C-3 Brake Calipers

[Jim K.]

Local Napa store sells Napa calipers which are Bendix rebuilt(?) $85 each. Are these things ss sleeved? Are they worth using in a non judged car?

[george romano]

There's one in back of my car

and its been there for 3 years now. Dunno if its SS sleeved or not, but it doesn't leak.

Pasta

[Dick W.]

Re: C-3 Brake Calipers

You can buy S.S. sleeved calipers from most of the Corvette vendors for $69.95 to $79.94 At least you know the quality of the ones that come from Vette Brakes, Lonestar, CSSB, and other known vendors.

I have replaced 3 leaking calipers in the last six months that came from a major auto parts chain. The oldest was less than a year old. I have bought and sold several hundred sets from one of the above named vendors and never had one come back. The ones on my wife's car have been on the car for well over 20 years with no leaks.

[Joe L.]

Re: C-3 Brake Calipers

Dick and Jim-----

I don't think that there are any Corvette rebuilt calipers sold which are not stainless steel sleeved. Finding even ONE core to rebuild which did not require sleeving would amount to a career for for hundreds of people.

The problem is that they're not all rebuilt the same way. Some are sleeved using DECORATIVE stainless steel, rather than high quality, industrial grade type 316. Sometimes, pistons are re-used. Either way, the caliper so-rebuilt is going to have a much shorter life than a quality rebuild.

In general, NAPA sells pretty good stuff. So, I would expect their calipers to be of good quality. But, you never know.

[Dick W.]

Re: C-3 Brake Calipers

Joe, I have seen calipers from auto parts stores that were steel sleeves, not stainless. Plus in my area the auto parts store calipers cost me more than retail on S.S. sleeved ones. The vendors that I mentioned in my last post I believe do top quality rebuilds.

[Joe L.]

Re: C-3 Brake Calipers

Dick-----

Wow! So, they've now gone one notch below decorative stainless for the sleeves. It probably saves them about a dollar or less per caliper and drastically reduces the life of the piece.