Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: vauxsull on 12 August 2014, 15:06:46
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What's the best method of bringing back to new ( or as close to as possible) brake calipers? Just got myself a set of 4 off elete Pete and want to spend some time on them.. Lets call it a little project to ease boredom ;D
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www.biggred.co.uk (http://www.biggred.co.uk)
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Well that is the desired look.....
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As far as the mechanical parts go just a dust seal, square-cut seal and new piston needed (assuming that your piston is all rusted/pitted etc.)
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I haven't disassembled them yet but all look as rough as a bears arse.. Don't want to send away to be shot blasted but want to clean up as food as I can and repaint and reseal.
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Good as I can not " food"? I must be thinking of my tea hehe
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www.biggred.co.uk (http://www.biggred.co.uk)
They do caliper repair kits for most calipers. :y
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It's not just the seals I want bit to get the caliper bodies as close to new as I can without silly expense.
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Brake cleaner, wire brush and rattle can from helfrods :-X
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Once cleaned up, I paint mine with Hammerite (well the smooth version).
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I think I will use a drill with a wire cup brush to wazz them up...
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In terms of mechanical working order calipers are as straight forward as they come.
However, you will need to replace the piston cos I guarantee it'll be all rusted and pitted and it's this pitting that tears up the square cut seal. So, square cut seal, dust boot and new piston.
Then as for painting them and making them look pretty.............. no idea ;)
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Out of interest what would a set of replacement pistons and seals set me back?
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From somewhere like Brakes International you're talking about £15 for a service kit (seals, boots etc) and £15 for a replacement piston.. Or £46 for a whole replacement (rebuilt) calliper (plus a £18 core charge refunded when you return your old ones) that arrives shiny and looking brand spanking new.
It's hardly worth the bother to DIY something that will never look as good as the rebuilt (media blasted, plated etc etc) one.
Brakes International - facelift v6 (http://brakeparts.co.uk/#page=parts&pageSection=BHF&mancode=GM&brand=VAUXHALL&model=OMEGA&modelversion=OMEG*(01-04)+2.6+%26+3.2+V6+inc+ELITE[/url) for example
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Thing is I already have a full set of 4 in the garage and just wanted to have a play with them so to speak. They don't need to be factory showroom condition but as clean as I can get using elbow grease... But would like new seals and pistons in them
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It's a really nice little project to do.
If the calipers are working (and you can push the piston back with ease) i'm not sure whether you can re-use the existing parts :-\ but you will need to replace those things if the caliper is bound up.
It's a nice little project to do. i did some at college.
Note though you'll need compressed air to push the piston out. If not you can put a fitting in to the inlet and fill with grease til it pops out
keep ya fingers well away tho ;)
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Taking them to work tomorrow to get them degreased and get fitter to drill out snapped bleed nipple... Doing a 4 on 4 off shift pattern gives me plenty of free time to do do stuff like this... Eases the boredom. :y
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Right then. £120 delivered gets me all the seals and pistons to do all calipers for a firm called "big red" is this a bargain of the century or do I look elsewhere?
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The Omega callipers are bullet proof, if the dust seals are all ok then don't touch the workings as you risk resulting in a non working part with potentially inferior seals in it.
Just clean them up well and paint them. :y
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Too late my friend.. All been stripped apart . Seals and pistons... One piston was goosed and 2 seals split... This is a spare set ive acquired and will clean up and rebuild as and when.. Just didn't know if the price for repair kit is a good price or not.
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Sounds expensive to me to be honest!
If the dust seals were ok then the damage will have been done in disassembly I suspect.
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They where disassembled because of the damage not due to.
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I still maintain it's a nice project (what the OP said he wanted to do in his first post) and something you can be proud of :)
£120 does sound a tad expensive. Were there any other kits available? Having said that a brand new calliper is just over £100 so after doing the work you get 4 new callipers + sense of satisfaction for doing it :y
Note that when the square cut seal's removed there'll be a bunch of rust in the groove where it lives. Be sure to also nail that with a wire brush otherwise that'll be as bad as using the rusty old pistons.
Ps..... photos of the project would be great :y :y :y
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If i knew how to upload images on here I would have dome ir ages ago ;D
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That is expensive for two sets of seals and pistons, you should be able to get 2 exchange calipers for £120.
Seal kits from biggred are normally about £20 per caliper, I've yet to replace a piston, normally just polish them up with autosol polish.
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That price was for a repair kit for 4 calipers
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That price was for a repair kit for 4 calipers
That sounds better£120 for all 4 callipers.
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I shall buy them then... Never done this job before so had no idea on costs.. :y