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Brake caliper refurbishment recommendations?


phazed

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I have one rear caliper with a sheared off nipple and both rear calipers with seized steel pins. Thinking of getting all overhauled, at the very least both rear seen to. Any recommendations?

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Top end service overhaul and painting available form BCS in Nottingham.  Not the cheapest but fast turn round and good finish.  Also Bigg Red in Worcester (I think).  Don't know anyone nearer to you.

Edited by ½cwt
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1 hour ago, Patt said:

I've bought the parts from Biggred and DIY as very simple process.

Not sure a seized, sheared bleed nipple is DIY for most people...

Edited by ½cwt
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Have received taps and nipples from Mick, (Bally) so should have time to have a go on Sunday.

Managed to free rusted steel pins from the calibers so that's a positive!

Damn relatives again today so progress curtailed...

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On my delivery list.
 

On close inspection, I think I would be happier to have all four calipers refurbished. The prices are eye watering as is anything else that I’ve looked at relating to this car!
 

When you think of all the work I did on my track day Octavia vRS. 250 BHP engine, limited slip differential, upgraded suspension, quick steering rack, sports cat and 3 inch stainless exhaust, upgraded brakes, lightweight wheels, thicker antiroll bars, bucket seats, harnesses, purpose made harness bar and the list goes on. All for the cost of about 6K including the price of a very good car to start with! 
 

Err, why did I sell it?

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On 11/29/2023 at 6:23 PM, phazed said:

On my delivery list.
 

On close inspection, I think I would be happier to have all four calipers refurbished. The prices are eye watering as is anything else that I’ve looked at relating to this car!
 

When you think of all the work I did on my track day Octavia vRS. 250 BHP engine, limited slip differential, upgraded suspension, quick steering rack, sports cat and 3 inch stainless exhaust, upgraded brakes, lightweight wheels, thicker antiroll bars, bucket seats, harnesses, purpose made harness bar and the list goes on. All for the cost of about 6K including the price of a very good car to start with! 
 

Err, why did I sell it?

Man,

I know how you feel. I've had a few belters in my day. Noticeably a Bugeye Impreza Wagon and a V70 T5, both tuned to be a hundred times faster than my current 3.2S for less than I bought the Porsche for, even including their purchase price. And the family fitted in them. And all of their luggage.

But

I'm telling myself that, this time, I've got a motor that won't eventually depreciate to £0 although I reckon it'll be a long time before our efforts on these early Boxsters are appreciated. 

I'm looking at my brakes as my next project. I reckon full refurb is the way forward. Get it done, don't have to worry about it for another 20-odd years.

The costs are high, but as a colleague of mine recently pointed out, folk spend much more money on bikes, and most of them never hold much value. 

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Prices of probably at least £750 for all four, including painting and lettering.
 

I have four tatty, looking calipers with two off those metal anti-squeal cups which push into the front pistons seized in two separate calipers. In another caliper, I have a sheared off brake nipple…

Just spent over 2.5K on coffin arms, couple of rear control arms, polybushes, baffled sump, Bilstein B8’s and 30mm lowering springs, ignition switch, handbrake switch, stainless exhaust manifolds, battery, drop links and a few other bits and pieces. Most of this was at trade price so a good deal but still I have nearly paid the price of the car.

Car at this point looks like it is ready for the breakers. Absolutely no suspension at all, wheel arches devoid of anything mechanical, bumpers and headlamps off and interior stripped down. I’m ready for a stiff drink. :)
 

On the plus side, the wheels had just been refurbished but I probably am not going to use them!

 

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On 11/29/2023 at 6:23 PM, phazed said:

On my delivery list.
 

On close inspection, I think I would be happier to have all four calipers refurbished. The prices are eye watering as is anything else that I’ve looked at relating to this car!
 

When you think of all the work I did on my track day Octavia vRS. 250 BHP engine, limited slip differential, upgraded suspension, quick steering rack, sports cat and 3 inch stainless exhaust, upgraded brakes, lightweight wheels, thicker antiroll bars, bucket seats, harnesses, purpose made harness bar and the list goes on. All for the cost of about 6K including the price of a very good car to start with! 
 

Err, why did I sell it?

 I feel your pain on the brakes issue. The brakes on my 986s are Brembos and as such were never going to be cheap to fix.

When I bought the car I thought (?) from my inspection I needed to replace lipped discs on the rear only. Turns out I had 3 seized pistons out of 8 and all the seals were leaking, just on the back 2 callipers.  So I bit the bullet and replaced everything and had BCS do a complete rebuild/refurbishment and repaint. Absolutely fantastic job-like new. I just consoled myself 🤣 with the fact that the brakes are now as good as when they left the factory 21 years ago and with proper care should see me out! The full cost does add up when you factor in new caliper bolts, spring clips, guide pins, wear sensors and vibration dampers-jeez its like a parts list for the space shuttle. But with brakes-would you take a chance or just do it right one time!?

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Nice job and true, they are important! I’ve plenty of other things to get on with before I have to make the decision. After spending quite a lot on the car in the last few weeks, a break in spending is probably therapeutic!

 

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For me, brakes are something where it’s difficult to do a bit now and another bit later, eg like suspension components, unless you wish to go through multiple bleedings. And on a car famous for going fast under control, they should be a priority over pretty-looking wheels :) 

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14 minutes ago, Menoporsche said:

For me, brakes are something where it’s difficult to do a bit now and another bit later, eg like suspension components, unless you wish to go through multiple bleedings. And on a car famous for going fast under control, they should be a priority over pretty-looking wheels :) 

Me too.  Whilst the calipers were away being done (only took the inside of a week), I was under the car changing all the brake lines, hard and flexi.

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48 minutes ago, phazed said:

If only that was all I had to do!

I'd already done pretty much all of your jobs over the previous 3 years....  no vehicle lift in sight either.

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2 hours ago, phazed said:

Fix my roof and windows and.......

Well I have  anew vinyl window stitched into the hood but most of the work is underneath or 'below the water line'  🤣.

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