Noticed tonight that 3 of 4 brakes on our 95 Legacy are hot after a trip, which probably means that there is some dragging. I've rebuilt brake calipers before, but haven't done one of these.

 

I'm wondering if I will get a good result if I try to rebuild the calipers on this car...in other words, what should I expect?

 

Will I find that the caliper bodies are all corroded and pitted, making rebuilding hardly worth it, or will it be a matter of just changing pistons and seals and getting new life out of these?

 

I know lots of people here know a lot about these cars. Thanks for your help!

Most likely in the pins. You can rebuild them but almost as cheap to get new or good used ones.

You mean new pins, or entire calipers?

I suspect he means pins. If they drag, the inside pads never really release from the rotor.

 

a good lube for this would be (others would work too of course);

 

Either the lock and/or guide pin, and/or piston can get seized up or not move freely causing dragging. Also the brackets can get rusty so that there isn't enough clearance between the pads where they contact the bracket.

 

You can get the reseal kits for these if you want to rebuild them yourself. Some people report good results doing it. I didn't have good luck rebuilding mine, but the remanufactured ones that include the bracket make the job very easy.

 

The biggest problem I've found on these older soobs with the brakes is getting out the bolts holding the bracket to the bearing housing. Heat, Kroil and patience will usually get them out. But they can snap off. Other than that the brakes are pretty simple on the Soobs. If you have rear drums those are pretty simple too.

 

Here's some images I have from '96...similar to yours I would think.

 

Edited January 9, 201214 yr by porcupine73

i've rebuild the calipers with no problems, replace the seals and you're golden. the kits are available at most stores and cheap.

 

dragging brakes is likely just the pins seizing and needing cleaned/lubed. the pads can also hang in the metal clips, i like replacing them for this reason sometimes. the clips get corroded, dirty, etc.

I asked because I used to have a couple MGBs and when I went to rebuild those brake calipers, the pistons were pitted. If the pistons get pitted on a caliper, it starts to be not cost effective to buy rebuild kit AND pistons.

I've had a pitted piston on one of my soobs too. I guess the thing is, you can't really know if it is pitted until you take it apart. So if planning to rebuild it, maybe taking it apart first to inspect it is an idea. Though of course that means more down time if you don't already have the reseal kit and/or replacement caliper on hand.

I buy reman's and don' tbother trying to rebuild them here in the rust belt.

 

You'll have enough time in cleaning up the pad carriers, etc. Descale/derust usually with a file for me. As pointed out dont' forget the pad holders BEHIND the metal shims the pads ride on. ANd I wire brush the stainless pad shims an dlube them too.

 

You'll likely need rotor and pads too is stuff has been frozen up.