spokewrench

I have my front end apart and noticed that the 2nd set of calipers that I purchased at a local parts store are leaking again! I called the store and
wanted them to refund my money and give me these defective calipers
as cores to send to vette brakes. They said my cores are gone and all they can
do is replace them again! Now I came there buying what was supossed to be a rebuilt caliper of good quality and gave them my calipers as cores now,
when their calipers are crap they want me to eat the cores! Has this happened
to any of you? I should have got them from vette brakes to start with, I guess
I'm going to have to eat the core charge and buy them from V.B. or I will be changing calipers for the rest of my life!

73-454

I never take my cores in until I have fully test the new stuf. Your best bet now return the defective ones and get a new set.

Xracer

The same thing happen to me this year. What I plan to do with my credit is apply it towards a set of new calipers from Ecklers or VBP. Mine managed to last about 500 miles. Bummer. :cry

Carl in LA

I bet I am just entering your nightmare! See my other post on caliper pistons... honestly, I love driving that '76 but I hate having my pedal go almost to the floor to stop the car... I noticed another member discussing brakes and he said his brake pedal was high and firm and he could get his car into a four wheel skid - I wish!

73-454... you really have a large signature picture... takes up my whole screen just to see the whole thing... must be like owning the big block :) takes up the whole engine compartment!!! I installed the same fans you have (of course mine is still a black-frame model!) Actually, great sig pic! Have you had any trouble with cooling? I thought those things were only rated for 220 horse power???

DaBo

This tells me how lucky I got with "auto parts" rebuilds.

About 2 years ago I replaced the front calipers on my 76'.

I had the receipt from the previous owner. He had bought calipers from O'reilly's with a lifetime replacement.

They not only exchanged the calipers at no charge, but when I got home and opened the box the "new" rebuilt calipers were SS lined and had the VB mark on them.

Now I have a rear one leaking, and no, I am not planning on the same LUCK.

Larry B.

Unless the rebuilt calipers are stainlees steel lined they are junk. This is a fact.. the seals are on the pistons, so unless the bores are pefect, which they never are due to pitting and rust, they will leak. Even after they are honed the pitting comes right back like rust on meteal body of cars driven in salt. I bought one set of S/S lined calipers that leaked so I deciced to put new seals in rather than return them due to time. Turned out that only one half had been sleeved and of course it was pitted so badly that it couldn't be rebuilt. These were from a place that had cheap prices and went out of bussiness but I hear rumors that the same owner is back under a new name. Still in S. Florida (maybe Del Ray Beach?) :mad :mad

Frankenvette

If its a chain like Autozone, I would ask for the phone number of the regional manager. Then convey your dissatisfaction with the regional manager and ask if he will work with you. Maybe he can contact the rebuilder of the calipers and ask for a specific inspection of the calipers that they will send to you. Also, maybe you should inspect the calipers with the store manager present. Look for obvious defects together. That way he will better understand your frustration and help you get some good calipers.I would also politely remind the store manager that if you have an accident due to defective calipers they sold you, they become quite liable. I purchased my front calipers from Autozone with s/s inserts and have had no problems or leaks. Lucky me I guess. Good luck.

Regards,

Jim

zwede

Another thing you can do is ask to look at all their boxes. I went to autozone and looked through their boxes. Most were rebuilds of quistionable quiality, but 2 were brand new calipers, in a box that said 'rebuild'! I went to the other autozones in my area and this way I got 4 brand new calipers for the price of cheap rebuilds. You can tell the new ones as they have no 'delco moraine' markings, the pistons are gold anodized and of course they just look new also.

R. Bruno

Look into a set of new calipers fom Vette Brakes. I got as set last year, think they were only slightly more $ than rebuilt but when I calculated the price of shipping cores back to them the price came very close AND I got to keep my old cores. Thought they might come in handy some day.