Old brake calipers

I’ve replaced my brake calipers with new/non-exchange ones. Are there any companies that will use the old ones? It seems a shame to bin them and I can’t imagine that old core would be abundant for this type of caliper…

 

Could always have a go at refurbing them yourself?

 

Yea I thought of that, are refurb kits available?

 

Used to be, as I recall. Worth having a look. Unless they're rusted to hell, calipers quite straightforward to refurb.

 

Yea definitely, I’ll hang on to them for now

 

Kits on eBay…. got some recently from BigRed on eBay and only about £35 from memory.

 

Big Red do refurbs.


Renault do a return scheme for calipers so that they can refurb them, at least they did a few years ago - very far sighted those frenchies.


Personally - looking at the state of rubbers for simply things like CV's gators and hoses - I'd not trust any refurb kit on ebay.

 

I got mine refurbed by Bigg Red. Cost more than a kit and a DIY job but to be honest I felt it was worth it. So if you're keeping them to use, that's what I'd do.

 

Refurb them.

 

Mating surfaces. Any gasket needed?

 

Have they not got two rubber o-rings between halves that seals the fluid path?

 

I found when trying to get rusted in brake pipe nuts out of calipers that the threads on the aftermarket caliper came out with the nut, while the original caliper needed as much fight but I didnt have to buy a new caliper afterwards.. refurb the originals.. or just use them with new piston seals even if they look old, but still work.

 

I changed my bug'calipers 2 years ago. Shop told me new ones were cheaper than a rebuild kit, and even come with pads!
When I got them, they are definitely not as well finished as oem. They work, but I finally bought rebuild kits and new pistons and I'll put the oem ATE back one day.
I always prefer rebuild stuffs versus cheap repro.