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x-isle

Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black

Is it worth rebuilding a Caliper?

Whilst fitting my wheel spacers on the weekend, I noticed a small, tiny amount of fluid on the nearside front brake disk.

Of course, couldn't resist, had to have a taste....

Was a bit sweet, so is possibly some brake fluid (although did taste more like antifreeze, but can't be that).

Anyway, I cleaned it away and so far there's no trace of more of the stuff.

However, it's come from somewhere, so I'm suspecting a piston seal to go soon.

So, I look at rebuild kits and they are around the £10-£15 mark, then you have to add the time to actually do the work versus just getting a nice new shiny caliper instead as looking around I've seen them between £44 and £80.

I'm guessing these are not genuine replacement ones though?

What's everyone's thoughts? Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography

18th Feb 2013 1:34pm

jasong4110

Member Since: 18 Oct 2009
Location: Henley On Thames
Posts: 268

Callipers are fairly easy to rebuild/repair, the pistons can become pitted and leak past the seals, the best way to check is to remove the pads and check around the pistons for fluid.

In most instances a full rebuild/replacement is not required and the pistons/seals can be replaced, and if the pistons are pitted these can also be changed. Stainless pistons are well worth it if you are keeping the truck and genuine seals are the way to go as the after market ones are often more trouble then the money you save. Although fitting the seals can be fiddly so you may want to order a couple of spares as as they are easy to destroy... Unless they are in a really bad state don't split the callipers, by the book they are not a serviceable item and they don't sell the seals but other o-rings will fit.

People have fully rebuilt them without issues but unless you are confident I wouldn't bother and would get new ones as brakes are not to be messed with.

Jason.

18th Feb 2013 2:46pm

x-isle

Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

Cheers Jason,

A rebuild doesn't bother me, done plenty over the years. Just the cost and bother of it all. After getting some SS pistons and a load of seals, you are eating into a chunk of % of replacement cost of the caliper. Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography

18th Feb 2013 3:00pm

geobloke

Member Since: 06 Nov 2012
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 4410

This is one of the next tasks I have set myself. After replacing the calipers on the 110 shortly after buying it I kept the original calipers and plan to refurb them with stainless pistons... and why, because after 4 years the pattern parts caliper pistons are corroding badly...

18th Feb 2013 3:03pm

x-isle

Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

That's possibly another way to do it.

Buy some 2nd hand calipers, recondition them with SS pistons, swap over, recondition the ones removed and sell them on!

Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography

18th Feb 2013 3:05pm

jasong4110

Member Since: 18 Oct 2009
Location: Henley On Thames
Posts: 268

x-isle wrote:
Cheers Jason,

A rebuild doesn't bother me, done plenty over the years. Just the cost and bother of it all. After getting some SS pistons and a load of seals, you are eating into a chunk of % of replacement cost of the caliper.

If one's going then the others could be on the way also, it really depends on how long you intend to keep the truck there are a lot off poorly made replacement parts on the market and brakes are not one of the things I would want to scrimp on and would not be fitting cheap after market parts.

I have rebuilt mine with SS pistons so are happy that they will last a few years and not let me down when I need them most.

Jason.

18th Feb 2013 3:06pm

x-isle

Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

Yeah, hence my other direction with getting some 2nd hand ones and rebuilding them.

EDIT: or maybe just do the ones on there. Too many decisions. I hate making them!

Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography

18th Feb 2013 3:07pm

x-isle

Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

Can anyone confirm that these are the correct seal kit and Pistons. It's for a Puma XS so has the vented disks, although I don't think that will change the seals as I'm pretty sure both vented and non-vented essentially have the same caliper, but there is a spacer between the 2 halves of the vented version, so the piston bodies are the same. Won't necessarily purchase from Paddocks, just a reference.

Seal kit
http://www.paddockspares.com/smn000060g-fr...l?___SID=U

Pistons
http://www.paddockspares.com/stc201s-front...l?___SID=U Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography

18th Feb 2013 3:21pm

Glynparry25

Member Since: 16 Feb 2009
Location: Miserable Midlands
Posts: 3015

2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS DCPU Tonga Green

^^ They are correct.

As mentioned above doing the work yourself with SS/ good seals will give you the peace and mind that they will be good for the forseeable future.... rather than putting a set of 'normal' callipers on and them going bad in half the time.

Exactly what I will be doing with mine

Glyn

18th Feb 2013 6:16pm

x-isle

Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

Cheers for the confirmation Glyn! Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography

18th Feb 2013 7:55pm

jst

Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8027

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey

in the past i have always rebuilt calipers. but lately with the cost of OME ones coming down i have just bought replacement calipers, then rebuilt and sold on the old ones for pretty much what the new calipers cost me Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop

18th Feb 2013 8:50pm

x-isle

Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

That was the reason for my original post. It does seem like less faff but I've bought new pistons and seals for the one side only for now. Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography

18th Feb 2013 8:56pm

Zinke

Member Since: 27 Jan 2009
Location: Scunthorpe
Posts: 670

Are the paddock stainless pistons any good? Ive heard before that some of thecheap ones are too rough a finish compaired to the chrome on the normal ones and knacker the seals quicker?

Pete

18th Feb 2013 9:11pm

x-isle

Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

The Paddock ones are Bearmach. Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography

18th Feb 2013 9:16pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17380

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

When I faced the same dilemma last year I bought new Delphi calipers and then rebuilt the old ones ready for next time.

That way the Defender is VOR for a much shorter time and the rebuild isn't hurried (plenty of time to paint the calipers properly).

19th Feb 2013 9:05am

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