Calipers and pistons

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S

satchmolips

Active Member
Posts
422
Location
Worcestershire
1991 H Reg Defender 110.

Took front brake calipers off today to do piston and seal change.

I thought there should be a retainer and two seals. All I seem to have is one large seal and what I thought was the retaining ring seems to be the casting. So just a groove for one seal. Anyone advise whether this is right as Haynes and kits seem to advise otherwise??
 
No, Should be 2 seals (one dust) and the retaining ring. If you don't buy genuine items the retaining ring will never fit and even then it's a real challange!
 
There aint room for two seals and there is currently only one big seal with no retaining ring. These are genuine calipers. Did the seals change around 1991??
 
Have all your retaining rings been removed before and never replaced? there should be a groove in the caliper for the large seal and then at the top there should be a step in the casting. You will need to scrape this out and the retainer should be pressed into it allowing the dust seal to be held in place
 
Thanks James, that helped. There was no retaining ring and seal on one side (2 pistons) of the caliper! All pistons out now and I see where it all need to go.
Any tips for fitting the reatining ring. Do you fit it with the piston in place or before??
 
First tip is to but genuine repair kits! They make a world of difference.

You need to make sure the step is very very clean, scrape it out with a wood chisel or a knife or something.

The way I do them now is not the recommened way but it works for me.

I split the caliper in two and then use a peice of tube that fits snuggly over the outside if the retaining rings and then find a peice the same outside size as the rings. I then place the larger tube over the hole, slot the ring down the pipe and use the smaller pipe as a drift to tap it in. This way you keep them square with the surface and you are applying even pressure all the way around the ring.
I try and not dislodge the orings between the calipers as i cannot find anywhere to get new ones from!

You will need to keep everything really clean especialy when reasembling the two halves amd torque the bolts up properly and with loctite.
 
Thanks again,

All split, cleaned and sprayed (apart from faces etc). New pistons and seals on order.....
Still need to brake pipes as above if anyone can advise??
 
just go to your local motor factors and buy a length of brake pipe, a bag of various fittings (should be metric but you never know) and a pipe flaring tool. Have a play around and get used to it and then make up your new pipes!
 
Caliper update. Got one calper seal kit from LR (only one in stock) and a spare Britpart one just in case. New pistons from MM, Worcester. Interesting exercise! Most successful when using a piece of wood (inch square) flat across the retaining ring to tap gently home. LR ring a tight fit (wrecked one) but pistons went in fine after. Used Britpart as one short, easy fit, but then a hell of a job to get the piston in. Quite different when you look at them side to side!
 
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