Rebuilding stock front calipers

Just to update an old thread...since I am in the midst of the very same thing....

I hosed the pistons down (at the parting line...between bore and piston) with some LPS lube and then using a 4" or so C-clamp, managed to push the pistons in to the point where they moved smoothly...YMMV!!! Then I was able to get air to move them out..pushed them back in, along with more lube....back and forth until finally the last 1/4" or so I had to use the two screwdriver trick....easy does it!

You may need to put a clamp on the one you have loose....or clean it off and put it back in the bore...then hold it with another clamp...then work on the second piston.

I did it with the two halves still together...... but once I got around to cleaning them up, I had to bust the halves apart to be able to get at the bores more easily.....other wise would have never gotten them cleaned up!

So, last item.....who carries the two little seals that go between the two caliper halves???? They do NOT seem to come with any kits that I have seen offered......

Ciao!
Steve

And the reason most of us try to avoid separating the two halves when rebuilding a stock caliper is precisely because the kits do not have that o-ring.

Welcome to Pantera land, Steve.

I'm sure somebody has solved this but I don't have the answer in my notes.

Larry

Larry,

In a perfect world...where everyone actually pops the pistons out of the calipers each time when replacing the pads.....this normally wouldn't be much of an issue.....but when you are dealing with 45 years of crud and neglect..... it's either sacrifice all the skin on my knuckles trying to clean the varnish and rust off of the initial bore area (outside the seal), or print some more Benjamins up....! Someone cut down my money tree...bugs or some such nonsense.....!

With as many calipers that Girling produced that split in half, they are out there....

I've seen mention of dealers having them...but no one has them in their online wares.....

Later today, will let fingers do the walking while they still can!

I never thought I'd say this......but the Goose was a lot easier to work on....at least in this area! But I have only begun....!

Gotta stop before I can go!
Steve

I have forced them out with a 'Porta-Power' hydraulic hand pump. You'll need a few pipe fittings to adapt a proper connection.

This guy still lists SS kits on Ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DeToma...1exxlAAmEsRQ&vxp=mtr

Just did them. They are here:

https://www.pegasusautoracing....tails.asp?RecID=1144

LarryW: Thanks! That link is to a guy that helped me a lot when I was looking for Girling stuff for my Goose!!! Good guy to work with........ He was on my list to call this morning!

RRS1: Super BUENO!!!!! Exactly what the Dr ordered!!!! Tacos for you!!!

Onwards!!!!
Steve

If anyone is interested, I have a set of JFZ calipers, these are the first custom calipers as Girling broke up.

quote:

Originally posted by pantera chris:
If anyone is interested, I have a set of JFZ calipers, these are the first custom calipers as Girling broke up.

Got pics? How much?

Question for users of PORTERFIELD AP63 RS4 compound pads....front calipers...

My new pads seem to be missing a guide hole for the caliper pin.

Do I remove the pins, or drill a hole?

Seems that without the pin, the pads would be allowed to move up and down about 1/4" or so, putting the pads off center of the pistons...something which I believe to be not so good....

Any feedback appreciated? I've also pinged Porterfield.....

(One of the new pad backing plates appears to have a punch prick right where the new hole would go.....odd.... or planned?)

Thanks in advance!
STeve

Does anyone know what cars these front calipers were also used on???
They seem to be loners...

Steve

quote:

seem to be loners

I heard a rumour that the front calipers came off a Volvo 840... But I have not heard a lot of substantial evidence to confirm that.

Rocky

I couldn't find a Volvo 840 anywhere....and the site I looked on, predominantly they list their parts as "Piston"....and don't offer much after that...ugh!

So, I still would like one clean stock small piston. There must be one out in the world somewhere, sitting all alone on a shelf...!

Cheers!
Steve

Hey Doug, these 4 piston calipers worked as good as my current Wilwoods

another, these were the predecessors to Wilwood, sierra, etc.

Those look like nice calipers, although getting to the line fittings might be a bit cramped?

If those are 4-50mm pistons, they'd offer some good performance!

Steve

The only fitting is the hole in the first set of pictures (in the middle), the bleeders are easy to get at on either side like the Wilwoods

All four seem to be the same piston size? If I am understanding this correctly? There are four? Front and back?

What is the approximate piston sizes? 48mm? 50mm?

These bolt into the Pantera with no adapters?

Do you know what the part number is for the brake pads they take? I don't recognize them right off the bat? The "Big" Ford's don't have that retaining pin right in the middle but they might take the Girling "Cobra/GT40" pads? Those use the quick change pins like that I think?

They have no provision for using a dust shield on the pistons? Probably should be high temp powder coated to reduce the pitting in the aluminum castings?


Do you know what each weigh?

Stainless Steel Brakes sleeves these things with stainless sleeves and puts stainless pistons in them. Have they been done?

Not cheap at all to do. Probably $600 right there. Lots of work to do to them. These were on many '70s race cars. I used to see them all over on the race cars. They all seemed to have disappeared.

I would PRESUME that they are vintage racing legal now but I'm not positive about that. You have to check your rules handbook.

one by one 1.)yes all are 4-piston 2.)can measure. 3.)yes but you need to shim to center. 4.)Sierra makes the replacement pads, es a large cotter pin.5.)no, no need.6.)guess 4 7.)don't know 8.)& 9.) they worked fantastic when I took them off. $500.00 obo + shipping

Thanks for the pics Chris. I´m wondering if I have some version of those JFZs..? No name to be found, could have been ground off.

by your picture I would say maybe the bolt for the brake pads are a cotter key on mine. Hall offered a number of brake up-grades in the 70's, I see you have aluminum hats, how do the brakes work?