Small bolt pattern disc brake 4-piston rebuilt caliper availability

[65 Cuda 340]

Don't know how many of you would rather rebuild your old calipers than buy rebuilt, but you may not have a choice these days.

Couple years ago, I rebuilt the calipers in my 65 Barracuda (67-72 disc setup), but they leaked badly where the crossover lines screwed in. Turned out that the little brass (?) fittings at the base of the screw holes were buggered from having been gone through so many times. So I just bought a pair of rebuilt calipers and put them on. OK.

Now, I'm working on my 67 Barracuda. Rebuilt the front suspension. Was gonna leave the brakes alone since they were working fine (or so I thought). Anyway, I was about to install the calipers, and one of the pads in the passenger side caliper came apart. Lining of that pad just fell out. OK, no problem, as I have several sets of NOS factory pads. Of course, the new pads being unworn, they were too thick to fit without compressing the pistons. Only been working on the passenger side caliper so far (the driver's side is on the car), but one of the pistons won't compress all the way. Probably corroded piston or piston bore or both.

Now I should have a pair of calipers with new pistons etc. in them left over from my 65 Barracuda project, but I can only find one, and of course they need the brass fittings replaced. A while back I found and bought some of those fittings. Except that now I can't find them. %^$(*#&$ (Plus I'm still searching for the two caliper to knuckle bolts that are missing from the passenger side. Where does everything disappear to?)

So I'm thinking I could just spend the money and buy rebuilt ones and get this project over with quickly. BUT. . . . I read on here a while back that Cardone was going out of business along with other products like Autolite, etc. Guess what? Rebuilt calipers for the early A disc brakes are rapidly becoming unobtainium.

Summit has one available, for the passenger side.

Cardone Industries 18-4407 Cardone Remanufactured Brake Calipers | Summit Racing

Can't find the driver's side anywhere. Not Cardone, not any other brand. Not from Rock Auto, not from Parts Geek, not from any of the general auto parts stores. None. And I don't think any source besides Summit even has the passenger side.

After messing around for a couple of days, I just ordered the passenger side from Summit. Clearance price just under $70. OK, but there's a core charge of $27. I'm thinking since Cardone is out of business, I won't be able to get my core charge back. So, with tax and shipping plus the core charge, total was $116. Expensive, but at this point, I have more money than time and energy.

Now, I'm gonna either rebuild the driver's side (I have new pistons and seals) and hope the fittings are useable, or find the fittings I bought and put them into the one rebuilt caliper I have, assuming it's a driver's side caliper. Or put them in the driver's side caliper that's on the car now, if I need to.

This stuff didn't used to be so hard. . . .

 

[Firstblood]

I think the 18-4407 is the drivers side.
18-4406 is passenger side.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

I have 3 sets of 4 piston brakes assembled on the spindles yet. And I have 4 other sets I took apart and only saved 5 pistons. I have 8 new pistons and 10 kits. I also have two new in the box calipers. I am only going to build 2 cars with those brakes . I won't sell anything. Those kind of parts are getting very scarce,

I knew they would repop them for so long until the demand fell off. Even the hubs and rotors are getting hard to find.

Now with Wilwood and Strange making big bolt 4 1/2 inch kits and 4 inch wheels getting harder to find. The small bolt car owners will have to start hunting and storing parts for future maintenance . Use DOT 5 brake fluid only so the calipers and master cylinders do not corrode from DOT 3 moisture.

The mounting bolts you can use a 7/16 grade 8 bolt. But the factory bolt does have a slight shoulder. Grade 8's work but they do wobble a little until they are tight. Not precise like the factory bolt.

When I buy parts cars these are the parts I look for, "Maintenance parts" that can be put on the shelf after they are cleaned. And you never know what you get until you disassemble the car. Many times you end up with junk. Saving the caliper bodies and getting the pistons out of some is tough. I usually throw them in the cook tank or oven when steve is cleaning engine blocks. And still the pistons are glued fast.

I clean and save a lot of parts for a-body cars 70 -73. I don't like selling parts on line that I use on customers cars that come here for repairs.

 

[junkyardhero]

After messing around for a couple of days, I just ordered the passenger side from Summit. Clearance price just under $70. OK, but there's a core charge of $27. I'm thinking since Cardone is out of business, I won't be able to get my core charge back. So, with tax and shipping plus the core charge, total was $116. Expensive, but at this point, I have more money than time and energy.

the place you bought the part from owes you the core, they're the ones that charged it, not whoever supplied the part to them.

$116 for a caliper is a great deal. i sell used cores for 200 and rebuilt units for 400+ a pair.

but you're right, the stuff is drying up.

 

[65 Cuda 340]

I think the 18-4407 is the drivers side.
18-4406 is passenger side.

The listings I've seen - not just Summit - say the opposite. But I'll find out for sure when it gets here. I'll use it either way.

 

[Firstblood]

The listings I've seen - not just Summit - say the opposite. But I'll find out for sure when it gets here. I'll use it either way.

Your right about that!
The lack of description, even on the Cardone site is pathetic.
The 1 reveiw on Summit said they sent the wrong side caliper.
Under questions someone also replied the 07 is the drivers side.
Rock auto states the 07 is drivers side for rear mount caliper.
Good luck!

 

[65 Cuda 340]

Your right about that!
The lack of description, even on the Cardone site is pathetic.
The 1 reveiw on Summit said they sent the wrong side caliper.
Under questions someone also replied the 07 is the drivers side.
Rock auto states the 07 is drivers side for rear mount caliper.
Good luck!

Hmmm, after further research, I think you're right. 1407 is the driver's side, 1406 the passenger side.

Rock Auto, like Summit has the Cardone 1407, but not the 1406.

However, Rock Auto has both the right and left side in the Nugeon brand. Never heard of it before, but the price is comparable without a core charge to Summit with a core charge. So I ordered a Nugeon passenger side caliper. Will see how she does.

If they work, I'm happy to pay to avoid having to rebuild what I have. What a PITA that job is.

 

[CFD244]

I just got my car on the road...Has 1000 miles. The brakes are brand new, and I have one extra complete K/H set up as a spare including kits, pistons and bearings. I hope this lasts my life, or until I get tired of the car.