Rebuilding rear calipers / Advice needed

[farleyd]

Hi to all, i am rebuilding my rear calipers. Ready to start the job, but after reading some tech articles, seems like it is not an easy task.

Question: Can average guy - like me - do it?
Or would it be worst to bring the calipers to a local brake shop who might know nothing about the complexity of the 914 rear calipers?

Id like any advice/tips that you guys could give me.

[TimW]

While I haven’t done it myself (yet), from what I hear folks with the same reservations as you have done successful rebuilds repeatedly.

It sure beats the $100US price tag I was quoted for having them done at a shop.

True this is all hearsay, but worst-case scenario; you give the local shop all the pieces and let them clean up your mess (so long as you don’t brake anything [pun intended]).

[HMeeder]

Brian is right, the procedure is not all that difficult. I wrote a tech article on it and it is here on the site. The one thing that my article fails to mention is that on some of the earlier models the caliper halves are held together with RIBE bolts. The RIBE bolts require a special tool to put them back together (you can use a TORX wrench to get them apart, but the RIBE tool [it's a 5mm] is necessary to properly torque the halves back together.) My recommendation is to remove the bolts and replace them with allen head bolts of similar length. It's just plain easier, a bit cheaper and I hate buying a tool for just one application.

Also, Brian is an advocate of not pulling the parking lever apart, I however favor doing it, just to do a complete job. The article mentions where the two procedures deviate.

Also, make sure that you get a kit that has the inner seals. Several rear rebuild kits do not include them (including the one here on Pelican I believe.) The seals are added by whoever you are buying them from. Wayne tells me that he hasn't had a chance to evaluate the quality and durability of the added seals so that is why he doesn't offer them.

Motor On!

------------------
Herb
'72 1.7 Tangerine 'Teen
'74 2.0 Red Rustmobile

[farleyd]

Thanks to all, i will attempt this and let you all know. Will put my results on my Virtual 914 Workshop i annouced earlier this week.
http://www.farleydw.com/914.html
This will be ready in the beginning of the next week.

On a sad note, i am buying my parts from Pelican because i know they know the 914 and to help them maintining this web site. And now you are saying that the two kits i bought from them is missing items...... Disapointing. At the very least, it should be indicated on their web site - that the rear rebuilt kit isnt complete. Please take this comment for what it is, a constructive one.

See you!

[HMeeder]

Call GPR at (800) 321-5432 and ask for Greg Landry. They have the complete kit at a very good price ($18.00 4 months ago) and give outstanding service.

Wait, do 800 numbers work from Canada? Their toll number is (805) 549-8525

Motor On!

------------------
Herb
'72 1.7 Tangerine 'Teen
'74 2.0 Red Rustmobile

[farleyd]

Hi Herb, i am asking this on the forum because it might be a good hint for potential buyers of rear kit from Pelican.
The kit i bought from them contains 3 pairs of a different item:
- two metal clip
- and four rubber circles.
Is it what you call a complete kit?

Thanks.

[/B][/QUOTE]

[TimW]

Isn’t there some special caliper assembly lube you need too? Not that it would be part of a kit, but it’s one more thing you would need.

Though I read that somewhere, can't remember where though?

[farleyd]

THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING!!!!

Pelican should mention on their web page that these ..... kits are incomplete. I am suppose to trust them, right?
This would be a very good topic on their Pelican Status Poll....
Please let me know what happened....

[HMeeder]

I think Brian may have gotten the numbers transposed in that there are (4) for the caliper halves and only (2) O rings for the adjusters (one for each side and each of them is unique for its side.) Those are the all important ones that are typically missing from the kits.

I was lucky enough to have gone through some old posts on the site when I did my first rebuild. That's where I found mention of the extra seals and I had asked at Pelican before ordering. I agree that it is frustrating. I would send an e-mail to mailto:wayne@pelicanparts.com and just let Wayne know of your concerns. He is a very reasonable guy who sincerely wants to address problems on his web site.

Good Luck!

------------------
Herb
'72 1.7 Tangerine 'Teen
'74 2.0 Red Rustmobile

[farleyd]

Hi Herb, this is exactly what i did, email Wayne about my little frustration. He kindly answered that the kits Pelican are selling are the Porsche factory ones, hence Porsche isnt recommending splitting the calipers, leaking could occur.
That explanation satifies me, and they took good note that this should be clarified on their brake web page. Which they will do.
Now, from what i have, what can i do? Do i have every seals neaded to rebuilt, apart the halve seals?
Also, looks like my e-brake arm is jammed. Do i have to split to remove/clean?
Thanks to all.

