Rebuild front calipers? or rebuilt ones? (1 Viewer)

[Rainy Day FZJ]

I need to rebuild the front axle and the front brakes need attention, rotors are warped, yet the pads are OK. When I slapped some pads in there and packed the wheel bearings one piston on one caliper went in hard. Yesterday I test compressed the offending piston and it was OK, yet the rubber boot is melted. The questions that I have are, should I rebuild the calipers or spend a few more $ for the rebuilt and loaded calipers? any luck or experiences either way? the new rotors are a no brainer, and the front axle rebuild seals and knuckle bearings will be replaced. The wheel bearings will be inspected, yet I don't want to throw money at it. It will be done right as other peoples and my life depend on it yet if there is the opportunity to save a few $ as I have more time than $. Thanks.

 

[OGBeno]

I need to rebuild the front axle and the front brakes need attention, rotors are warped, yet the pads are OK. When I slapped some pads in there and packed the wheel bearings one piston on one caliper went in hard. Yesterday I test compressed the offending piston and it was OK, yet the rubber boot is melted. The questions that I have are, should I rebuild the calipers or spend a few more $ for the rebuilt and loaded calipers? any luck or experiences either way? the new rotors are a no brainer, and the front axle rebuild seals and knuckle bearings will be replaced. The wheel bearings will be inspected, yet I don't want to throw money at it. It will be done right as other peoples and my life depend on it yet if there is the opportunity to save a few $ as I have more time than $. Thanks.

I was thinking about the rebuild kits as well for both my front and rear calipers. But, with the time and effort factored in, it was a no brainer to go with reman's for the rear and new calipers for the front.

Check with Dan, but IIRC, 95-97 Toyota does not offer remans. You gotta get the new ones. IIRC $270 smart shopper price.

 

[Rainy Day FZJ]

$270 for 1 axle or for F&R? Any issues in going local reman? Napa?

 

[7P's]

$270 for 1 axle or for F&R? Any issues in going local reman? Napa?

I just looked it up and the OEM price showed $283.25 per side for the fronts. Caliper piston was $15.42 and the rebuild kit was $23.42

The rears were $188.70 per side, $16.28 for a piston and the rear kit was $9.41

It didn't list how much gold was in those parts but.

 

[Brentbba]

So.....what's involved in a rebuild. Just replaced my front pads Sunday and noticed that one of the 8 caliper pistons rubber boot was coming apart. How critical is that?

Rotors were just under 31mm and 30mm is FSM minimum spec. Kinda figured based on mileage that the next time pads went at around 180,000 miles that the rotors would need replacing. Good time to rebuild the calipers as well?

 

[Rainy Day FZJ]

Looks like I'm going with the Napa rebuilds for around $80. Thankyou for the price update on isle 3.

 

[Gumby]

So.....what's involved in a rebuild. Just replaced my front pads Sunday and noticed that one of the 8 caliper pistons rubber boot was coming apart. How critical is that?

Rotors were just under 31mm and 30mm is FSM minimum spec. Kinda figured based on mileage that the next time pads went at around 180,000 miles that the rotors would need replacing. Good time to rebuild the calipers as well?

The piston seal is pretty damn important.

I bought loaded remans for my 80 and replaced them both in less than a year (under full warrenty) because the seals had worked loose and the pistons got dirty and siezed. they were covered in nasty swamp mud, but they gave me new ones.

Replacing the rotors is a great time to rebuild the calipers and switch to 100 series pads.

 

[Cruiser Jimmy]

I rebuilt the front calipers with a seal kit and had no problems. You just need to buy a lot of brake cleaner.

Pricing was about the same as stated over.

 

[Brentbba]

The piston seal is pretty damn important.

I bought loaded remans for my 80 and replaced them both in less than a year (under full warrenty) because the seals had worked loose and the pistons got dirty and siezed. they were covered in nasty swamp mud, but they gave me new ones.

Replacing the rotors is a great time to rebuild the calipers and switch to 100 series pads.

Already figured I'd switch to 100 series pads when this set of rotors goes.

What's involved in rebuilding the calipers tho. Remember, I'm a mechanic.

 

[lovetoski]

What's involved in rebuilding the calipers tho. Remember, I'm a mechanic.

I've rebuilt the front and rear calipers on my 80. Tried to do the fronts on my 60, but a frozed piston stumped me...had to use a reman instead.

The rebuild kit essentially involves replacing two wear items: the piston seals and the piston boot. The seal provides the nice tight seal between the piston and the cylinder. The boot prevents dirt from working it's way down between the piston and the cylinder.

The FSM has good instructions for doing the rebuild. One tip they don't mention is that the retainer clip used to hold the boot in place is very frustrating to install unless you use the correct spring clip pliers. I used the same pair I use to remove/install the spring clip on the outer end of the front axle when doing a hub rebuild.

You will need to bleed your brakes afterwords.

 

[Pete483]

The rebuild kit isn't really that much of a "rebuild." I'd say it is more of a PM tune-up. After noticing my brakes had more or less quit working last year, I pulled the calipers and found that only 3 out of 8 would budge. Using air I got another two out, but the other ones were completely siezed, so I just got some cheap reman's at O'Reillys. They've worked fine for about a year now.

At the same time I did that, I did the rebuild kit on the rears. They work fine now; however, if you've got pistons that are getting stuck, I don't think the rebuild kit will really help out.

 

[CPJONES1231]

Toyota reman calipers list for $90.04 each
+ a core charge

 

[landtank]

I've always honed the bores on my rebuilds. Is this even possible on the fronts because of the 4 piston setup? On my friends Rover the caliper split in half allowing for this.

 

[cruiserman]

You can split the caliper.

 

[landtank]

You can split the caliper.

Well then forget the remans. If one of the pistons is a little sticky then I'd definately hone the bores, it takes only a few seconds and you'll be sure to have a lasting rebuild.

 

[cruiserman]

Let me clarify that by saying I read that the calipers can be split. Never done it myself. I would rebuild the fronts before buying reman. I have rebuilt the rears w/o trouble. The fronts are on my to do list.

 

[RAYJON]

Spliting them is not hard.. there is a copper washer inbetween that doesn't come in the rebuild kit.. so be careful so you dont damage it.

After 200k and a master cylinder failure my calipers had quite a bit of crud to make them stick.. mostly deterioated rubber and a little/very little rust, The stainless pistons that toyota uses looked great, a little fine 400 grit sand paper and a 25$ ??? rebuild kit from toyota and they were good as new.. that was the cheep part. I put new brake lines in it and that wasn't cheep 4 lines, 2 per side.... the slee stainless ones where cheeper than factory in that case and they have new ones for the one that connects to the caliper.


The hardest part of it was the 100 series brake pad on the inside had a lip on the bottom-center of the pad where it doesn't contact the rotor.... finally just pulled the pins and pulled the caliper.