Hoolz Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Would it be a diffcult job for a novice (me) to repair a caliper using a repair kit. I've spotted the kit online for a Type 14 caliper. Is this the right one for a 76 Spit 1500?Same for repairing the master clutch cylinder, is it tricky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Repairing the master cylinders is very tricky, i couldnt be bothered as fiddly stuff was never fun for me, so i just replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willcolumbine Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 I consider myself pretty mechanically competent but I chickened out of rebuilding my calipers and bought a recon set from Canleys. They cost around £80 after handing my old ones in and I thought that was very reasonable. If your calipers needed new pistons, seal kits and nipples you'd probably spend £60 anyway!Just dont bother repairing the master cylinder. If the bore is damaged you can get it resleeved but when I looked into it it was the same amount to get a new one. If the bore is perfect then just get a seal kit and you should be okay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Resealing a master cylinder is a doddle, Rempve the thing off the car, take off the rubber cover off the end and remove the big circlip. This can be the trickiest part if it is cruddy! I use long nosed pliers. Remove the pushrod. Then I tap (bang hard if needed) that end on a wood surface, and the piston will come out. Ease it out and look for damage to the spring especially. Take a digi pic too, it may help a bit later!Check the bore inside for damage. I use aerosol brake cleaner to clean first. If undamaged, get VERY clean, and then rebuild the piston with new seals, using brake fluid as a lubricant to get the seals on.Reassmble, again using brake fluid to help, pop the pushrod in and bung some of the special brake grease (no other grease etc will do) in the end here to help stop future problems. Job done.Calipers can be that simple too. Biggest problems are sezed bleed nipples (check yours move ok before you start) and getting the pistons out. This is best done on the car, pads out and assistant pumping them out gently. Not all the way or the others will be stuck in! Little bits of wood my help stop them popping right out.Calipers off the car, take off ouret rubber dust covers, and get the pistons out. Clean up (i use a wire brush in a drill) and inspect. Light pitting has not been a problem for me, but heavy pitting will need the piston replacing.Clean everything up, new seals in the caliper bore, pistons in (use BF again) and dust covers on. Notheing hard about it really! Seized bits make it very hard though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul318UK Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 I have done the master cylinder on a dual circuit system.It is easy as long as you make exact notes of the order of the bits!For me the most important thing when working on any cylinder is to be clean and quick. The brake fluid is hydroscopic and if you split the job over two weekends rust is likely to have started (not good for sealing!).Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick B. Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 I agree with cliftyhanger. Very easy jobs. Resealing a brakecaliber is something like 1 hour. Just make sure everything is VERY clean - remove pistons and clean them thorough. If crome has started flaking then replace. Clean the bore very thorough. The piston must have a free yet tight travel in the caliber.Resealing mastercyl (if not in need of rebore) can be done on kitchentable in 30 minutes or so. Dead easy. RegardsNick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesR Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 If you can't get the piston out, put the caliper back on the car without the brake pads but put a bit of cardboard in between it and the disk to protect the disk from damage and press down on the brake pedal.It should shift it.Don't ask me how to get the clips to stay in place around the rubbers though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick B. Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 And whatever you do - don't follow the advice on some yank forums and press out the pistons with a grease gun. This is as foolish and stupid as a lot of the other stuff they think up over there.Use brakefluid ONLY to clean brakeparts. If anything has to be lubricated use the red brakegrease supplied with sealing kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Just remember that your brakes are safety critical, and if you do not feel confident and competent to do the job yourself, then get someone that is to do the job.They are your brakes, and it's your life.Do you want to explain to the Court why your brakes failed during your test drive just before you ran over the queue of school children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 But kevin, and I am being totally honest here, I relly think that people who think about it and take care when rebuilding a part will do a good job. And often much better than some of the people who do it as a "profession". Thats my experience from working on cars that have been cared for by "friendly local garages"AND I am very much in favor of people working on their cars themselves, learning about them etc, rather than just fitting bits bought off the shelf. Otherwise so many will just give up as their cars become too expensive to maintain.But I did make the same point as you to the OP, albeit on another thread :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willcolumbine Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 If you can't get the pistons out just put some wood between them and hold the end of a