I'm slowly tearing my brake and suspension systems apart on my 1965 Mk2. I've pulled one one rear and one front calliper and both have corroded cylinder walls. Before I take the plunge and purchase new callipers has anyone successfully been able to hone the brake calliper walls and install a rebuild kit?


Front Calliper

Rear Calliper

 

I had all my calipers, master & slave cylinders stainless sleeved.

EDIT: BTW to original spec so standard rebuild elastomer kits fit. Stainless is the answer for cars that are not daily drivers.

 

those look a fair bit crustier than any i have honed. haven't checked kit prices but if they're not to bad try and see. hone 'em and see if the walls are too corroded to seal. what kind of driving will you do?

 

I have a set of rebuild kits, so it may be worth trying to clean them up. Most driving will be just the pleasure week-end type driving.

 

Those are nasty, if those were mine, I would just get them sleeved, but I'm OCD about things.
Mine were sleeved with bronze, not sure why, but it's what the guy used.
What are the pistons like, they have to seal on the flat surface of the piston, most of the time that's pitted too ?

The other thing that I've found is that if you get them sleeved, the people doing it will sandblast them and they should then be painted.
Sandblasting never really gets into all the microscopic cranny's of the casting, and if they are not painted, they will always rust on the outside or around where the dirt seal rests.
Eventually one gets caught in the rain and the inevitable happens.

What does get rid of the rust 100% and leaves only good steel behind is hydrochloric acid, I soaked mine for a day or two before sending them off to get them sleeved _ I painted them too afterwards.

I have some old ones kicking around the house and I still have my acid, I'll do one for you with some before and after photos.

I used this same method to clean the caliper body, works really well, but there can't be any grease or oil on things, the acid doesn't eat through that.
They came out in new condition ready for paint.

 

The pistons look much better. I'll see if I can find a place that can re-sleeve the callipers although I don't expect that to be easy around where I live as Edmonton Alberta is not the centre of specialty automotive shops....

 

Mine were sleeved & plated externally.

 

I have some hydrochloric acid that I used to clean the gas tank. I'll give it a try. I also have used hydrolysis to clean brake callipers (battery charger an anode and some baking power in water works well too) and free up the impossible bolts so they can be split.

 

Welcome to the club, I had to send mine to a place in New York.
The little town of Lake Cowichan here on Vancouver Island isn't a bustling hub either.

 

These folks do excellent rebuilding work:

https://whitepost.com/brake-sleeving...ding-services/

 

Thanks for the points and photos, one more question. What is the best way to remove the retractor pins? I assume I need to remove these when I get them re-sleeved.

 

The retractor pins stay in place, once removed there is no way to put them back in.
At least I was told to leave them in place where I got mine done.

 

I needed re-sleeved or new ones for my '62. I talked to New York and also Smithville Ont. I found the price the same as new ones, so I went with new ones from Welsh. I hope I made the right decision.
Snowball

 

If the new ones are stainless steel, then there's certainly nothing to worry about, if they're cast iron and you're using DOT4 fluid, then certain maintenance procedures have to be followed so they don't rust like the originals.
Sleaving was done at a time when no one was re-manufacturing the originals.

 

For me stainless sleaving & pistons were a choice for a low use vehicle irrespective of repro units being available in cast iron.

 

There are stainless cylinders available, but are not cheap: -

https://www.scparts.co.uk/sc_en/brit...er-205077.html

Four needed so £184 x 4 = 736 plus shipping ! Or convert to modern calipers that bolt straight on: -

https://www.scparts.co.uk/sc_en/brit...kit-22767.html

A bit cheaper but you still have the rear calipers to deal with which are even more eye-wateringly expensive !!

https://www.scparts.co.uk/sc_en/brit...system.html#22

 

You may want to contact these people Hyedracyl, I have there disc brake cylinders on my E-type.
Mark II Parts Availability
http://www.hyedracyl.com/main.html

 

Thanks for all the options. I was digging through my spare parts and found 2 new front Dunlop callipers so one wheel is set. I have a potential local place that sleeves brake callipers so I will check them out later this week and see if they are able to service the callipers. Mean while one shock and spring out so I can change out the bushings and ball joints...

 

I found a local place that can sleeve callipers, unfortunately their machine will not work with the Dunlop pin in place. Cost to re-sleeve the calliper would be $250 CND each (if there were no pin). It looks like here it is cheaper to buy reproduction rather an try and salvage the old callipers.

 

WOW, that's an awful price, I don't remember mine costing that much !
I'll have to dig up my invoice and see.

I don't think they're set up for it, if you send them off to a shop where they have all the equipment in place and raw materials, I think it would be more reasonable.

They must have saw you coming... Oh..., a guy with a Jag, he can afford it, lets take him to the cleaners !