Brake Caliper Rebuild -Photos-

[bobhill8]

Been working on this today Just reinserted the piston into my Girling calipers and this technique worked well:

For me, the key was to be patient and feed the back end of the seal in all the way around with the front outer part of the seal about halfway down the piston. I used the wood to apply even pressure, but even then, I stopped every couple of turns and took the wood out to see if things were really even. If it feels hard to turn, then something is not right. Once the piston was more than halfway in, you could feel it sliding in nicely and you could move the outer edge of the seal into its groove.
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1986 Westy
1971 Squareback

[shagginwagon83]

I have one caliper leaking. I tightened it to 50 ft-lbs. I should have just bought a rebuilt set.

ATE wise. You can do this without splitting the calipers. My O-rings between the two halves of the caliper were fine.
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Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[shagginwagon83]

For sure! Braided Stainless Steel, plus doing new Nickel copper hard lines.

Anybody know what to torque the 4 bolts holding the two pieces of an ATE caliper together? Will have to scan the Bentley to see if that info is there.

Rebuilding them wasn't bad. I probably spent roughly 1 hour per side. $13-17 a kit. I'll post pictures tomorrow
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Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[Merian]

great time to replace those 20 year old rubber hoses
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[shagginwagon83]

[Merian]

do not use copper paste

the best thing to use is Unisilikon TK 44 N brake paste - Porsche part # 000.043.117.00 for a 50 g tube

if not, then any good quality brake paste, labelled as such

use brake fluid in an emergency
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[jwallis]

I made a video of rebuilding ATE calipers last week. Trying to do this more to add to the collective knowledge base

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gHecTdC35Q
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TheVanTracker.com - Kill Switch + GPS Tracker + Door-open alerts, made specifically for the Vanagon!
50+ YouTube videos - brakes, bearings, CV joints, 1.9/2.1 cooling system, mods, Bostig and more...

[ragnarhairybreeks]

I had nipple breakage this last week when trying to bleed. I couldn't salvage the caliper and I got a rebuilt unit. Putting it in I found the slider to interfere slightly with the backing plate and I trimmed the plate. I'm thinking there must be some slight differences in the sliders between Girlings. This is on '86 syncro

story here
http://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/02/05/replacing-that-buggered-caliper/

interference pics:

plate trimmed and caliper installed:

alistair
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'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com

[Masta Shake]

That looks good. I assume the powder coating didn't cause any fitment issues? PC can be a little thich from time to time.
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As a good friend told me when I got the Syncro: "Welcome to the an intense love/hate relationship".

[syncrodoka]

Brake fluid works fine.

[82WestyMan]

I guess the thing I question is the compatibility of the copper paste with brake fluid.
Brake fluid is one of the last fluids you want compromised
I've always just used brake fluid and some care to reassemble caliper pistons without any problems
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"The floggings will continue until morale improves"
"I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell" - Harry S. Truman
82 Westfalia - w/ a Raby 'Camper Special' engine

[JunkYarDog]

[syncrodoka]

I powdercoated and rebuilt 2 sets of audi dual piston girling calipers and stock vanagon calipers. I lightly lubed the piston and seal with brake fluid and pressed it back in place. I got the audi rebuild kits from http://www.autohausaz.com/index.html Good luck.

[JunkYarDog]

Bumped again This is a job I'm doing now too. I have the dual piston girling calipers to work on.

As for the paste, someone correct me if this is wrong. I had a German mechanic tell me to lightly lube the pistons with copper paste before I load them back into the cylinder.

[floggingmolly]

I don't get that...if the dust seals don't fit the Girling (which I have), what's the point? What if my dust seals are bad?
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'85 Wolfsburg Weekender

[westylife]

SSWesty,

Thanks for the links. I have a 1983.5 so I guess need this one.

http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_708_195/caliper_rebuild_kit.html

Bummer! But more seals = more $
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1983.5 Westfalia Bostig RG1

[SSWesty]

Westylife, right now both Bus Depot and Van Cafe have them for $10. You need to make sure you get the kit to match your calipers.

http://busdepot.com/view.jsp?model=43&category=5&group=58&prodgroup=870

http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/smartlist_641/caliper_rebuild_kit.html

[westylife]

[presslab]

Nice job on the calipers, the powder coating looks great!
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1986 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
1988 Subaru GL-10 EJ20G --- 2000 Honda XR650L
2010 Titus El Guapo --- 2011 On-One 456 Ti

[James 93SLC]

Good pictures.
I'm in process of rebuilding some dual piston G60 calipers for my brake upgrade. It really is pretty easy. Oh, and yes those pistons sure pop out with some unexpected force with the compressed air!
Now I'm trying to decide on getting them powder coated or just painting them with high temp engine paint.
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91 Vanagon Carat
93 Corrado SLC
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Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/slc.corrado
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tencentlife "Sometimes a pooka is a problem and sometimes it's just a pooka"