footpump tight against the brake hose (it dosen't need to seal perfectly). Just pushes them right out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 willcolumbine wrote:If you can't get the pistons out just put some wood between them and hold the end of a footpump tight against the brake hose (it dosen't need to seal perfectly). Just pushes them right out!Hmm, not on a pair I did a while go. Took over a month, yep, that long, to get them to shift. Daily dose of oil, try a pump or two etc..... :-/But they had been left seized fro a LONG time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straight Six Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 JamesR wrote:Don't ask me how to get the clips to stay in place around the rubbers though!So it's not just me then! ;DI agree that this is an easy job, made even easier if you have access to an air compressor so you can literally blow the pistons out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 I was struggling with the clips. Then I dropped one and without knowing was putting it on the opposite way to how I was before. It stayed on. Tried the next one and had the same problem so turned that one and it went on instantly and stayed there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicky Blighter Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Straight_Six wrote:...made even easier if you have access to an air compressor so you can literally blow the pistons out. But don't have your thumb in between the pistons when you do it - it hurts! :B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick B. Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Last two times I have done calibers I just connected the caliber directly to the mastercylinder vith and old brakehose. Then step on the pedal. If only one side is moving, then clamp it with a bar clamp (dunno the right word, so here is a picture)Then again - be carefull using oils on the calibers as it may result in brakefailure due to contamination of the brakefluid. Wash in plenty of brakefluid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heraldcoupe Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Nick_B. wrote:And whatever you do - don't follow the advice on some yank forums and press out the pistons with a grease gun. Pumping them out with grease is fine IF and only if the halves are to be subsequently separated and thoroughly cleaned. then you have to find a source for the bolts and sealing washers. Pushing out the pistons by hydraulic means is far safer than using compressed air. I personally opt for connecting up a master cylinder and using hydraulic fluid - messy but safe.Cheers,Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesR Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Actually I used an air compressor on one and got pissed off with losing the little rubber grommet type bit, and the loud bangs aren't that pleasant when its bits of your car. The brake pedal is soo much easier. Re the clips. If I remember rightly I think that the rubber seals are designed wrongly so they don't sit correctly on the caliper/piston. Don't know if anyone's thinks this. They were definitely the correct ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billspit Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 heraldcoupe wrote:Pumping them out with grease is fine IF and only if the halves are to be subsequently separated and thoroughly cleaned. then you have to find a source for the bolts and sealing washers. Pushing out the pistons by hydraulic means is far safer than using compressed air. I personally opt for connecting up a master cylinder and using hydraulic fluid - messy but safe.Cheers,Bill.This yank did it with a grease gun, because its the only thing that would work. Didn't want to do it that way. I separated the halves, although that's also a no no. Been about a year now and no problems. Didn't add up the cost, but even with new pistons and the kit (all bought on sale) I save quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesR Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 How easily should the cleaned up piston be to put back in? I've just done one of mine and hand to use the clamp to get the piston pack in. It moved out and in nicely under air pressure, I assume it ok.But the other side won't come all the way out, so I put the clamp on the cleaned one and its come most the way out and bent the clamp! It's being stubborn to get back in. Just wondering how much ease there should be. It looks like new calipers but if I can get them clean and moving for the mot (monday) they should be ok. Or are they always a pain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 with no seals fitted the pistons should just slide in and out with no resistance.With teh new seals fitted and lubricated with brake fluid they should push in with the pressure of your thumbs each side to even out the pressure.CheersColin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 If you don't get them dead-on when you put them back you're going to jam them. It can take a little time and patience to get them in just right. Did you have to force it in? It should gently slide in with a little pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesR Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 Forced them I'm afraid. Well they sort of went in in fits and starts. They do work ok now though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heraldcoupe Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 ferny wrote:Did you have to force it in? It should gently slide in with a little pressure.Ooh! SIR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 post removed on request of author Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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