OK, forgive me, this is for my 88 M6 but I ask here due to the extensive knowledge. I had a sticking front caliper so am rebuilding. This 4 puck caliper was rebuilt just before I bought the car 7 years ago by a alleged reputable business. I removed the pucks, split the caliper and there were ZERO O-rings between the two halves! This caliper was trashed looking c/w the other side that was working fine. I did not smell or see brake fluid but............I cannot believe a caliper does not have O-rings. 99% sure this was a crap rebuild.
Brake Caliper Rebuild
- Thread starter bavbob
- Start date
The factory blue book indicates
As with many things relating to older cars, rebuilds are being outsourced to the lowest bidder. Most of the remanufactured alternators sold worldwide are rebuilt in one factory in China.
Your average buyer of parts for old cars is looking to find the cheapest part available. Rock Auto, an online supplier with a huge inventory of parts who supplies independent car shops and individual owners, has an option when you search for a particular part that you can click on to "Choose for me to minimize cost." So they will list a few options for you, but they make it very easy to buy the cheapest alternative for each part they offer. This, in turn, provides a huge incentive for a supplier to provide the lowest cost part, which in turn provides a huge incentive to lessen quality. And with the advent of ISO type quality stuff, Rock Auto's suppliers don't actually conduct quality control tests anymore. Instead, their suppliers produce some flavor of quality certification, and then agree to be contractually obligated to provide a replacement part if a customer catches a poor quality part (and pay shipping). Suppliers don't care because (1) many of their quality defects are not identified until well after their contractual obligation to replace expires and (2) the cost of replacement parts is less than would be the cost to actually do quality control.
And I think the mindset is nobody will be evaluating their parts seven years later, because the cars won't last that long (particular with the cheapest parts).
We are looking for good quality parts that will enable our cars to perform like BMWs. Most car parts suppliers are not catering to us. We need to take it upon ourselves to find those who do.
Your average buyer of parts for old cars is looking to find the cheapest part available. Rock Auto, an online supplier with a huge inventory of parts who supplies independent car shops and individual owners, has an option when you search for a particular part that you can click on to "Choose for me to minimize cost." So they will list a few options for you, but they make it very easy to buy the cheapest alternative for each part they offer. This, in turn, provides a huge incentive for a supplier to provide the lowest cost part, which in turn provides a huge incentive to lessen quality. And with the advent of ISO type quality stuff, Rock Auto's suppliers don't actually conduct quality control tests anymore. Instead, their suppliers produce some flavor of quality certification, and then agree to be contractually obligated to provide a replacement part if a customer catches a poor quality part (and pay shipping). Suppliers don't care because (1) many of their quality defects are not identified until well after their contractual obligation to replace expires and (2) the cost of replacement parts is less than would be the cost to actually do quality control.
And I think the mindset is nobody will be evaluating their parts seven years later, because the cars won't last that long (particular with the cheapest parts).
We are looking for good quality parts that will enable our cars to perform like BMWs. Most car parts suppliers are not catering to us. We need to take it upon ourselves to find those who do.
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I meant the smaller o-rings between the 2 sides of the caliper, the ones that seal the channels. It did have the piston seals. I have some from PBR for my E9 rebuild.
i would say as you mentioned o-rings will be nice, but the fact is that they are of squared section, why ?
How are the pistons and bores? Hopefully no putting/scoring.
All is well with those. I still cannot get over 40 bucks for a single rebuild kit......
I just checked as I’ll be doing the same job this fall. $40 for a set of dust boots and piston seals does seem steep. Why did you separate the caliper halves? Was there a sign of leaking?
You really cannot get the calipers clean, especially the bores when together. I use a Dremel and small brass brush to do the bores and tracks for the boots, then follow with 0000 steel wool by hand on the bores and pucks. Follow with a magnet to clear all steel wool. Also easier to paint, difficult to tape off the bores otherwise. Easier to set the pucks, boots and clip. Also I want to check the o-ring seals.........or lack thereof.