The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

yet another newbie question I'm afraid...

I have a sticking outer piston on the left hand caliper on my 1850, and I've noticed that the right hand one has a split piston boot, so both need attention.

What is the best thing to do? Can they be easily rebuilt, or is this an expert job? Are recon ones available cheaply? Or would s/h ones be suitable?

Cheers,

Nick

It all depends on your competence-
Re-built calipers are available for about £45 each I believe.
The last re-build kits that I bought cost about a fiver, and took about an hour per side to install.
Included in that time was making new brake pipes from the flexi to the caliper, and bleeding the brakes.
The caliper bolts can be a pig to remove, but that applies whether you are changing, or re-building.

Re-building is straight forward, just keep everything clean.

Over to you!

BWJ

Wheel Cylinders, £13.51 from Rimmers, Looks like £6-£8.00 from Abingdon Parts, can't find them in the club list, but they may have them as well. Looks like £12.44 from Quillers....

No experience at refurbing them, I'd just replace

David i think you are confusing cylinders(rear) with caliper pistons(front) rebuild kits are avalible,recon calipers are about £40, or i have some spare second hand ones which are in working order.

you can get recon calipers for 38 + vat from http://www.brakeparts.co.uk/

although personally I would just rebuild them with new seals.

D'oh wasn't paying attention properly- sorry...didn't read the original request properly. More haste less speed - other things on my mind sorry

Don't forget to have some replacement brake pipe handy when you take them off.
When I did mine (with recon calipers from the club) I knackered the pipe as it twisted when I tried to unscrew it from the caliper.

Not...
It can be a bit of a git. Heres how I do it...
Remove calliper from bracket but leave hydrualics in place. Get G clamp or some such to clamp one piston in. Use hydraulics to push other one out.
Clean and inspect piston. You can get the crud off with 1200 went n dry in brake fluid. Fit new seals and replace. Its at this point you find the bleed nipple shears off...and the calliper is scrap. Ho ho having read this you can check that first. Actually if you can soak them the night b4 with plus gas and crack them a smidge tighter b4 undoing they usually come out.
Try not to load the flexi hoses to much bla bla bla....
Repeat procedure for other piston.

Look at the piston you will probably have a couple of small pits and marks. As long as they dont scrore the bores and you get them smooth no-one is going to see. The seal does the work and the lip must be good.
Fit new seals obvioulsy and the boots too. Spring circlips are a bitch but the nack comes with practice.
Relish the newly working brakes...nowhere near as bad as people claim when they have decent pads, discs and work properly.

Jonners

definitely agree with all jonners says, i split my calipers, repainted them, cleaned the gunge out the bores and lightly cleaned the pistions with p600 wet n dry. gone back together a treat with new seals etc and look like new...