Crappy rebuilt parts rant

It's all I can do to find time to move my project forward - last thing I need is to do jobs twice. I did the front brakes on the Celica a few months ago. It's never been right. One caliper sticks. The wheel gets so covered in brake dust it's starting to get hard to clean off. I just ordered rebuilt calipers from a different manufacturer I've had good luck with in the past along with another new set of rotors now that the one is noticeably warped. It's not the cost which ticks me off (though it ain't chump change) it's finding the time to do the job again. Grrrr

name names.

I've had good results so far with neogon, and bad with cardone.

I bought the ones on the car from a local auto parts place- I needed them and they had them at the warehouse. It was a Checkers, but I don't know that it makes much difference. I don't know who actually rebuilt them.

I bought the new ones on RockAuto. I got Centric- I've used their parts on the MR2 and the 4Runner with good luck so far.

Don't be too surprised at the rotor being out.

We narly always end up turning new drums and rotors to true them up before they go in. Even the made in the USA units.

Did front brakes on a '57 Fuelie 'Vette on Friday. Installed new Raybestos drums, one took 0.010 to clean up, the other took 0.018.

Shawn

The rotors were fine, or at least fine enough when they went on the car. It's the screwed up caliper that ruined the one. I am taking the opportunity to replace the "new" rubber lines with braided lines. I'd have done it in the first place but didn't realize I could get them.

Trans_Maro wrote: Installed new Raybestos drums, one took 0.010 to clean up, the other took 0.018. Shawn

I find this to be beyond completely unacceptable.

napa's are .004 or .002, depending on which you choose.

how much runout are you calling okay?

Normally if I have to buy parts locally I try to go to Napa. But they didn't have them and I had the car all torn apart. It was kinda stupid 'cause I was doing wheel bearings. How it didn't cross my mind that the brakes would have to come off to do that is beyond me. Hopefully I'll be better off this time.

I ordered the Centric calipers, some SP slotted and drilled rotors, and Technafit braided lines. Hopefully that will be the end of brake parts until I decide to spring for some better friction material. I ordered the Centric calipers loaded.

NAPA's calipers are A1 Cardone. bleh.

I rebuild mine with OEM overhaul kits. It's cheaper, and better quality.

i'll drop names. my customer on the '68 mustang brake upgrade project brought me an A1 Cardone reman MC. POS wouldn't build pressure on the primary circuit. So he brought me another A1 Cardone reman MC. POS didn't build pressure on the secondary circuit, and it leaked fluid out the back of the MC and into the interior of the car. So he brought me a Fenco reman and it was perfect. I really only wanted to do that job once. Not twice. And certainly not three times. A1 Cardone can eat a dick.

belteshazzar wrote: how much runout are you calling okay?

Zero.

It's the kind of customers I deal with.

Shawn

Tyler H wrote: I rebuild mine with OEM overhaul kits. It's cheaper, and better quality.

+1, dealer parts are almost always best. Expecially on MK4 vw rear calipers, the suppliers seem to want to kill everyone that buys rebuild kits for the ones with larger pistons anywhere but the dealer, since they sell the one for the smaller pistons for both part numbers.

Trans_Maro wrote:

belteshazzar wrote: how much runout are you calling okay?

Zero. It's the kind of customers I deal with. Shawn

there is no zero

...

tried rebuilding them yourself??

I'll bet Toyota still has rebuild kits for those calipers... get the kits and rebuild them yourself... that way no one to blame but yourself.........

This is in reference to the front calipers... rear calipers are much more difficult to rebuild yourself... but is still a doable operation.

Everyone loves NAPA....... except me

I got a reman master cylinder from napa, no amount of bleeding seemed to get the brakes working. Finally I removed the master, opened it up, and discover it was missing one of the internal seals! Of course this isn't a stock item and replacment was going to take who knows how long and might actually have all it's intended parts, no more napa remans for me.

Rear calipers are okay. Unless they're rusted and funky, I leave the rear o-rings in the ebrake assembly alone and just replace the bellows and main seal. You know...the stuff that will kill you when it fails.

I blast / paint the calipers first, then paint, then disassemble and rebuild once they're clean. I also get the local hydraulic hose mfg custom make SS lines, which run $10-12 each. Found out they OEM for Brakequip, so it's pretty good stuff.

oldeskewltoy wrote: tried rebuilding them yourself?? I'll bet Toyota still has rebuild kits for those calipers... get the kits and rebuild them yourself... that way no one to blame but yourself......... This is in reference to the front calipers... rear calipers are much more difficult to rebuild yourself... but is still a doable operation.

Good point, I will make sure to remember that. I've found that Toyota's and most aftermarket parts don't mix anyway. Thankfully I don't work on a lot them.

Hmm, never had any problems with the calipers on an A6x though I have never bought any either just rebuilt what I had. As long as the boots and slides are good and they are well lubricated they work well. You should upgrade to Cressida brakes if they will fit your wheels.