Brake Calipers

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Adventurewagen
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Brake Calipers

Post by Adventurewagen » Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:31 am

After rebuilding my rear drums I took on my front discs last night. No problem with my lugs this time :) First I replaced the brake hoses which were crispity crunchity and then pulled the pads.

Left Front:
Outside worn almost completely, Inside worn very little.

Right Front:
Outside worn slightly, Inside worn alot but angled badly.

Just wondering what my best options are. I popped in new pads, filed the edges and smeared on just a bit of anti-sieze, but Im gonna be they'll wear the same as the other.

Bus-Boys has rebuilt calipers for 75 plus core, so it would be more like 85 to purchase and ship old ones, or 25 bucks per rebuild kit.

I think I'll run with the new pads until I have extra cash, but I'm more interested in what goes into "renewing" your calipers which is about as much detail as Bentley goes into.
63 Gulf Blue Notch
71 Sierra Yellow Adventurewagen
DjEep wrote:Velo? Are you being "over-run"? Do you need to swim through a sea of Mexican anchor-babies to get to your bus in the morning?
:wav:

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spiffy
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Re: Brake Calipers

Post by spiffy » Wed Aug 09, 2006 9:27 am

Adventurewagen wrote:Just wondering what my best options are. I popped in new pads, filed the edges and smeared on just a bit of anti-sieze, but Im gonna be they'll wear the same as the other.

Bus-Boys has rebuilt calipers for 75 plus core, so it would be more like 85 to purchase and ship old ones, or 25 bucks per rebuild kit.

I think I'll run with the new pads until I have extra cash, but I'm more interested in what goes into "renewing" your calipers which is about as much detail as Bentley goes into.
'renewing'....as in getting them to squeeze in a uniform manner?
You could try to call Ken at the Bus Co to see what he has laying around....might be less money from him. IMHO.
78 Riviera "Spiffy"
67 Riviera "Bill"

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Adventurewagen
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Post by Adventurewagen » Wed Aug 09, 2006 9:44 am

"renewing" as in rebuilding the caliper and getting them to squeeze evenly thus wearing each pad equally and allowing for better breaking and longer lasting pads.

I assume the pads are worn unevenly because the calipers are not applying equal pressure on either side. I'd also guess that mis-alignment of the front end could add to this. Assuming I align the front end, I'd bet my pads would still wear unevenly.

Bentley always likes to say "renew" this and "renew" that, but usually never goes beyond giving you a blow-out of the part. It would be nice to have a workshop manual like I have for my notch.
63 Gulf Blue Notch
71 Sierra Yellow Adventurewagen
DjEep wrote:Velo? Are you being "over-run"? Do you need to swim through a sea of Mexican anchor-babies to get to your bus in the morning?
:wav:

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chitwnvw
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Post by chitwnvw » Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:14 pm

Maybe we can get the whole thing scanned and online. 8-[ Can't buy the thing unless you're lucky and/or have deep pockets.

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spiffy
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Post by spiffy » Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:46 pm

^^^^^^ WHAT HE SAID!!!!!!!!
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67 Riviera "Bill"

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Sluggo
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Post by Sluggo » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:48 pm

chitwnvw wrote:Maybe we can get the whole thing scanned and online. 8-[ Can't buy the thing unless you're lucky and/or have deep pockets.
Besides the time and server space that would occupy, It's illegal. Not that everything I do is legal.:dsmokeitup: But VW is lawsuit happy these days.:dvampire: And that would be an obvious copyright infringement.
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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:11 pm

Sluggo wrote:
chitwnvw wrote:Maybe we can get the whole thing scanned and online. 8-[ Can't buy the thing unless you're lucky and/or have deep pockets.
Besides the time and server space that would occupy, It's illegal. Not that everything I do is legal.:dsmokeitup: But VW is lawsuit happy these days.:dvampire: And that would be an obvious copyright infringement.
We could paraphrase and para-picture if I can find a horizontal surface to draw on.

It has been suggested to not separate the caliper halves under any circumstance.
You can drive the pistons out with compressed air in difficult cases, use blocks of wood to catch them.
Mildly scored pistons/bores can be restored with a cross-hatch sandpaper job using 320 grit don't go nuts, just bring the sanding scratches into the scoring grooves. Wash with hot soapy water and dry thoroughly. VW has a wheel cylinder paste that is supposed to help with conditioning of the bores. Haven't tried to buy any recently.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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chitwnvw
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Post by chitwnvw » Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:13 pm

Work with and within the law.

Still they won't sell it to us...

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Adventurewagen
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Post by Adventurewagen » Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:31 am

I know this is getting off topic, but on the subject of the VW Workshop Manual, what happens when a book is no longer being actively published? Is there a time limitation unti the book can be reproduced? I'd be more than happy to purchase the book, but if its out of publish and will no longer be made available, there has got to be some way to get the material back out to people.

