Hi Jim , I was a test and development engineer back in the 80's with Lucas Girling and tested a lot of those brakes and hand built samples for test. Nice restoration and I restore and drive old cars a well so we are on the same page. A couple of points you might want to think about , maybe important maybe not so for you. Did the transfer port seals come with the repair kit? Probably not as they were never a service part so be careful here as they would be way past their sell by date if you re-used the old ones so best to see if you can find some new ones the same size which may be impossible as they were of a square cut profile. The next potential problem is the bolts holding the two parts of the caliper together. On factory assembly they were torqued beyond the yield point so re-using them, could cause a catastrophic failure if the brakes were applied in an emergency situation. I had to investigate this problem on the Hyundai Pony car which has am M14 caliper, so a smaller version but the same principal. The Koreans were changing the pads by undoing the bolts holding the two halves of the caliper together. Then the caliper would fail and split in half. Be careful with this stuff as it was engineered to be unserviceable in the way you vid shows.
Got this dual piston caliper on my old VW bus, good to see some with similar, most are single piston on youtube. Good video! Although music is missing at some parts
Hi Roy Thank you for the kind words, I have been over my notes and I set the torque to 50 ft/lb I have seen various opinions on it between 45 and 60. In the 2 years since I filmed this the brakes have been working well and have had no issues. Thanks Jim
Hi Jim, Nice video - thank you for sharing. One quick question; how did you connect the air hose to the calliper? I have found that simply 'pushing in' an air gun doesn't provide a good enough seal... Cheers, Bert
Hi Bert, Thank you! I did struggle with aligning the gun with the caliper to release the pistons. If I was to do this again I'd make up a small brake pipe that would fit the caliper and double flare the other side. I'd connect that pipe to the airgun using a high pressure rubber hose and clamp both sides using a jubilee clips. You won't need high amounts of pressure but it should make it easier. You could also use red grease (the suff I use for the rebuild). Just make sure you flush the caliper out though.
Nice work! Thank you very much for posting it. Can I ask what liquid you used with the wet and dry sandpaper, was it just water? And what was the torque value you used? I've got to do a set of Princess calipers so this video has been a great insight - thanks :)
Thanks Adrian I appreciate that. When polishing parts the pistons I used some WD40 rather than water. I don't think I mentioned it but I cleaned them with thinners and panel wipe to remove any oils etc. Looking back at my notes I found some details on similar calipers that recommend 40-60 ft/lb so I aimed for 50. The calipers have been fine since posting the video. Good luck with your princess calipers! I've heard they're a good upgrade for a classic. Thanks again Jim
@@jimbuilds yes, was looking for related vids to see which calipers we have, and your vid poped up, which helps build up the confidence to have a go ourselves. Just need to work out if our calipers are P16, M16 or some other type, so we order the correct rebuild kit. 😊🔥🏁👍🛠🕶💨🔧
@@Classiccarbscouk Excellent! If I recall the P16 will have it marked P16 on the bleed side near where it mounts to the strut (I have photos that will explain it better). If it is a P16 you'll also need to check which variant it is which is simple mine are P16 and the other is P16B which has a circular metal spring for retaining the dust cover (see MGB callipers). Either way Big Red carry all the appropriate spares and their delivery was very quick - this was during Lockdown 1. If you have any questions just ask! Thanks Jim
great video jim i have four to restore and i have no done any since the early eighties but regarding derusting the calipers have you ever considered getting a sand blasting cabinet they take the strain out of derusting and you can use any media you like for each job,me being in my just retired age mine is a godsend even if its home made.
Hi Jim, Thanks for the video. I recently did the exact same thing to the Girling calibers from my 1979 VW Baywindow bus. However now that I am done with the job, I read in the manual and also mulitple respectable websites, that you should NEVER separate the caliber halves. Too late for me (and you). One reason is that the bolts the hold the halves together are expansion bolts and should not be reused. They are not sold new on my favorite part websited either. (I guess because we are no supposed to do this anyway.) Plus, I couldn't find a new replacement small sealing ring which goes between the two halves either. Where did you purchase yours? You reused the bolts, I assume? Did you do anything special to the sealing surface between the halves? Are you concerned about the bolts breaking? I am worried I screwed everything up now ("over" fixed things) and need to buy new calibers, just for a piece of mind while driving.
Hi. I have been looking into this since you posted and I haven't found any details that confirm or even discuss the use of stretch bolts, this even includes a call to a reputable company that refurbishes these brakes that I purchased the seals from. I'm not saying either one of is wrong but to answer your other questions I purchased the o ring as part of the seal kit from big red, I didn't use anything to seal the halves and I inspected the bolts after wire brushing them for signs of wear etc and they appeared to be perfectly fine. Thanks for getting in touch. Jim
@@jimbuilds I separated the halves on my 1965 MK1GT close to 20 years ago with no issues. BTW, I'm really enjoying your build here in California. drive.google.com/file/d/15j5FyuH_6bkfiRcOyiTP-JMDFY-jibsA/view?usp=sharing
Using wet and dry to clean the inside of the cylinder bore is a waste of time! - don't you understand that the piston only seals against the narrow shoulder !!! Yes clean the cylinder walls but really only a wipe is required as it's only a reservoir - not a running fit!
Great job, well done 👍
Thank you!
Hi Jim , I was a test and development engineer back in the 80's with Lucas Girling and tested a lot of those brakes and hand built samples for test. Nice restoration and I restore and drive old cars a well so we are on the same page. A couple of points you might want to think about , maybe important maybe not so for you.
Did the transfer port seals come with the repair kit? Probably not as they were never a service part so be careful here as they would be way past their sell by date if you re-used the old ones so best to see if you can find some new ones the same size which may be impossible as they were of a square cut profile.
