[robncar]

Originally Posted by wolfen

Its either one of two things, the "O"ring around the piston or the caliper is cracked, in 30 years of working on brakes I have found that 99% of the time its the "O"ring, but it CAN be rebuilt, all it is is a "O" ring and dust cover, Auto Zone carries the kits and if you can change the pads, you can change the seals. If you can't, any Haynes manual sill show you how. (also available at Auto Zone)
There's one at 7542 Skyway. Paradise, CA 95969-3233. (530) 872-4692

I was wondering, when you do this seal replacement, do you hone anything or just replace the seal and call it good?

[wolfen]

Nope I NEVER hone ANYTHING on a brake system, like I said before 99% of the time its just the "O" ring, if the side doesn't mic out then its replacement time. since 1976 when I started working on cars, I've only had to replace 3 Calipers. Now Wheel cylinders is a whole different story, I don't bother with those I just yank em and replace em.

Honing a brake Caliper is just preying to God to lose the front brakes.

[robncar]

Originally Posted by wolfen

Nope I NEVER hone ANYTHING on a brake system, like I said before 99% of the time its just the "O" ring, if the side doesn't mic out then its replacement time. since 1976 when I started working on cars, I've only had to replace 3 Calipers. Now Wheel cylinders is a whole different story, I don't bother with those I just yank em and replace em.

Honing a brake Caliper is just preying to God to lose the front brakes.

Thought I'd ask as the Jeep FSM actually recommends it. Perhaps the Haynes manual is a different story, as I don't use them?

[wolfen]

Dunno about the FSM, I've never used that before, I was taught brakes a long time ago by a old man who lost his wife to bad brakes, and what he taught me has not failed me yet
I have a few Haynes manuals, I use them for the torques and that's about it.
Personally I've only seen 3 in my life that were uneven.

[evan1395]

wolfen you just answered my prayers and answers. see experience that speaks is experience that knows well. This guy just gave me the answer ive been looking for. thanks alot man

[Benderff]

All I can say is good luck. You fished for the answer you wanted in the three threads you started. Everyone told you to just replace the caliper, and you take the advice of a guy that doesn’t use a FSM and even advises against what the factory suggests. My favorite part is the story about how he learned to work on brakes. Again good luck, and carry on with the thinning of the herd.

Originally Posted by evan1395

wolfen you just answered my prayers and answers. see experience that speaks is experience that knows well. This guy just gave me the answer ive been looking for. thanks alot man

[evan1395]

haha no problem, like i said i dont need a dozen halfassed jeep mechanics( which i am one, not saying its a bad thing) telling me all the exact same thing (change the caliper) .I need someone with experience (30+ years) wolfen, on the other hand was my man. No need for a reply on my reply this time Benderff
case closed!!!

[rudyyj]

i don't normally reply to these kind of threads but this one makes me laugh...

The wealth of the knowledge base says to replace the caliper...quick, easy, sure fix, but costs a "bit" more.

one man says he does it method "B" which is what you wanted to hear and it becomes gospel. He has 30 years of experience but how many calipers in those 30 years...just his own cars so 1 every 5 years? he never said, I don't know. Also, he has 30 years of experience to identify those 3 calipers that were beyond repair by measuring them with a micrometer...do you have a micrometer? are you planning on buying one to measure the caliper bore? do youknow how? Have you ever seen a good brake cylinder bore or a bad cylinder bore for reference? so,are you gonna just follow one mans experience because the answer "fits".

my opinion...replace the faulty caliper...then when you have another couple bucks next month, replace the other.

[Zachs]

dude, just fix the one caliper. When mine locked up, i replaced on one side and ya know what? I'm still alive and stopping very well. Go figure.

Of course it's better to do both, but if you don't have the funds, do what you can. Its easy as pie. Also, get the speed bleeders form autozone. They let you bleed the front brakes by yourself. They don't let air get sucked back in when you get off the brakes when bleeding.

[wolfen]

