Rear Calipers are destroyed!

[RedDario]

While replacing my rotors on my 240, I noticed that the pins on my rear calipers are frozen and the seals on the pistons are mangled and worn away. I do not even know if the pistons move at all.

Would it be possible to rebuild the calipers with a rebuild kit or would it be better to replace them completely? Where can I find these parts? Calipers from a junkyard may not be any better. I would love to do a 300zx upgrade but I need brakes ASAP and don't have the money for tires, rims, rotors, hubs, and calipers yet.

Any help would be appreciated.

[NISTECH]

use some rust penetrant on the pins let em soak awhile grab em with some pliers and rotate them while pulling. you may be able to get them out. if not replacement may be your only option. getting them out all depends on the amount of damage your car has suffered due to the salt corrosion that develops in that part of the country.

[powerdrifter]

If the pins are stuck, pick up a used caliper bracket at a junk yard. I got both rears for $7, buy a good rebuild kit, and regrease the slider pins, put new seals on the caliper. I don't think that the piston in the caliper would freeze, otherwise the hand brake wouln't move. just make sure you use hi-temp GREASE for the pins. regular grease will burn up and freeze them again. learn from experience and advice I got from real drifters from japan.

[s13sr20chris]

be sure to pick up a brake cyl hone for that rebuild. honestly, even frozen brakes seem to work a little. just dont drive hard and you may be able to make it just fine in the meantime, or just take all apart like nistech said. a little rust penetrant/pb blaster and high temp grease goes a long way.

[Speedy240]

I believe on the rear the are actuators and they kind of suck to rebuild be sure that if you do rebuild it that you hone it out and be carefull when you put the piston back in. Also if you can remember to use lock tight when you put the Caliper back on, one of the guys where I work at forgot to put it on a customers car and lets just say he no longer has a job.

[s13sr20chris]

yeah, forgot about the p-brake actuators. i have never rebuit a rear caliper with integral p-brake before. i imagine its a pain in the butt.

[Sigtek]

It is!! (If you can find a reasonably priced COMPLETE rebuild kit for 'em) I would rather pay the $$$ to get rebuilt ones than ever try to do the intergal parking brake calipers again. This from a guy who has put a compete one ton brake system under a 1/2 ton truck....'course, maybe it was just ALL those LITTLE parts in 'em?!?

[powerdrifter]

you guys are all off (no offense). If you're an avg.-good mechanic, you should have the tools to rebuild it easily. Takes a while to get the piston into the new seal but all it takes is some patience. by the way: DO NOT USE LOCK TIGHT on any brake components (speedy 240!?). All O.E Mfg's. never use any lock tight on any of the brake components because with the heat you will be sorry later when you try to take it apart. If you torque the bolts down properly to factory specs, you should be fine. Trust me people, I do Professional Difting at all the recent big events. Been doing this for a while, so I should know a thing or two about specs and what breaks.

[NISTECH]

powerdrifter is correct about not using lock tight. you want to be able to remove these things when you need brakes again. just make sure you dont forget to tighten the bolts! as far as rebuilding them it shouldn't be to bad. in my profession company policies prevents us from rebuilding this stuff if a remanufactured unit is available. I guess more money is made if a replacement is put on and the other reason is liability is shifted to the manufacturer.