechanics recommend synthetic grease for brake assembly. One swears by Sylglyde (silicon) because he has DOT5 in all his classic cars,and another loves this ATE stuff because German cars deserve German lubricants (talk about irrational).
The brake cylinder paste is used for the repair, assembly and corrosion preservation of internal brake components. Its lubricity also enhances ease of fitting, especially of rubber parts on metal surfaces.
The brake cylinder paste is not splashwaterproof. Its use is there fore restricted to internal surfaces in protected or sealed installa tion positions.
The brake cylinder paste is used for hydraulic brake systems designed for operation with brake fluid based on polyglycol ethers according to the standards FMVSS 116 (DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5.1), SAE J1703 and DIN ISO 4925. It is not planned for usage in brake systems with a silicone or mineral oil based hydraulic fluid.
Friends who are better mechanics recommend synthetic grease for brake assembly. One swears by Sylglyde (silicon) because he has DOT5 in all his classic cars,and another loves this ATE stuff because German cars deserve German lubricants (talk about irrational).
ATE brake cylinder paste (in tube)
ATE brake cylinder paste is used for repair, assembly and conservation of hydraulic brake components It is applied thinly and evenly to cylinder sleeves, pistons and seals....
www.ate-info.de
The brake cylinder paste is used for the repair, assembly and corrosion preservation of internal brake components. Its lubricity also enhances ease of fitting, especially of rubber parts on metal surfaces.
The brake cylinder paste is not splashwaterproof. Its use is there fore restricted to internal surfaces in protected or sealed installa tion positions.
The brake cylinder paste is used for hydraulic brake systems designed for operation with brake fluid based on polyglycol ethers according to the standards FMVSS 116 (DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5.1), SAE J1703 and DIN ISO 4925. It is not planned for usage in brake systems with a silicone or mineral oil based hydraulic fluid.
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taylorcom
Well-Known Member
Thanks, Mulberryworks and Jfeng. Yeah, it may need more lubrication than just the brake fluid. I experimented by removing the new inner seal and putting the old seal back in, and it was just as hard to seat the piston into the bore as it was w. the new seal.