68 Leaky Brake Caliper

[Cathy S.]

Original caliper. Top flight car. Can I purchase a ss kit and rebuild or should I buy resleeved units?

[Joe L.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

Original caliper. Top flight car. Can I purchase a ss kit and rebuild or should I buy resleeved units?

Cathy------


You can't install stainless steel sleeves yourself. That has to be done in a shop with specialized equipment.

My recommendation to you is to have your original calipers stainless steel sleeved and otherwise rebuilt. After stainless steel sleeves are installed you can rebuild the calipers in the future when the seals next require replacement.

Sources like Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (Clarence, NY), Vette Brakes (Florida), Corvette Stainless Steel Brakes (Florida), Carter's Corvette (Livermore, California), and Lonestar Caliper (Texas) can sleeve and rebuild your calipers.

[Dick W.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

If one cylinder has started leaking, it is almost a sure bet that at least the other side will start leaking shortly. Best advice is to sleeve all four and to replace all the rubber flex hoses.

[Cathy S.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

Is there an easy way to tell if the calipers already have ss sleeves? Maybe they just need to be resealed.

[Joe L.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

Is there an easy way to tell if the calipers already have ss sleeves? Maybe they just need to be resealed.

Cathy------


Well, there's really no easy way, but it's not too difficult. You'll need to remove at least one piston from each caliper. With a piston out, check to see if the caliper bore is corroded or pitted. If it is, then you know the caliper has not be sleeved. If it's not, the chances are almost 100% that it's been sleeved. In that case, all you need to do is clean up the bores and install new pistons, seals, and boots.

A sort of "indirect" way you can check for likely previous sleeving is to look at the caliper half casting numbers. ALL of the ORIGINAL caliper HALVES (all EIGHT of them) on your car should have a casting number beginning with "545". If the numbers are "546" or "547" then that means the calipers have been replaced and that means they are most likely (but not certainly) sleeved. Of course, if the casting numbers are 545 prefix they could still have been previously sleeved.

Actually, it would be somewhat unusual that a Corvette as old as a 68 would still have original, un-sleeved calipers but it is possible.

[Cathy S.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

Looks like a straight forward rebuild. Thanks all!

[Justin S.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

"545" casting with RMFG stamp. I'm suspecting the hose fitting but fluid is wicking throughout caliper body. Should I start by cleaning it up and replacing the fitting or send it out to have it re-sleeved?

[Joe L.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

"545" casting with RMFG stamp. I'm suspecting the hose fitting but fluid is wicking throughout caliper body. Should I start by cleaning it up and replacing the fitting or send it out to have it re-sleeved?

Justin------


I would say that the leak is occurring at the hose fitting or, more likely, at the copper gasket between the hose fitting and caliper. I would replace the hose and gasket.

Otherwise, if the calipers have been previously sleeved with high quality stainless steel sleeves, the calipers should not need replacing in any case. The piston seals might need to be replaced

[Gary B.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

Cathy------


You can't install stainless steel sleeves yourself. That has to be done in a shop with specialized equipment.

My recommendation to you is to have your original calipers stainless steel sleeved and otherwise rebuilt. After stainless steel sleeves are installed you can rebuild the calipers in the future when the seals next require replacement.

Sources like Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (Clarence, NY), Vette Brakes (Florida), Corvette Stainless Steel Brakes (Florida), Carter's Corvette (Livermore, California), and Lonestar Caliper (Texas) can sleeve and rebuild your calipers.

Joe,

Remind me, what Carter's Corvette in Livermore bought by someone else after Ken Carter passed away?

Gary

[Joe L.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

Joe,

Remind me, what Carter's Corvette in Livermore bought by someone else after Ken Carter passed away?

Gary

Gary------


I don't know that Ken has passed away. It's possible but I'm not aware of it. If not Ken someone is selling parts on eBay under his eBay name of "corvettesvc". I do see what I recognize as Ken's fingers in some of the parts photos.

In any event, no one bought or otherwise took over the business. Ken just shut it down.

[Gary B.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

Gary------


I don't know that Ken has passed away. It's possible but I'm not aware of it. If not Ken someone is selling parts on eBay under his eBay name of "corvettesvc". I do see what I recognize as Ken's fingers in some of the parts photos.

In any event, no one bought or otherwise took over the business. Ken just shut it down.

I could be wrong about his passing.

Gary

[Justin S.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

I wasn't aware of his passing either. He told me that he was moving up North when he closed.
Funny about the finger comment.

[Justin S.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

Thanks Joe.
What's the difference between part number 3898231 and 357793?
I'm using an old parts and labor book. Under the year 1974 it lists 3898231 for all Y models. Matter of fact, the whole section of 1974 is listed by letter designation. The same goes for 1976....

[Joe L.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

Thanks Joe.
What's the difference between part number 3898231 and 357793?
I'm using an old parts and labor book. Under the year 1974 it lists 3898231 for all Y models. Matter of fact, the whole section of 1974 is listed by letter designation. The same goes for 1976....

Justin------


The main difference between the two brake lines is the configuration of the end fittings. The 3898231 has a single long crimp. The 357793 has two short crimps (i.e. "double crimped").

[Richard T.]

Re: 68 Leaky Brake Caliper

Most of the companies that offer the resleeving service stamp the caliper halves, I have seen VB stamped on some done by Vette Brakes.