$59.99! Rebuilt calipers! Why not for 911's?
 

I love it. I found myself rebuilding the front brake system on my sister's Toyota 4-Runner over the weekend. The pad backing plate and rotors were already intimate...so it was new rotors and pads, repack wheel bearings, etc,...

We'll the pad wear was rather unusual so I figured one of the caliper had a stuck pistons..yep!

I just got off the phone with Pep Boys, and I can pick up a 4-piston rebuilt caliper for $59.99 with a core exchange. (the pad area on that sucker is huge...I think bigger than the 951 calipers/pads I have on my work bench..I'll have to check, but how about the GruppeB Toyota brake caliper upgrade on a 911? :) )

Why the heck can't someone do this for us? I have rebuilt the calipers on my Bastard before. and it's not too bad. But! Sometimes, like when you find out the week of a DE that you need to rebuild a caliper, it would be nice to have a caliper sent, I pop it in and pack up the old one..all in less than an hour. DONE!

I like working in the garage more than most guys I know, but I would like that kind of convenience sometimes. I know our 911's are not like the numerous imports or domestics out there, but surely there must be a butt load of M and A calipers out there that could be rebuilt and packaged so that they could be sent out for a swap with a core charge.

I think I just found something I can do if I ever get fired from my job for posting on this BBS too much. :)

Vertex Auto has a caliper program like that. They just charge you the core cost until they receive it, then credit you. IIRC, it was like $99.00 for an SC or Carrera front caliper with exchange..

All about supply and demand. Lots more demand for Toyota parts than Porsche.

I had some issues with a caliper on my 993 and my mechanic told me "on the record" that Porsche no longer recommends rebuilding brake calipers (kinda like having to replace a punctured tire with a brand new tire)...Off the record, he rebuilt it and the caliper works fine...

I checked their site after I posted the thread, but I still think it's obscene to charge 99 bucks for a rebuilt caliper when the soft goods cost them 6-10 bucks! Someone with a bench set up to rebuild calipers could do it in less than an hour each. Oh well, I guess that's why I do all my own work...(note to self: accept the inflated parts and service prices for 911's and just b!tch about it to the BBS)

By the way Souk, that lawyer joke was totally uncalled for and I demand an immediate apology or I sue!:D

Over here its no problem at all - my rebuilt exchange calipers were £32.00 each - works out at approx $55!!!!
There arrived looking brand new - complete with test certs and guarantee - didn't even have to get my hands mucky

Kurt, be careful. I know a few old ladys in your town :D

I'm not saying that one can't rebuild one's calipers, just that it would be nice to get a rebuilt unit to swap when you don't want to nor have the time to rebuild it. And I want it cheap! CHEAP!

Tthere is a huge margin in that $99 rebuilt unit from you know who...at $99, more people are likely to rebuilt there calipers themselves using $12 worth of parts...now, wouldn't you pay $59.99 for a rebuilt unit?

Oh well, I guess the $99 rebuilt is gonna have to do in a pinch :(

THATS WHY I'M SCREAMING!

Once you've tackled the task of a caliper rebuild, the later rebuilds are just a PITA. For $59 (x2) and 1/2-1.0 hour of work, you could have a fresh set of calipers....

When you rebuilt it yourself, you can run into a stuck piston, rust, gunk, gop, grease, groddy stuff..an busted knuckle wrestling with a cocked piston, etc...

Give me that "looking brand new" caliper for 59 bucks any day!!!!

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Souk - this is great - for once things are cheaper over here - usually we're getting ripped off over here big style.
I forgot to mention - the exchange caliper bodies were zinc? coated as per new and fitted with new seals, pistons, bolts and bleed nipple.
From what I could see - the only exchange part was the caliper body.

Rob, you guys suck :D But I know what you mean about you guys getting ripped off. That's what you get for wearings plaid skirts >.LOL (sorry, I couldn't resist).

Last year I went to Pep Boys for a rebuilt caliper for my brother's '99 Honda Accord....$89.

We've tried rebuilts in the past , for the financially challenged, and have had mixed results. If you can put up with failed dust seals and mediocre performance from time to time, okay. Otherwise new is the best way to go, or rebuild it yourself with quality ATE parts. Make sure you don't have any damaged parts after you take them apart and inspect them

Really! Tell me there was a 40 dollar core chage in there Rick....

Dave, you're taking some of my heat away man..give a guy something to vent about already :D But I see your point. But But, isn't a core charge dependent on a rebuildable core. If I one were to send in a caliper with a busted ear or a piston that was fused to the caliper by corrosion..surely, that is not a rebuildable core and the customer should accept it..else we'll send the goon squard out and break their legs..right?

I am all for the four piston Toyota upgrade kit Souk......Throw them in with my SOUKARBS!

