Hi all. Has anyone ever attempted to buy a new seal fit for the rear calipers on s vrs and refurb them?

If so is it straight forward

Cheers,

Gareth

I've done all the calipers on my car (front and rear)........just fiddley thats all! You need a piston wind back tool (laser make) and new brake fluid (so a Gunson Easybleed kit)...and some pick/hook type implements to remove the old seals! Refitting the dust skirts are a pain.....the job is cheap as the parts are around £17ish total for each axle!....

MY "HOW TO" FROM EARLIER TOPIC

The Laser tool that I use is 1314 code about £15 to £22 cost from any tool place. Also used (briefly) a brake cylinder honing tool Laser code 2243?? about £10 to £15.

Be care full ordering the seals tho' as on my car the kits were one kit of one seal and one dust skirt per front caliper and on the back it was just one kit of two seals and two dust skirts for both calipers!!!! And just give them your reg no or VIN no!

When doing the job remove discs and pads then before stripping the piston first clean all the crap of the caliper and bracket with meths! Then remove/rip off the dust skirt then invert the caliper (piston facing upwards) and spray penetrating oil in the now exposed join between the piston and the caliper body (this softens the old seal). Leave for 10mins then I pressured the brake system using my Gunson Easy-bled and or apply brake pedal to push piston out! Place a tray under the caliper to catch the fluid and an axlestand to support the caliper!

Then use 2000grit wet and dry and brake fluid as lube to polish/remove crap from the piston....must end up smooth and shiney...used some 120 grit on the pad contact face of piston. Then using some cheap pointy "pickers/scapers" get the rust/crap out of the groove that the dustskirt sits in, in both the piston and the caliper body. Then gently use either 2000 grit WD or the honing tool do the caliper body (should be clean anyway) then clean everything with meths then wipe the piston and the inside of the caliper bore with new brakefluid.

All the seal and skirt grooves must be clean and everything inside like new!!!

Then lube the new seal and fit in place. Now the tricky bit!!!

First lube the dustskirt and the piston with either the fitting paste or new brakefluid. Fit the dustskirt (stretch it) over the piston but do not fit it so that the narrow part of it fits into the piston groove (it should do and will do later!) fit it so that this bit is down at the the other end of the piston (still with the piston and skirt the correct way around). Then using one hand to hold the skirt just onto the piston with the main bit of the skirt extended/hanging over the end (end that is supposed to fit inside the caliper) of the piston...use your other hand to guide this bit of the skirt into the groove in the caliper for the skirt. Once you have the skirt sitting in the caliper correctly (will take a bit of time and you can push piston in abit by hand and then check for correct seating of the dustskirt by pulling using your hand on the skirt and looking at the exposed join to the caliper)..... then push and twist the piston (clockwise) into the caliper......this may require the use of the windback tool as you are now pushing the piston through the seal and the dustskirt seal!!! Continue until the piston is fully pressed in....the final seal will automatically fit inplace....you may have to relive the pressure on the skirt by using a blunt small tool to lift the final seal edge before it seats!!

On the rears the pistons HAVE to be unwound (anticlockwise) from the caliper and wound in (clockwise) using the windback tool...other than that fitting is the same.....but the force required to initally catch the centre post of the internal HB mech is a bit more....so take care pushing/twisting clockwise!!....errr remember to remove the handbrake cable on the rear before doing any work and readjust it after!!!

EDIT = spelling is k.o.!!...O>K?? ish

This post has been edited by fabdavrav: 28 June 2011 - 14:04