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Topic: How to tell if my calipers have been lined

in Forum: C3 Driveline Components

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How to tell if my calipers have been lined (1/6)
4/7/09 9:31pm

milkman
Former Member
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EASTON, MD - USA

Vette(s):
1980 Repainted Custom Pearl White

Joined: 1/20/2002
Posts: 82

Its brake time, actually the rotors are great, the pads are like new, but from sitting the calipers are leaking. Unfortunetly for the last 2 years the car has been sitting, as its new home was built, but thats another story. The peddle was low, when I jacked it up and pulled the tires I can see the I have leakage. Oh all the bleeders were frozen. Quick note on that, They just rounded off when I tryed to loosen them. I had purchased new bleeders so I was not too worried about damageing them. So after lots of WD 40 and a good pair of vice grips 4 out of six are free. The two inside rear arn't as easy. Basiclly I clamped the vice grips on then as close to the caliper as possible and two hand tight (meeing really tight) put stedy pressure on them and with a small ball peen hammer kept tapping the vice grips right at the bleeders they all broke free. I just can't get the vice grips on the rear inside bleeders and have room to tap them. I'll get them after I pull the calipers. The question is how will I know if the calipers have had the cylinders lined once I pull them apart? I can use all the help I can get here.

Thanks Glenn

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How to tell if my calipers have been lined (2/6)
4/7/09 10:52pm

Adams' Apple

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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas

Joined: 11/8/2003
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Normally, a lined caliper won't leak to start with. Of course, that all depends on how good the sleeve is they use, and the seals on the pistons.
Most rebuilders will stamp their logo/name/part number on the calipers after they build them. Look for something stamped on them.
The only other way to tell is to spit the calipers, pull the pistons out, and look.

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Joel Adams
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How to tell if my calipers have been lined (3/6)
4/8/09 9:23pm

Eddie 70
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Kingston, TN - USA

Vette(s):
1970 Vert Both Tops Kiesler 5 Speed Steeroids Rack and Pinion Stayfast Convertible Top

Joined: 7/5/2003
Posts: 900

What Joel said. You should be able to see when looking down into the bore that there is a stainless sleeve pressed in. Clean the bore with a rag and I think you can tell easy.

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How to tell if my calipers have been lined (4/6)
4/8/09 11:22pm

Adams' Apple

Nice shot, Eddie!

I've seen some calipers sleeved with bronze, too, which is still obvious when looking at them.
Also....most original, non-sleeved caliper bores will be pitted/rusty/rough surface...not nice, smooth, and "shiny" like in the above pic.

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How to tell if my calipers have been lined (5/6)
4/9/09 2:13pm

milkman
Former Member
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EASTON, MD - USA

Vette(s):
1980 Repainted Custom Pearl White

Joined: 1/20/2002
Posts: 82

Thank you all, I kinda knew I was going to have to pull them and break them apart to know for sure. The car sits all winter, and I did not want to go back to the lip seals. The o-ring pistons and seals appears the way to go for my situation. Hopefully when the last owner replaced the pads they did the calipers at the same time. I guess I'll find out next weekend.

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How to tell if my calipers have been lined (6/6)
4/10/09 1:08pm

rraider1
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Woodland, WA - USA

Vette(s):
1977 T-Top,350,Auto Black Ruby Pearl,Steeroids R&P conversion

Joined: 10/14/2003
Posts: 1165

Some thing to consider and others will lend more info

The reduced piston to wall clearance inherent with the O-ring design (when installed in a floating piston caliper), eliminates what Duntov said was necessary. Obviously, the O-ring piston is not free to follow the disc (rotor). The designed-in balance between the lip seal and the piston spring is completely ignored with the aftermarket O-ring pistons. When cornering forces cause spindle deflection, the brake system is put in a bind. As Duntov said, lip seal pistons have the clearances necessary to eliminate this bind and piston knock-back. O-ring sealed pistons do not, and are subject to sticking in the bores unless the caliper in which they are installed is a floating caliper design.

Bottom Line: If your Corvette is a static display show car, O-ring calipers are a good option. If you drive your Corvette, stick with Duntov’s design. If you drive your car only once a month, just depress the brake pedal every couple of weeks, and your lip seals should be leak free for at least a decade.

This comes from good articles I have on the Corvette brakes

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