Am I Thinking Right???

[swathdiver]

Daughter and I went to replace rear pads and rotors on her 2007 Kia Spectra last night. I bought the Power Stop brake kit from Amazon.

Passenger side went well. Driver's side caliper was exceedingly dirty and the pads were not as worn down. Then we could not get the piston to turn until I turned it too much to the left and unseated it and lost the brake fluid! It was not cooperating going back in either.

My thinking is that buying a rebuild kit would be a waste of time, the piston is probably pitted and was ever so slowly leaking and at the very least, not grabbing well or locked up these past few months.

What do y'all think? Just get a reman caliper and be done with it or attempt a rebuild and have it down a few more days?

 

[NathanJax]

get a reman caliper and be done with it

 

[Big Mama]

Reman man

 

[02Lightning]

Reman, I tried rebuilding one, and it just leaked.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Agreed.

 

[Rocket Man]

Agreed agreed

 

[drakon543]

only calipers id bother rebuilding are brembos and wilwoods or something. stock remans are usually fairly cheap.

 

[iamdub]

Agreed with all aforementioned.

 

[swathdiver]

Done! Bought a reman caliper and finished the rear brakes. Pedal is good but not great, going to bleed them again in a few days when time avails itself again.

Thanks fellas!

 

[grouch]

Daughter and I went to replace rear pads and rotors on her 2007 Kia Spectra last night. I bought the Power Stop brake kit from Amazon.

Passenger side went well. Driver's side caliper was exceedingly dirty and the pads were not as worn down. Then we could not get the piston to turn until I turned it too much to the left and unseated it and lost the brake fluid! It was not cooperating going back in either.

My thinking is that buying a rebuild kit would be a waste of time, the piston is probably pitted and was ever so slowly leaking and at the very least, not grabbing well or locked up these past few months.

What do y'all think? Just get a reman caliper and be done with it or attempt a rebuild and have it down a few more days?

I've rebuilt many wheel cylinders over the years and a few calipers. I have the special honing tools to do it but it's easier to just get a remanufactured unit. In fact, if the bleeder screw breaks off when you try to bleed it, replace the part as it'll fail in the near future. When you said the left wasn't worn as much, that's shows it was locked up. The retractable part of the piston is the park brake.

Anymore, the only wheel cylinders I rebuild are really obsolete types where new rebuilds are not available. Like the single piston jobs on '64 ans earlier Mopars. (Yes, I'm old.)

I noticed you replaced it when I was writing this. Bleed the right rear wheel assembly first. that's your longest line. Then he left rear, right front and lastly left front. Each is shorter than the last and will ensure your old water soaked fluid will be fresh throughout. Brake fluid is extremely hygroscopic and that's why the caliper rusted inside.