Though I send this same note yesterday but I guess I screwed up ... so here it goes again..

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Ok it is time to replace (or rebuild) the brake calibers on my 76 & 79...

Last year I purchased a 4 caliber set with o-rings and for my 79...BUT installed them on my 72 which is driven more...

Generally happy with them BUT ...

Just looking around I looked at www.fastcorvette.com
and noticed that they sell (and recommend) plain seal
calibers... Price of 4 (GM Castings..not Tiawan)are selling for $400...free shipping and NO CORE Charge...
But they will buy my cores for 30 bucks apeice (shipping on me..)

That price is a heck of a lot less (close to 600)then I paid Texas Caliber last year for the set of o-ring calibers
Plus
I had to pony up close to 150 for core charges...
no problem getting the refund on the core charge BUT I would rather avoid it if possible..

Guess my question is is the price of the 0-ring calibers
really worth it? I have owned these 3 Corvettes for
between 10 and 15 years and never had any brake problems with regular lip sealed calibers. Every 2-3 years I did flush the brake fluid out of the system but that is just part of my normal routine

For both cars I am looking at $560 for plain calibers (8)
or close to $1000 for o-ring calibers (8) after refund of
core charges...

That is a significant difference

Bob Griffiths

Just my opinion, but why replace them if you are not having problems. O-ring or lip seal, really doesn't matter if your rotors have runout. Most (if not all) of the air pumping problems are caused by rotor run-out, not caliper design. I would have to say the o-ring style calipers help this problem a bit, but are not a fix-all for warped rotors.

I have had good service from these people on rebuilt calipers, you might want to price compare. They have standard ones and o-ring style available: http://www.muskegonbrake.com/

|UPDATED|7/31/2004 3:32:06 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Well I put the 76 up on the lift and removed all 4 wheels then the wife had "better" things for me to do for a hour or so and when I came back into the garage I had a puddle under 2 of the 4 wheels as it set on the lift. So that car does have a problem...

The 79 is not as bad (no visible leaks) but it has 3 calibers that I know are sucking air...

The 79 I purchased in 1987 and the 76 I purchased in 1991
and until last year I never had a single problem.. Bleeding
the brakes every few months kept everything under control..

I actually had planned to check out the rotors but once I saw the puddles under the car (not a small puddle btw) I
knew the calibers needed replacing...

Just really curious about all the hipe on the o-ring seals ... 10 percent additional cost is fine but 30 percent is at the point where I have to ask myself if I really need it...especially since I am dealing with 2 cars..

Bob Griffiths

Rotor runout has no effect on o ring caliper performance !

g

If you have already replaced the calipers once, they are most likely stainless sleeved. If they are SS, you can just order the O-Ring kit and install it in the calipers for about $100 per car. I did this on mine and am very pleased with the results. Take one of the calipers apart and see if they are sleeved. Since they are no good to you now, you will not be hurting anything. If they are sleeved you are in business. Call VBP and ask for Tony. He will set you up. One more thing, I left the springs out from behind the pistons in the calipers. This way the runout does not cause the piston to oscillate in the bore and suck air. Hope this helps.

You ought to check out Ecklers. They have a complete set of remanufactured o-ring calipers for $399.