Rebuilt a pair of rear calipers to replace my sticky one. A mate just helped me put them on and the handbrake doesn't work at all now. Can only assume I've knackered the mechanism inside when rebuilding them.

Really can't be arsed with it all now so thinking of just buying a new rear one or two (not bothered about the colour) and getting a garage to fit them. But where can you get them from for cheap ish, read a few posts about people getting them for under 50 each but 90 is the cheapest I can find.

Oh and to make things worse, it failed the mot on sat because of the rear caliper so I'm pretty fooked atm!

Plus, he manages to round one of the locking nuts on the front wheels too :-(

Anyone help or got any advice??

Please...

Scrapyard? Plenty around the Brum area.

 

Locking wheel bolt removal tool

Gb automotive on eBay got my 312 kit and rear 256 kit from him. Maybe worth a try.

+1 for gb automotive (seller name on eBay)

Did you power bleed them correctly?

Not much to break inside the calipers tbh mate.

You speak a lot of sense there hutchy !

 

Sometimes its best just to pay someone if you are outside your comfort zone, I mean stopping is just a bit more important than minor mechanical niggles isn't it.

 

You would know if the calipers were fubared because you need a piston rewound kit and if they don't easily rewind in then they may be siezed otherwise they should still be servicable ??

Edited 5 September, 201312 yr by dominorising

Cheers for the replies people. Looking for a new/refurbished one so I don't end up in the same sticking situation. I'll look at gb automotive. My mate who's a vauxhall mech helped me do the work (he done it all basically I just watched lol). He used the eezibleed I have to start with. The brakes work fine, all be it with loads more pedal travel now and the rear pads have scored the new discs so the foot brake works on the rear, there's just no resistance on the handbrake.

Tbh, before I put the 'new' calipers on, when I moved the handbrake lever at the back, it only pushed the piston out a couple mm the first time it was operated then never moved again (until it was wound back out and in again) . So that's probably why its not working. I thought it might have needed to be full off brake fluid and pressurised to work properly, but obvs not.

And yeah I'm with you there mate, as the saying goes I've learnt the hard way. Don't think I'll be touching brakes again.

Just wondering if it could be the circlip in the caliper cylinder? I had a bit of trouble trying to seat it properly in the groove. That's the only thing I can think of. I suppose if that isn't in right, it won't be securing the handbrake mechanism properly.

Suppose I've got nothing to lose taking it back off the weekend and having a look!?

The correct way to use a hydraulic handbrake is to push your brake pedal first, then apply the handbrake.

 

DB