[rich]

I've seen this topic pop up several times over the years. These are common failure parts. Because our cars often sit in storage for extended periods of time the rubber parts tend to stick to the metel parts. Rust and corrosion forms causing further damage. I think we will always have a need for a complete kit. Someone with connections should do some research in this area.

[jtencer]

This entire thread is extremely interesting as I intend to rebuild my entire braking system soon. I'm afraid to ask...What are the pros/cons of splitting the calipers?

John
'72 1.7

[HMeeder]

Sabin:

Yes, you will have to split the calipers to pull the p-brake actuator arm. I consider cleaning the arm pivot a must for the rear rebuild. Sure, it's more work, but in your case I'm not sure how you can avoid it. If it's frozen you may have rust on the pivot and you can use a light emory cloth to buff it down before re-assembly. Fancy brake lube grease is not necessary, most any grease will do the trick.

John:

When you get ready to do yours give me a call. You have my home phone #. Hell, I can come over and help you. You only live 2 miles away.

Good luck one and all!

------------------
Herb
'72 1.7 Tangerine 'Teen
'74 2.0 Red Rustmobile

[Wayne 962]

As far as the rear calipers go, this is what I know. There is no such thing as a rebuild kit for the 914-4 (or six) calipers. There happens to be another rebuild kit from ATE that fits the 914 pistons, but there is no factory rebuild kit for the 914 calipers. Since the 914 calipers have the parking brake mechanism built-in, and the other calipers that the kit is made for do not, they don't have this o-ring included. Also not included is the caliper-half o-ring (not included in the 911 caliper rebuild kits either, to the best of my knowledge). You don't need to split the calipers to rebuild them. Other parts houses have substituted o-rings that appear to fit in the proper holes for these calipers, however, I don't think that they have been tested for use with corrosive brake fluid, and tested to make sure that they don't leak. That's about all I know...

-Wayne

[farleyd]

OK, sorry i started this topic... (sigh).
Now, am i splitting or not?????
It seems very simple, right Brian???
Where to find the adjuster seals then?????

Also, while dismantling, i stripped the allen capped nut that gives access to the inner adjusting screw.
1) How do i take it out now?
2) Can i get a replacement?

Simply said, what do i do????

[farleyd]

Ok, to put a final note on this topic, here are the results and facts that i went thru.

The caliper kit Pelican is selling is complete for some - Porsche and the likes - and incomplete for others - rebuilders and the likes.

My mechanics put it quite simply. If they dont leak, do no split. If your mechanical e-brake arm is working, do not split. On the opposite, you HAVE to split.

I got lucky, mine werent leaking and the e-brake arm is moving freely. So the basic Pelican kit work, to some extend - the metal o’ring arent the good ones. Use the old ones if they can be reused, or cut the new ones.

Voila, on my side, the rear calipers are rebuilt. Lets mess with something else.. Let see...

Do i flare or not???????? Big bore or stock Euro p/cs????

[farleyd]

Ok, to put a final note on this topic, here are the results and facts that i went thru.

The caliper kit Pelican is selling is complete for some - Porsche and the likes - and incomplete for others - rebuilders and the likes.

My mechanics put it quite simply. If they dont leak, do no split. If your mechanical e-brake arm is working, do not split. On the opposite, you HAVE to split.

I got lucky, mine werent leaking and the e-brake arms are moving freely. So the basic Pelican kit work, to some extend - the metal o’ring arent the good ones. Use the old ones if they can be reused, or cut the new ones.

Voila, on my side, the rear calipers are rebuilt. Lets mess with something else.. Let see...

Do i flare or not???????? Big bore or stock Euro p/cs????

[Jim T]

Yours aren't leaking.
And the p brake works fine.
Why are you doing anything to them at all???

[farleyd]

>>Why are you doing anything to them at all???

I said that the e-brake ARM was moving, not that the e-brake was working. On one side, the pistons were jammed in rust, and the other side, the screw that adjust the inner pistons was separated form the pistons itself.

And i wanted not to worry about brakes.