First late me say that I don't bother with FSM's I use the manual that comes from the manufacturer of that particular brake system, if I open up a caliper and it mics out at 1 and the brake manufactures manual says it has to be between 0 and 2, and there's no scores or gouges, then I don;'t waste my time, or money honing something that doesn't need it. If the caliper is NOT within the specs I replace it.
As for how many Calipers I have worked on in my life, I dunno I only have a high school diploma I can't count that high. I don't just do my own, I have people come from all over around here for me to do their brakes, cause they know I offer more advice that "replace it"
In fact here ya go right out of the manual for one of my brake systems I have:
OVERHAUL
Clean the exterior of the caliper with brake clean or brake fluid, never use gasoline, kerosene, or petroleum based cleaning solvents. Place caliper on a workbench.
Position a wooden block or several shop rags in the caliper as a pad, then use compresses air to remove the piston from the caliper. Use only enough air to remove the piston from the bore. If the piston is blown out even with rags as a cushion it may be damaged.
Carefully pry the dust cover out of the caliper bore.
Using a wooden or plastic tool, remove the piston seal from the grove in the caliper bore.
DO NOT USE METAL TOOLS they may damage the caliper bore.
remove the caliper bleed screw. Then remove and discard the mounting pin bushings, discard all rubber parts.
Clean the remaining parts with with brake cleaner or brake fluid, then blow dry them with compressed air.
Carefully examine the piston for nicks, and burrs, and loss of plating, if surface defects are present, the parts must be replaced.
Check the caliper bore in a similar way. Light polishing with crocus cloth is permissible to remove light corrosion
and stains.
Discard the caliper pins if they are work, damaged, or corroded.
When assembling the caliper, Lubricate the piston bore and seal with clean brake fluid. Position the seal in the caliper bore grove.
lubricate the piston with clean brake fluid, install it squarely in the bore and apply pressure to bottom it in the caliper
Stretch the dust boot over the piston, then carefully seat it in the caliper bore.
Install the bleeder screw.
Install new inner and outer mounting pin bushings.
__________________________________________
That, gentlemen comes straight out of the Bendix brake overhaul manual, If anybody wants to check I bet ya $10 its also in the Haynes manual and any other descent shop manual too.
I use a mic because of personal preference, and I can find the caliper bore tolerances on just about any thing.

Class is now over Fahrvergnügen
Anybody who thinks I don't know what I'm talking about go ahead and spend all your hard earned money on something that can be fixed relatively cheaply

[Benderff]

[QUOTE=evan1395;8344787]I need someone with experience (30+ years) wolfen, on the other hand was my man. QUOTE]

To each his own. Hope you find that older guy that makes you happy.

[wolfen]

Originally Posted by robncar

Thought I'd ask as the Jeep FSM actually recommends it. Perhaps the Haynes manual is a different story, as I don't use them?

Oh I forgot the reason I don't hone brakes is simple, say you have a bore on some hydraulic system that is 2"ID, your piston has a smaller outside diameter, the seal makes up the difference, now here we go grinding away on eth inside diameter of the bore with a flat rock and we make the ID LARGER then it was, do we get a larger seal? nope, we use the one that comes in the caliper rebuild kit, which now slips in pretty easy since we honed it out, great....right? Yea it was easy to reassembly, buy why is there fluid leaking out of it now?
Oh yea, did I mention some body honed the bore just a little too much? but we didn't , at least we think we didn't, gee........I wonder how many times the guy that had the Jeep before me honed that caliper..................as we run out of brake fluid on a hill.
that's why I mic stuff instead of honing it. I have no idea what monkey or mechanic has done it before me

[Vandano]

Originally Posted by wolfen

Oh I forgot the reason I don't hone brakes is simple, say you have a bore on some hydraulic system that is 2"ID, your piston has a smaller outside diameter, the seal makes up the difference, now here we go grinding away on eth inside diameter of the bore with a flat rock and we make the ID LARGER then it was, do we get a larger seal? nope, we use the one that comes in the caliper rebuild kit, which now slips in pretty easy since we honed it out, great....right? Yea it was easy to reassembly, buy why is there fluid leaking out of it now?
Oh yea, did I mention some body honed the bore just a little too much? but we didn't , at least we think we didn't, gee........I wonder how many times the guy that had the Jeep before me honed that caliper..................as we run out of brake fluid on a hill.
that's why I mic stuff instead of honing it. I have no idea what monkey or mechanic has done it before me

So i guess thats to say you shouldnt hone an engine block because "who knows how many times a monkey mechanic did it before."

For the 8 bucks a rebuild kit with new pins costs you, plus the brake cleaner to clean the piston and caliper, added with the risk that it still may leak after your done... Im going to rock auto and paying 18 dollars for a professionally rebuilt caliper...

As said before you received many answers from many people with more experience then you could begin to imagine. You waited for someone to give you the answer you wanted and he happened to have experience.

Next time just making a post stating what it is you plan on doing so people dont even bother trying to help.

[wushaw]

I have never used a hone on calipers either, just fine sand paper and not much of that and replace with steel pistons if corroded or composite pistons were used but that was in the 80's. The last time I thought I was gonna rebuild my calipers the seal kits were 15.00ea and rebuilt calipers were 20.00ea....I bought calipers.

[evan1395]

well ill take a proffesionals word over alot of other people that dont seem to portray any professional experience. and before anyone says anything, I consider 30+ years professional.
haha as for you benderff, grow up dude, homosexual jokes are lame as hell.
thanks everyone