I think I might contact VW and ask them about the book copyright. I've heard you can sometimes get the works redistributed electronically if the publisher ok's it.
63 Gulf Blue Notch
71 Sierra Yellow Adventurewagen
DjEep wrote:Velo? Are you being "over-run"? Do you need to swim through a sea of Mexican anchor-babies to get to your bus in the morning?
:wav:

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Happyfolk
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Re:

Post by Happyfolk » Fri May 26, 2017 11:45 pm

Adventurewagen wrote:
Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:30 am
Most excellent. Thanks Sluggo.

What manual is that one from? It looks like Bentley or maybe Haynes. I have both, but must have missed that specific page.

It really looks like just replacing the seals and cleaning the caliper is all you need to do. Kinda worry about the VW Tool 442 considering I don't have one laying around :) Wonder what happens if you get it apart and find wear marks on the piston.

Looks like I can get replacement parts also from Raybestos for 58 bucks a caliper with pads and everything.

Anybody know the cost for remilling your discs?
Could this possibly be similar to VW tool 442? https://vw.snapon.com/SpecialToolsDetai ... d=18020009
There is almost no info about tool 442 or this tool C-4689 available online, but having just replaced ATE caliper dust boots this C-4689 tool looks about right if the sizing is right.
I found references to dust boots with split rings that are easier to install, but none of the suppliers give any info about whether their dust boots have split rings or continuous rings. I ordered caliper repair kits from Bus Depot and theirs have continuous rings that are impossible to install without the correct tool. I cut the rings to get them on for now and plan to find split ring boots or the correct tool soon.
79 CA FI Westy
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Amskeptic
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Re: Re:

Post by Amskeptic » Mon May 29, 2017 8:49 am

Happyfolk wrote:
Fri May 26, 2017 11:45 pm


Could this possibly be similar to VW tool 442? https://vw.snapon.com/SpecialToolsDetai ... d=18020009
There is almost no info about tool 442 or this tool C-4689 available online, but having just replaced ATE caliper dust boots this C-4689 tool looks about right if the sizing is right.
I ordered caliper repair kits from Bus Depot and theirs have continuous rings that are impossible to install without the correct tool.

Image shown may not
be actual product.
Product and price information are
subject to change without notice.
Kinda hard to make any useful conclusion.

I can get the dust boots on easily enough with just my fingers. All you have to do is push the pedal carefully to get the piston out just a bit while the other piston is held in place with a brake pad.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Happyfolk
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Re: Re:

Post by Happyfolk » Tue May 30, 2017 9:17 am

Amskeptic wrote:
Mon May 29, 2017 8:49 am
I can get the dust boots on easily enough with just my fingers. All you have to do is push the pedal carefully to get the piston out just a bit while the other piston is held in place with a brake pad.
Colin
The dust boots I received can't be pushed on with your fingers. They have a solid metal ring embedded into the rubber around the outside edge. They must be pressed onto the caliper with tool 442 per the Bentley. But there apparently are boots that have a split in the metal ring so they can be more easily installed. None of the suppliers say which type they sell. I suppose you need to call.

O'Reilly has rebuilt calipers for only $35 each, so that's probably the way to go: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detai ... vi=5012255
79 CA FI Westy
Mexico Beige
"Sandy"

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Amskeptic
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Re: Re:

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Jun 01, 2017 6:04 am

Happyfolk wrote:
Tue May 30, 2017 9:17 am
O'Reilly has rebuilt calipers for only $35 each, so that's probably the way to go:


Do you trust that price?
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Happyfolk
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Re: Re:

Post by Happyfolk » Thu Jun 01, 2017 10:03 am

Amskeptic wrote:
Thu Jun 01, 2017 6:04 am
Do you trust that price?
Colin
I was talking last weekend with a local guy who is known as "the bus whisperer" who does immaculate refurb jobs on splittys, bays, and vanagons and he was telling me that the calipers and CV axles he's been getting from O'Reilly lately have been prime quality. He says he knows they're from China, but that some of the chinese stuff is starting to get better than the german stuff.
79 CA FI Westy
Mexico Beige
"Sandy"

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Amskeptic
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Re: Re:

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Jun 02, 2017 5:40 am

Happyfolk wrote:
Thu Jun 01, 2017 10:03 am
Amskeptic wrote:
Thu Jun 01, 2017 6:04 am
Do you trust that price?
Colin
I was talking last weekend with a local guy who is known as "the bus whisperer" who does immaculate refurb jobs on splittys, bays, and vanagons and he was telling me that the calipers and CV axles he's been getting from O'Reilly lately have been prime quality. He says he knows they're from China, but that some of the chinese stuff is starting to get better than the german stuff.

Let me interpret:
"calipers and CVs from O'Reilleys lately have been very spiffy"

Longevity is something else, and we'll have to wait and see if these parts withstand the test of time.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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