Help on brake caliper

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Dartalltheway

Dartalltheway

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I'm trying to pop out the brake cylinder on my brake calipers and it's not work. I've tried air pressure and brake cleaner to loosen it but it won't budge. All help appreciated.
 

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Spray some light lube around the piston, use a C-Clamp to push the piston back into the caliper just a bit and try again. If air pressure fails to move it, connect it back into the brake system and use light hyd. pressure.
Very light application of pedal.
 
Trade it with the part store for a reman'd caliper. That piston could hurt you if it releases under pressure. It aint worth the effort !
 
If you are going to do it on the car, while it is hooked up to the car put in a 5 gallon bucket with the piston facing down. You may have to put something under the bucket to make it high enough.vThen put some rags around it and cover the caliper with some more rags. Then you can slowly push the brake petal down to get the piston out.
 
That piston isn't magically stuck in there, theres probably some corrosion in the bore holding it in there. If your lucky the rubber O ring is just swollen but I think your going to find some rust in the bore. Try pushing it back the piston back in with a C clamp, if it doesn't move use it as a core a the parts store.
 
always expand the piston out of the bore with the brake pedal before you remove the line when doing a rebuild
 
caferacerx said:
always expand the piston out of the bore with the brake pedal before you remove the line when doing a rebuild
Click to expand...

I am not sure why you are trying to get them both a part. I could understand if one was hanging up and you were trying to clean it because you has a $$$$ shortage.
If they are 73 - 76 A-body calipers they cost $28.99 rebuilt.
 
Back in the "old days" when us mechanics used to rebuild calipers, before they got as cheap to buy, as they are now a days, there were tools available to remove stuck pistons from their bores.
Pumping the piston out with the hydraulic line still connected to the caliper, works well.
Taking that step further a manufacturer had these "fittings" made up that allows you to pump them out hydraulically, using grease from a grease gun.
I use that method from time to time, in my rebuilding of disc brakes.
Then KD Tools Corporation had this nifty tool that's like a reverse monkey wrench, that clamps down on the inside diameter of the piston bore, and you twist the piston to remove it.
I like that tool quite a bit.
I use it all the time when i'm rebuilding the 4 piston brake calipers on the old 65-72 Kelsey Hayes A body disc brake systems.
Then their were other manufacturers of tools that had their own method to remove the calipers.
But in these days and times, for a professional auto mechanic rebuilding calipers is a thing that's not done much anymore, since store bought ones are so cheap.
 

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A reman caliper will cost, what, $30? No way in hell am I rebuilding a caliper anymore. Getting the piston out is fine, but if it is stuck from corrosion, the walls will be rough and pitted and will wear the new seal unless you hone it. Then you need oversized seals. Just not worth the time and aggravation anymore in my humble opinion.
 
nothing wrong with replacing the seal on a caliper once in a while, if that's all it needs, why replace it, besides I would rather rebuild something than replace it any day,
that way I know it was done to my standard's

p.s. nice tool hemi71x
 
caferacerx said:
nothing wrong with replacing the seal on a caliper once in a while, if that's all it needs, why replace it, besides I would rather rebuild something than replace it any day,
that way I know it was done to my standard's

p.s. nice tool hemi71x
Click to expand...

Normally I would agree with you. However, this car is somewhere around 35-40 years old and there is bound to be pitting from all the moisture the brake fluid has sucked up all those years, as evidenced by the piston hanging up on what is likely a rust or corrosion ridge. I virtually guarantee that once the piston is out and you see inside the cylinder walls they will be beyond repair. Brakes are nothing to mess with. They need to work, and work well every time. Price isn't always the consideration, but in this case it is probably going to be cheaper, easier and more properly done by replacing the caliper.
 
more than true, however there is no harm in taking something apart to have a look first,
a core is a core is a core after all
 
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