[RESOLVED] Rebuilding Calipers and Need Help

[snowborder714]

I started to rebuild my calipers tonight. I cleaned everything up, put the seal in the bore, greased the piston and bore, and then went to put on the dust boot and C-clip and hit a road block. I can't seem to get the boot and C-clip on and seated! Has anyone rebuilt their calipers and found a trick to doing this or is there something I'm missing that should make this a lot easier? Or should I be using a special tool? All I tried was to keep the clip in the outer groove of the dust boot and stuff it down in. It was hard enough trying to get the boot down in itself (without the clip) and near impossible with it in there. Also, just wanted to double check that the boot should be installed with the 2 groove side down towards the piston (and the 3 groove side up). This is for '95 stock 1 piston rear calipers and '92 GSX 2 piston calipers going on a '95 GST.

 

[snowborder714]

I finally managed to rebuild the rear calipers (1 piston ones). Just in case anyone's wondering, this is the best way I found to do it:

Hone cylinder bore and take 1000 and 2000 grit sandpaper to clean it up more
Clean piston with 2000 grit sandpaper (if needed)
Grease inside of bore and piston lightly with orange grease or brake fluid
Put boot around top of piston
Place piston in bore
Push piston all the way down - Use either light pressure with a hammer and dowel rod or use specific piston tool and make sure to push STRAIGHT DOWN
Squeese boot into place inside top of bore
And the tough part - put C- clip inside outer most groove of boot WITHOUT tearing it

There is no 'best way' to put the C-clip in that I could find. You just have to monkey with it and hope it goes in.

I managed to rip both boots (very, very tiny tears). I covered the outside of the boot with high temp. RTV (the orange stuff) and I want to know if this will be sufficient. I would like to know the best way to test the caliper BEFORE I put it on the car to make sure everything's in working order. I already used pressurized air into the brake line hole to check if the piston would slide out, which it did. When I pushed the piston back in, I held my thumb over the brake line hole (that I put the air into) and once the piston was pretty much all the way in, I released my thumb and there was a slight hiss of air that released. I think that means the boot is sealed properly. Can anyone confirm this? Is there any other way I can test them? I don't want to put them back on and have them fail.

 

[wret]

Yeah, my first time I think I re-installed the boot about 10x before getting it right. After you've done a few it gets pretty easy. Here's a couple tips and pics.

Although the piston can be pushed through the boot (after it's installed), it's easier to install the boot over the pison and then push it into the cylinder.

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With a bit of light oil on the boot and c-clip, start the end of the clip into the slot and curl the other end inward a bit with a pair of pliers. With a blunt screwdriver, push the clip into the slot all the way around.

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