The Ford Capri Laser Page

M16 Bake Calipers,

Hi folks.
Does anyone know the reason why the brake calipers on a Capri shouldn't be split?

Thanks in advance.

Only because, in theory, the fluid channel between the 2 halves *may* leak after reassembly - although I`m sure I read that it`s not really a problem. It can`t be that hard can it?

Thanks for the prompt reply Steve. (It was a semi-rhetorical question.)

It can`t be that hard can it?

That's the way I see it, after all it's only four UNF bolts and an O-ring.

the fluid channel between the 2 halves *may* leak after reassembly

On the other side, if the caliper is split to replace the piston and seals there's less chance of damaging the O-ring and creating a leak there.
Overhauling a master cylinder is a lot more involved and they can leak internally, which is one problem I've got at the moment. There was brake fluid in the brake servo chamber!


I've read on the Net various reasons for not splitting such as, "One-use-only bolts" and "Torque loading unobtainable" both problems must be surmountable because there are companies out there offering "overhauled calipers".
A lot of this doesn't make sense to me.
I'm interested about other peoples comments and ideas on this.

Regards,
Steve.

i split one many years ago to better clean and paint it but couldn't ever get it to reseal correctly. At the time though second hand Ford calipers were remarkably cheap and easy to get hold of from a local scrappy so i didnt even try get as far as replacing the o ring which must have been the guilty party.

Thanks for the input “Not”

Not_Anumber wrote,

I split one years ago….but couldn’t ever get it to reseal correctly…. I didnt even try get as far as replacing the o ring which must have been the guilty party.

I think it could only have been the O-ring: either it was naff or not sat correctly in its recessed seat.
I’ve just finished widening one so vented discs can be fitted which means two seals per caliper.
To ease the alignment of the two halves and the spacer I made up a pair of alignment pins for the outer pair of bolts and a wooden support for holding the threaded caliper half during assembly.

This, of course won’t guarantee it will be sealed but here’s hoping.

I've split M16 and Princess calipers without problem. The surfaces need to be clean, the bolts really tight (I hold them in a vice to do it) and use new O rings. Should be OK then.

every time I split calipers I fit new sealing o-rings and I give the mating surfaces a quick swipe on a FLAT surface with a sheet of fine carborundum paper ( like 1200 - 2000 grit ) and degrease the heck outa them . I re use bolts if not widening the caliper , otherwise I use hi tensile bolts. keeping the work clean is vital , any crap caught between the caliper halves will prevent them clamping up properly. I would split caliper just to replace the o'rings when overhauling them..... they probly dont age any better than other rubber components .