68 Brake Caliper Rebuild-Advice please

[Kurt B.]

Need advice please
One of my brake calipers is leaking so time to rebuild.
The calipers are stainless steel sleeved but have the old lip seal rubber pistons
Should I rebuild with new lip seals or convert to the "O" rings ?
Thank you in advance
Kurt

[Timothy B.]

Re: 68 Brake Caliper Rebuild-Advice please

Kurt,

If it was mine I would just overhaul with the Chevron lip seals that you can probably get at NAPA and just do the caliper that's leaking.

I know others may feel different.

[Kurt B.]

Re: 68 Brake Caliper Rebuild-Advice please

I thought of that Tim but with my luck as soon as I fix one, in a month or two another will fail since I don't drive the car. It's registered and insured but I spent 10 years restoring every nut and bolt on the car inside and out and now unfortunately it is a garage queen that gets driven around the block once a year if that. I'm old so my son will get the car and maybe enjoy it.

[Leif A.]

Re: 68 Brake Caliper Rebuild-Advice please

I thought of that Tim but with my luck as soon as I fix one, in a month or two another will fail since I don't drive the car. It's registered and insured but I spent 10 years restoring every nut and bolt on the car inside and out and now unfortunately it is a garage queen that gets driven around the block once a year if that. I'm old so my son will get the car and maybe enjoy it.

Kurt,
I'm sorry, but you're not old. 74 ain't old. Age is nothing more than a number...everything else is in your head. Get that "queen" out and drive her, she needs the exercise...she'll make you feel like a kid again...PROMISE!!!

[Don H.]

Re: 68 Brake Caliper Rebuild-Advice please

I suggest O-rings if the car is seldom driven... Less likely to leak from lack of use.

And Leif, if age is only a number, and all else is in my head, does that include the pain in my back, and the fact that I can't hear anymore and can barely see?

[Ron G.]

Re: 68 Brake Caliper Rebuild-Advice please

Kurt,

If you are looking to have your calipers stainless steel sleeved, then I would recommend Lone Star in Texas. Ask for Brad. If you would like to use your original calipers, then note that and you will get yours's back. Their number is:
(903) 829-8400.

[Leif A.]

Re: 68 Brake Caliper Rebuild-Advice please

[QUOTE=Don Hooper (50543);899239]I suggest O-rings if the car is seldom driven... Less likely to leak from lack of use.

And Leif, if age is only a number, and all else is in my head, does that include the pain in my back, and the fact that I can't hear anymore and can barely see?[/QUOTE]
What the heck happened to you Don? When I last saw you, two years ago, you looked fine...walked erect, heard just fine and were judging that day, as well, if I remember correctly You coming to Frisco this year?

[Ed H.]

Re: 68 Brake Caliper Rebuild-Advice please

Kurt,
I'm sorry, but you're not old. 74 ain't old. Age is nothing more than a number...everything else is in your head. Get that "queen" out and drive her, she needs the exercise...she'll make you feel like a kid again...PROMISE!!!

100% I used mine to deliver a sail for repair today. An hour each way, and an on/off ramp or two where we got to give it some real exercise! Yeeha!

[Henry J.]

Re: 68 Brake Caliper Rebuild-Advice please

The calipers on both my 66 and 68 were done by Lone Star with O-ring seals. The service was excellent. They remain leak-free after many years of service.

[Mark E.]

Re: 68 Brake Caliper Rebuild-Advice please

Recently one of my SS calipers started to leak. I bought a piston and seal kit with the intention of rebuilding it, but upon teardown, I saw one of the cylinders was scratched. So I sent two calipers (bad one and opposite one) to Lone Star for rebuilding with O-rings. Reasonable price and lifetime warranty too.

For an additional fee, they offer their "NCRS service". The calipers are painted black (instead of grey) with the appropriate surfaces left unfinished (instead of everything painted).

When I asked why they don't just paint all of them black, they said black paint takes longer to dry and slows down their process.

[Bill M.]