Rebuilding my brake calipers

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12-03-2008, 11:57 AM
jrj512

Rebuilding my brake calipers

I just ordered some caliper rebuild kits from Mazdaspeed since my brakes are complete crap right now. I did not find any info in the Miata.net Garage about this process, but I can find several other generic caliper-rebuild-instructional pages via Google. Does anyone know of or used a set of instructions that you found to be better or more accurate that you would recommend? Otherwise, I will just pick what appears to be the best one and jump in.

Also, if you have any general pointers, feel free to speak up.

Thanks!
12-03-2008, 12:18 PM
POS Racing

Less of a Pita just to replace them IMHO.

Make sure you use clean everything real well, verify the piston boars aren't fubar, and use plenty of brake fluid when you reassemble.

(As a former C3 Corvette owner rebuild a few calipers before I found out about the stainless steel sleeved versions)
12-03-2008, 12:19 PM
POS Racing

Oh yea an air compressor can be helpful to get the pistons out of the calipers.
12-03-2008, 12:59 PM
jrj512

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS Racing

Less of a Pita just to replace them IMHO.

Yeah, but also less dalla in my walla, as Ben would say.

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS Racing

Oh yea an air compressor can be helpful to get the pistons out of the calipers.

Yeah, I might need to head over to Onething's for that part. I'll wait until after midnight to arrive.
12-03-2008, 01:08 PM
creek

A little cigarette lighter pump or bicycle pump will work if you can get a tight seal. I use one of the tapered tips for blowing up beach balls and etc. I looked through my factory repair manual but they only have replacement instructions. Sorry. PS use a piece of wood or something in the jaws of the caliper to catch the piston and prevent it from banging the other side of the caliper. Can cause a nasty dent in the piston and negate any attempt to rebuild it. Don't ask me how I know.
12-03-2008, 01:17 PM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrj512

I just ordered some caliper rebuild kits from Mazdaspeed since my brakes are complete crap right now. I did not find any info in the Miata.net Garage about this process, but I can find several other generic caliper-rebuild-instructional pages via Google. Does anyone know of or used a set of instructions that you found to be better or more accurate that you would recommend? Otherwise, I will just pick what appears to be the best one and jump in.

Also, if you have any general pointers, feel free to speak up.

Thanks!

I've done it. It was self explanatory. Pretty easy, except for the seal that the piston slides through is a PITA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS Racing

Less of a Pita just to replace them IMHO.

+1
I will just swap them for some rebuilds at the parts store next time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS Racing

Oh yea an air compressor can be helpful to get the pistons out of the calipers.

Yep, but make sure there is something to stop the piston, as it shoots out like a bullet. The first one I did flew across the garage and dented an aerosol can 10 feet away. :punchout:
12-03-2008, 01:24 PM
creek

PPS I have lots of black caliper and rotor paint (brush on) left over if you are feeling the bling.
12-03-2008, 01:28 PM
sammm

Just for future reference, what's the cost diff. between rebuilding and exchanging for new/rebuilt ones?
12-03-2008, 01:38 PM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammm

Just for future reference, what's the cost diff. between rebuilding and exchanging for new/rebuilt ones?

1.8 rebuilt Calipers are $52.99 each at O'Reilly. I can't remember what I spent for the rebuild kits.
12-03-2008, 01:40 PM
Titus

Moss wants $65 for a rebuild kit that does 2 calipers. I believe I spent a little less than that.
12-03-2008, 02:04 PM
jrj512

Mazdaspeed wants 99.78 each for new front calipers and 105.50 each for rears.

The rebuild kits are 46.59 fro the fronts (covers both) and 31.41 for the rears.

$400 vs $80+time. I deserve a special TCB pin!

Even if I went with rebuilts, you are looking at $250 vs $80.
12-03-2008, 02:12 PM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

Yep, but make sure there is something to stop the piston, as it shoots out like a bullet. The first one I did flew across the garage and dented an aerosol can 10 feet away. :punchout:

Buy a pressure regulator for your air compressor, it simplifies things! ;)

http://www.northerntool.com/images/p...4519303_lg.jpg
12-03-2008, 03:11 PM
ken o

I would sell it.
12-03-2008, 03:26 PM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken o

I would sell it.

:clap:
12-03-2008, 03:38 PM
POS Racing

Also after last time are you sure you want to try and do the brakes yourself?
http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/res...ed-Miata-2.jpg
12-03-2008, 03:54 PM
Flyin96M

I will say that the rebuild process is fairly simple except for trying to get the piston back into the caliper. The problem is that the dust boot must be installed prior to the piston and the top of the boot is smaller than the piston:punchout: I found some instruction on the pointy board and spent about an hour trying to get that damn piston in. The second one I used my air compressor to inflate the boot and insert the piston which took all of 5 min. Insert the tip in the bleed screw hole and apply med-low pressure while using the piston to seal the end of the boot. This causes the boot to expand uniformly and allows you to simply insert the piston.

As for the rear calipers don't even try to take the parking brake mechanism apart to replace that little seal. I will not comment further on that one.
12-03-2008, 06:04 PM
jrj512

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken o

I would sell it.

I wasn't asking what kind of gas to put in the car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyin96M

I will say that the rebuild process is fairly simple except for trying to get the piston back into the caliper. The problem is that the dust boot must be installed prior to the piston and the top of the boot is smaller than the piston:punchout: I found some instruction on the pointy board and spent about an hour trying to get that damn piston in. The second one I used my air compressor to inflate the boot and insert the piston which took all of 5 min. Insert the tip in the bleed screw hole and apply med-low pressure while using the piston to seal the end of the boot. This causes the boot to expand uniformly and allows you to simply insert the piston.

As for the rear calipers don't even try to take the parking brake mechanism apart to replace that little seal. I will not comment further on that one.

Thanks!
12-26-2008, 05:22 PM
jrj512

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyin96M

I used my air compressor to inflate the boot and insert the piston which took all of 5 min. Insert the tip in the bleed screw hole and apply med-low pressure while using the piston to seal the end of the boot. This causes the boot to expand uniformly and allows you to simply insert the piston.

Wow, that worked great! Thank you so much for saving me a lot of potential aggravation. I shall owe you a beer.
12-27-2008, 02:07 PM
jrj512

Okay, I gave up on the rears and bought some rebuilt calipers. Those suckers are hard! It took entirely too much work to get the got-dang cylinder out of the first one.

For anyone else doing this, rebuilding the front calipers is pretty easy if you have an air compressor, but just break down and buy rebuilt rear calipers.