Rebuild or Remanufactured Brake Calipers? - Page 2

JoeH · 01-14-2015, 11:20 AM

Since you guys are talking about replacements it's worth mentioning that the brake upgrade SMB put on these rigs before Ford went to the F550 brakes in 2008 or 2009 was your choice of the Superbrake package, which were replacement pads and rotors. Or, the far more expensive upgrade was the Stormbrake package with a billet caliper.

It appears Brakeman got bought by TBMbrakes and the upgraded caliper is called the Tornado. http://www.tbmbrakes.com/tornado_perfor ... e_calipers

Anyway, another option.

E350 · 01-14-2015, 11:33 AM

JoeH: Probably out of my price range and hopefully not really necessary, but after looking at The Brake Man's website for you that have run them, is it really true that these calipers are "zero drag?" What is your experience with them?

JoeH · 01-14-2015, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E350

JoeH: Probably out of my price range and hopefully not really necessary, but after looking at The Brake Man's website for you that have run them, is it really true that these calipers are "zero drag?" What is your experience with them?

No experience with the calipers. I have the superbrake package but there is still plenty of life left in the rotors after 90k. I need new pads and picked up some HAWK pads but was also mulling over brakes as part of an axle swap I'm planning.

boywonder · 01-14-2015, 01:31 PM

This may be obvious, but the sign of a stuck (not floating) caliper is that one pad is worn way more than the opposite pad. When you pull the caliper off the slide pins are stuck/seized.

As far as brake fluid goes, DOT 3, 4 and 5.1 are intermixable, but none of these are intermixable with DOT 5 (silicone based). The difference between 3, 4 and 5.1 is boiling point.

E350 · 01-14-2015, 02:19 PM

boywonder: First of all, very few things are obvious to me and many things that I once thought were obvious, are more and more not, in fact, what I thought. So, you will never offend me by pointing out the "obvious." In fact, I just went out to look at the brake pads I took off about 8 months ago, and there was approx. 1/8" inch left on the fixed pad and "0" remaining on the piston side pad. IIRC this set was from the driver's side. The other side was about the same remaining between fixed and piston pads.

Anybody have any problem with Napa brand DOT 5.1 brake fluid assuming they have it? Or is this something I should buy from Motorcraft?

carringb · 01-14-2015, 02:39 PM

I don't believe NAPA has their own DOT 5.1. They do stock Pentosin Super DOT-4 at their warehouses, which is good stuff:
Boiling Point > 265°C (>509°F)
Wet Boiling Point > 165°C (>329°F)

It meets the 5.1 spec for dry boiling, but is just a shy of the wet boiling temp needed to be called 5.1. (356F)

The best stuff is Castrol SRD, but you pay for it:
http://www.amazon.com/Castrol-SRF-Br.../dp/B000JL760C
Close, and much cheaper isMotul RBF 600:
http://www.amazon.com/Motul-RBF600-S.../dp/B0011E2Y0I
I don't think NAPA carries those.

E350 · 01-14-2015, 02:58 PM

carringb et al. OK I am going to go with the Motul DOT 4 you recommended (guys check out those reviews on Amazon in the link carringb provided).

So what do you think about a power brake bleeder? I want to completely change out the fluid on a few vehicles: 2 Fords; a 2000 Dodge; and a 1977 GM.

http://www.amazon.com/Motive-Product...productDetails

oldbonesclimber · 01-14-2015, 03:20 PM

I just used the power brake bleader you show. It is the best way to blead brakes I have ever done, and No Yelling over the Diesel at the Wife. Pump it Up ---Hold -----Pump it UP . Also is going to make it a whole bunch easier to replace the fluid on a regular basis. I wish I had one of these for thel last 40 years. You'll love it.

Paul

E350 · 01-14-2015, 03:33 PM

Thanks Paul! Every time I see your avatar, I want to ask is that speck on the top of that pinnacle you?

My wife and kayaked 243 miles of the Grand Canyon (with raft support for cushy camping) and I couldn't do some of the side canyon hikes because of fear.

(Big difference between now and when I was younger, when I did a week and a half of seed cone collection climbing on Sugar Pines for a guy with a contract with the USFS.)

carringb · 01-14-2015, 03:49 PM

Vacuum brake bleeders are great!

I like the Mityvac suction pump because you can also use it for sump-pan oil changes (like boats) or doing transmission fluid changes on cars without a drain plug, which include most newer Fords and Toyotas. They sell special fittings for those cars, which are sometimes needed to fill it to the proper level.

http://www.amazon.com/Mityvac-7201-F...+oil+extractor