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AARRRGGG...another new caliper dies.

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  • AARRRGGG...another new caliper dies.

    So I am on a 150 mile Sunday drive up in the mountains and a brake caliper decides it is done living. I feel my pedal getting weak about 2/3 into the trip. We stop for lunch and I check the break fluid. Its near the bottom. I refill it with the bottle I carry with me and go on my way knowing that I have an issue. So I am being consciously more careful.

    We stop again so the g-friend can get some new hot-pants and Capri pants in Bend. (no arguments here) I check it again...low but still at 1/2. I refill and make it home with usable brakes but the pedal is very long.

    I start the inspection. Front then rear....ARE YOU KIDDING ME...the rear diver side caliper blew...again. This darn (read in the work of you choice) thing was just replaced 1 months ago and the one I replaced was new as well. Good grief. I'm pissed, Its 96 out, and I am pulling off a caliper with less than 500 miles on it, which was a warranty return its self. :evil:

    Needless to say I am less than happy. Its one thing to have a battery go bad or a water pump fail, but brakes are a safety issue. This just pisses me off. 2 "new" calipers on the same damn wheel die? 2 calipers from different manufacturers die? :twisted: This has to be an evil joke.

    Rant over. :?
    Just stand back and throw money.
    Performance costs money.
    Reliable performance costs more.

  • #2
    o crap, that is, um, crappy.

    There is some fluid around my rear drivers caliper, but i haven't lost any fluid....it scared me for a second

    Terrible idea putting those wheels on...

    Comment


    • #3
      What kind of calipers are you buying? I had that happen with a cheap rebuild from napa, but I went back and upgraded to a beck-arnley reman and it has been fine ever since.

      Comment


      • #4
        I've never had rebuilds done at large chains so I don't know what they sell....

        but I do know I've never had a problem with any rebuild leaking, in fact the only problem I've had is the slider pin not sliding well in the caliper bracket on one

        Comment


        • #5
          Sadly, I have had similar problems on one car (wife's, fortunately not a customer's car), only worse. This was a master cylinder. Swapped with a rebuild, no better. Check all calipers, fine, but replace front with new anyways. No better. Replace master with one from a car I parted that had good brakes when running. Problem still there. At this point, I used my car as a donor, and my car has great brakes. I swapped every caliper and the mast. No change. I installed stainless lines. No better. Actually, one of the calipers started leaking, replaced it. No better. Replaced hard lines, just to rule things out. NO better. Replaced mast with new, fixed! I knew it was the master, but after changing it three times with no improvment, I was at my wits end. Amazingly, the formerly good masters somehow died when swapped. Who knows why, but that is the only time that has happended like that, and I hope it never does again, to me or anyone else.
          Chuck Stong
          300+ Parts and Performance owner
          http://www.300-plus.com
          2002 ZCOT president and always active member

          Comment


          • #6
            Jason84NA2T wrote: What kind of calipers are you buying? I had that happen with a cheap rebuild from napa, but I went back and upgraded to a beck-arnley reman and it has been fine ever since.
            I am not sure what the brand is actually. The core went into the box at the store. I know they weren't cheap though. I paid $115 for each (loaded). The casing appears to be a stock Tokico unit so I assume that its just a rebuild.

            I called this morning and told them to order me in the best one they have and I will pay the difference.

            It is ridiculous that I have had 1 fail after 2500 miles and now another 500 miles later. And they didn't just fail a little bit. This one is leaking like a sieve now. That is just nuts.
            Just stand back and throw money.
            Performance costs money.
            Reliable performance costs more.

            Comment


            • #7
              Let us know what brand they were, as in the company that made them. Stores switch rebuilders all the time, so you can never go by where you bought them.
              Chuck Stong
              300+ Parts and Performance owner
              http://www.300-plus.com
              2002 ZCOT president and always active member

              Comment


              • #8
                ^will do.

                I pick up the new caliper tomorrow so I will ask to get the specifics.
                Just stand back and throw money.
                Performance costs money.
                Reliable performance costs more.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I picked up the new caliper yesterday afternoon and got it installed last night.

                  This one came in a NAPA branded box and I couldn't make out any other branding on it. However, there was a tag on the caliper that says "Rayloc Caliper".

                  Unfortunately the guys at Napa weren't able to identify the brand of the 2 calipers that failed but I am positive that neither of them was in a NAPA box.
                  Just stand back and throw money.
                  Performance costs money.
                  Reliable performance costs more.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Thanks for the info. We need to start posting results good or bad for rebuilt parts.
                    Chuck Stong
                    300+ Parts and Performance owner
                    http://www.300-plus.com
                    2002 ZCOT president and always active member

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      You know, it's funny that you mention that. When I first bought my car almost two years ago, both back calipers were spent. I replaced both of them with NEW Tokico units, and not even 4 months later they both crap out! I haven't had the money to fix them just yet. It's become quite a problem though. My pedal is REALLY soft, and when I back out of a parking spot or driveway, both calipers stay locked up a little. It makes a really nasty sound. I dunno, I think I'm just going to try to source out some Z32 rear calipers and try those on, if they'll fit.
                      Just a poor student trying to modify his Z31...

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Jesus... That doesn't sound safe

                        Terrible idea putting those wheels on...

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I've never seen such bad luck on calipers. Even domestic rebuilds aren't that prone.

                          Personally I'd get the rebuild kit and do it myself. Then you know how it is done. If you don't want to hassle with it, I have had good luck with A1 Cardone on rebuilds. Most of Napas stuff isn't too bad, but who knows who they use for import calipers these days.
                          http://z31performance.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=147

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