Another Caliper rebuild & powdercoat

[gsodonis]

I started another set of powdercoated, rebuilt calipers - this a set for Harry. The hard bits look great for 114K miles and from a 94. If the new kits didn't come with new boots, you could practically reuse the old ones, they're so clean. The brake fluid had water in it that turned into a gooey paste, but the pistons came out great without any scoring or pitting. This set will be black - I can't wait to do a set in red or silver.

Anyway, for the uninitiated, these are the only moving parts of your SVX calipers and what they look like clean,

Clean as new pistons


Subaru OEM rebuild kits


All together - just waiting for the cast parts to return from the powder coater.

[Crazy_pilot]

Can't wait to see what they look like. Mine are going to be done in black eventually.

[SomethingElse]

wow they look really good...I went thought 4 sets of front calipers from 92's and only came out with 2 good pistons with no rust pitting.

[ensteele]

Would you send me some pictures and describe how you do the rebuild? I would like to do a how to on it. Thanks

send it to ensteele at gmail dot com

[newsvx]

Hey Gads,
They look great! You do good work - can't wait to get the finished product! BTW those calipers have been in storage in my basement for probably six years, hence the water in the brake fluid. While running the car (the '94), I used only the German "Racing Blue" brake fluid (boils at 512 degrees - good stuff).

Thanks,
Harry

[SVXRide]

Harry Newman, brake caliper survivalist....
-Bill

[gsodonis]

Originally Posted by ensteele

Would you send me some pictures and describe how you do the rebuild? I would like to do a how to on it. Thanks

send it to ensteele at gmail dot com

Will do. A SVX caliper rebuild DIY is certainly in order.

I plan on doing these on a request basis, so as soon as I get another set of cores, I'll take pics of the disassembly work and do a disassembly DIY too. The rears are really easy. The front require some common sense tricks as the compressed air used to removed the pistons almost always pops one out with the other still deep in the bore, at which point you no longer have a sealed chamber for the air pressure to remove the stuck one. Does anyone have a set of cores they don't need?

As per YourConfused'd request, here are the rebuild kit part numbers:

Front caliper rebuild kit (good for both fronts calipers):
PN: 26297PA010
List price: 39.27
Internet price: 29.75

Rear caliper rebuild kit (good for both rear calipers):
PN: 26297AA040
List price: 27.40
Internet price: 21.00

I bought mine from Jackie at Anapolis Subaru: 443-837-1400. These kits are a bit cheaper by a buck or so at subaruparts.com, but their shipping rates are a good bit more. Anapolis charges actual shipping. I bought 2 sets of each and the total shipping was $6. Subaruparts.com wanted $14 and another subaru online place charges 12% of the total purchase price. When I shop for parts, I want the shipping costs to disappear or greatly reduce as my order size increases, not the other way around. The choice of online vendors, ultimately - is yours.

[svxash]

Originally Posted by gsodonis

As per YourConfused'd request, here are the rebuild kit part numbers:

Front caliper rebuild kit (good for both fronts calipers):
PN: 26297PA010
List price: 39.27
Internet price: 29.75

Rear caliper rebuild kit (good for both rear calipers):
PN: 26297AA040
List price: 27.40
Internet price: 21.00

When you say good for both calipers do you mean it will work for either the L or R side, or is the kit for a pair of calipers?

[redlightningsvx]

The kits are for both left and right. They're all the same parts.

[gsodonis]

Yup - what redlightningsvx said.

One front rebuild kit has all the parts needed to service BOTH front calipers.
One rebuild kit for the rear calipers has all the parts needed to rebuild both rears.

Even thought the calipers are sided (L&R), the rebuild parts are not.

The reason to stress the kit issue - some uneducated parts people think that ONE kit does ONE caliper, which is great for caliper kit sales, but not so much for your wallet.

[ensteele]

How much is the powder coating?

[gsodonis]

I get a special rate because the company I work for does a lot of business with a small local East TN powder coater. I can get a set of four calipers sand blasted and coated in the neighborhood of $100 - it depends on the color and the extent of the corrosion that needs sand blasting.

My second best powder coating offer in the big city of Knoxville was $35 - EACH CALIPER and EACH CALIPER BRACKET! Needless to say, I went with the small town powder coating company.

[svxash]

Where's the best place to buy the rebuild kits?

[redlightningsvx]

Subaruparts.com has them for about $25

[newsvx]

Just an update on the installation of the caliper Gads rebuilt / powder coated for me.

Have not yet installed them. I am slowly getting my "parts" together. I went to the Subaru dealer to purchase the metal shims (the old one are in bad shape) that go behind the brake pads, and for all four wheels, they were almost $100. So for almost $200, I ordered (and received yesterday) a complete set of pads, front and rear. Since I am not going to be racing my '97 anymore, I decided to go with the OEM pads, especially since they come with all of the appropriate metal shims, complete.

Now to find some time to put the car on jack stands and get to work ......

Harry