I could play around with machining the steel Toyota calipers much cheaper than the alloy calipers I have on the bench :D

Actually, I was over at Ray's last weekend and noticed an ATE 4-piston caliper (well Ray mentioned it) might also be another solution...the bastard way...yet, still within the family :D

I'm pretty sure that it was $89 after core "rebate".

souk
you are correct about rebuildable cores- the rebuilder has to get something that he can rebuild and sell to the next person. The rebuilders typically buy calipers from junk yards for $5 each- this w/o inspecting them too closely. Their reasoning is out of every 10 calipers, 7-8 are rebuildable. So the #s are in their favor that way. When rebuilders have low volume items- such as doing only 10-20 calipers at a time, their pricing goes up. add in the usual cost of doing business, shelf cost, and liability insurance gives you some understanding why a shop would charge 40-60% higher doing 10-20 Porsche calipers, rather than 200 toyotas at a time. Also i am sure seal kits cost more for the P cars as well

I think this can work the other way as well...when demand is very high.

The last generation Accord has caliper problems that occur often. Demand for used (core) units is high, therefore the price goes up.

Autozone has 911 calipers listed. Even the 964 4-pots.

Anyone know what a "loaded pair" means? Is that two calipers?

Yes, with all hardware, including backets and hardware.

Dave, all your points are very valid, but I can't help but think that there is some mark-up just because it's going on a P-car. I've gotten rebuild kits (Ate) for two calipers for less than 20 bucks. That includes the piston seals and dust boots.

One other thing, between 1974-1076 to 1989, there were LOTS of 911's built with M and A calipers. And the seal kits are likely to be applicable to other Ate calipers, not used on 911's. And were the 911 calipers only used on 911's or did Ate sell them to other manufacturers too?

Just tossing things out for thoughts...I know it'll still be the same case tomorrow when I go looking for a rebuilt unit for overnight delivery so I can slip them into my car and rush off to the track :(

Souk,
Your name means "market" in Arabic, I believe.... set yourself up in business and market these parts!!! Alot of folks would buy them from you, I know I would!

Yeah, it means market place in Arabic...but I'm SE Asian! :D Go figure :)

I wish I could drop everything and go into business for myself, 'sides the lady of the house won't let me quite my day job :(

How much?

From your friendly neighborhood Autozone:

BRAKE CALIPER LOADED PAIR - FRONT for a
1987 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA
Normal Stock
Special Order
Not Available



Item Part
No.
Warranty Core
Value Unit
Price Availability
Store Web
MORSE P720 LLT $68.00 $121.99

ARI 13-371415 LLT $90.00 $98.99

I checked out the AutoZone site, and it looks like they even have Performance Friction pads! Unless "PFC" means something else on their site!

I wonder if the two choices for calipers are the rebuilders, Morse and ARI. Still, that's pretty damn expensive. I think I'll just rebuild the 911 calipers myself with 20 bucks worth of parts.

As for the Toyota! $39.99! + core charge. Shawn, your Toyo-Porsche brakes will be ready a few weeks :D

loaded means that the calipers come with pads

The key work in there is liability insurance. I'm sure Dave pays a lot, but if he changed the profile of his business to just caliper rebuilding, I bet his insurance goes even higher. At first, it looks good on paper, big profit margins. But once you legitimize the business and cover your ass, it's just another job. Nobody gettin' rich in CA with the workers' comp and liability costs.

Just so you know, I'm in business for myself. My house and vehicle ins co won't even write a business liability policy for me. I've long since stopped my WC and work alone. The way I see it, I'd have to hire 3 guys and work a lot more hours just to equal where I am right now. Look at it another way: If I hire just 1 or 2, I will make less than I do now hour for hour due to the extra costs that are affected by a point of diminishing returns.

When we think about these little cottage business, they really look great going in. But we better stick to such benign items such as knitted dead pedal warmers (and that could even get you in trouble if you think about it).

A loaded caliper is a caliper complete with pads and hardware.

Milt,

I see your point. I have friends with their own biz and yep..they wish they could just work for a salary from some corporation sometimes to get away from all the hassles.

$62 Rebuilt ATE A Calipers with core exchange. Just installed them over the weekend. Look new, work perfectly..

Precision Auto Parts in Monterey, CA (831) 373-7781

AH HA! That's what I'm talking about! Thanks schleg!

Just called they don't have them anymore!

Rebuild your own darned calipers. I've posted recently on this issue, and Warren has done so repeatedly. Some of you are wasting money, IMHO. A caliper rebuild kit is something like $16.

Ah yes..Super. It's not that one can't, but rather one may want the convenience....I did the front calipers on my Carrera recently, but if I had the choice to send off my cores and get newly cleaned and rebuilt ones back for $59.99...I would do it! My hours are on a tight schedule theses days and I'd rather pay that...it's a whole lot less than my billing rate.

I can't find them at the moment but the seal kits for the 4 piston Porsche brakes (made by Brembo) were super expensive last time I looked. The Brembos also tend to corrode (in some climates) under the spring plates making the pads very hard to get out.
-Chris

Okay, I understand. And here's an interesting data point: I probably rebuilt my rear calipers recently in less time than it would have taken to change them out. This might be one of Superman's exaggerations, but not by much. I did not disconnect any brake lines at all when I rebuilt those rear calipers. I was finished in an hour.

Jim, I read comment about your rear caliper rebuild. I'll have to try that when I do the rears on both my cars. I do like to go over the bore/piston surfaces with 800 grit paper to clean off any oxidation and crud. It's easier to do it on my work bench, but then I never tried it with the calipers on the car.

...and of course Superman is going to do it better!