The next potential problem is the bolts holding the two parts of the caliper together.
On factory assembly they were torqued beyond the yield point so re-using them, could cause a catastrophic failure if the brakes were applied in an emergency situation.
I had to investigate this problem on the Hyundai Pony car which has am M14 caliper, so a smaller version but the same principal. The Koreans were changing the pads by undoing the bolts holding the two halves of the caliper together. Then the caliper would fail and split in half.
Be careful with this stuff as it was engineered to be unserviceable in the way you vid shows.
I was wondering this. In the end of this vid, you can see that the two halves aren't mated properly; there is a gap.
Is there an option available to buy replacement bolts Stephen, and somewhere to find the manufacturer required torque to yield specifications?
Got this dual piston caliper on my old VW bus, good to see some with similar, most are single piston on youtube. Good video! Although music is missing at some parts
Thank you for your video. Nice job. One question please: what torque did you use when you torqued the 4 bolts back? Thank you.
Hi Roy
Thank you for the kind words, I have been over my notes and I set the torque to 50 ft/lb I have seen various opinions on it between 45 and 60. In the 2 years since I filmed this the brakes have been working well and have had no issues.
Thanks
Jim
9:24. ah yes, that makes it very clear. The back of the hand trick shot.
A good magician doesn't revel his secrets!
It's not that difficult to fit just fidly, I'll try a different angle next time...
Hi Jim,
Nice video - thank you for sharing.
One quick question; how did you connect the air hose to the calliper? I have found that simply 'pushing in' an air gun doesn't provide a good enough seal...
Cheers,
Bert
Hi Bert,
Thank you! I did struggle with aligning the gun with the caliper to release the pistons. If I was to do this again I'd make up a small brake pipe that would fit the caliper and double flare the other side.
I'd connect that pipe to the airgun using a high pressure rubber hose and clamp both sides using a jubilee clips. You won't need high amounts of pressure but it should make it easier.
You could also use red grease (the suff I use for the rebuild). Just make sure you flush the caliper out though.
@@jimbuilds ah - great idea - thank you... I'll give it a go... still have a few old flexible hoses 'just in case' so can sacrifice one of them. :-)
@BertLacey-c6k they'll be perfect 👌 let me know how you get on.
Nice work! Thank you very much for posting it. Can I ask what liquid you used with the wet and dry sandpaper, was it just water? And what was the torque value you used? I've got to do a set of Princess calipers so this video has been a great insight - thanks :)
Thanks Adrian I appreciate that.
When polishing parts the pistons I used some WD40 rather than water. I don't think I mentioned it but I cleaned them with thinners and panel wipe to remove any oils etc.
Looking back at my notes I found some details on similar calipers that recommend 40-60 ft/lb so I aimed for 50. The calipers have been fine since posting the video.
Good luck with your princess calipers! I've heard they're a good upgrade for a classic.
Thanks again
Jim
@@jimbuildsThank you very much for the reply Jim, and the tips! Brilliant :)
They look nice 👍
Thanks, will you be refurbing the brakes on Kate?
@@jimbuilds yes, was looking for related vids to see which calipers we have, and your vid poped up, which helps build up the confidence to have a go ourselves.
Just need to work out if our calipers are P16, M16 or some other type, so we order the correct rebuild kit.
😊🔥🏁👍🛠🕶💨🔧
@@Classiccarbscouk Excellent! If I recall the P16 will have it marked P16 on the bleed side near where it mounts to the strut (I have photos that will explain it better). If it is a P16 you'll also need to check which variant it is which is simple mine are P16 and the other is P16B which has a circular metal spring for retaining the dust cover (see MGB callipers).
Either way Big Red carry all the appropriate spares and their delivery was very quick - this was during Lockdown 1.
If you have any questions just ask!
Thanks
Jim
@@jimbuilds bless you buddy, thank you very much 🛠🕶👍🏁😊🔥
great video jim i have four to restore and i have no done any since the early eighties but regarding derusting the calipers have you ever considered getting a sand blasting cabinet they take the strain out of derusting and you can use any media you like for each job,me being in my just retired age mine is a godsend even if its home made.
Hi John,
Thanks for getting in touch, I would love a blasting cabinet but unfortunately my garage isn't big enough for one currently!
Thanks again
Jim
Don't forget to get this o ring - but forget to tell us where to put it!!!
Nice job.
Thanks Phil
Hi Jim, Thanks for the video. I recently did the exact same thing to the Girling calibers from my 1979 VW Baywindow bus. However now that I am done with the job, I read in the manual and also mulitple respectable websites, that you should NEVER separate the caliber halves. Too late for me (and you). One reason is that the bolts the hold the halves together are expansion bolts and should not be reused. They are not sold new on my favorite part websited either. (I guess because we are no supposed to do this anyway.) Plus, I couldn't find a new replacement small sealing ring which goes between the two halves either. Where did you purchase yours? You reused the bolts, I assume? Did you do anything special to the sealing surface between the halves?
Are you concerned about the bolts breaking?
I am worried I screwed everything up now ("over" fixed things) and need to buy new calibers, just for a piece of mind while driving.
Hi.
I have been looking into this since you posted and I haven't found any details that confirm or even discuss the use of stretch bolts, this even includes a call to a reputable company that refurbishes these brakes that I purchased the seals from. I'm not saying either one of is wrong but to answer your other questions I purchased the o ring as part of the seal kit from big red, I didn't use anything to seal the halves and I inspected the bolts after wire brushing them for signs of wear etc and they appeared to be perfectly fine.
Thanks for getting in touch.
Jim
@@jimbuilds I separated the halves on my 1965 MK1GT close to 20 years ago with no issues. BTW, I'm really enjoying your build here in California.
drive.google.com/file/d/15j5FyuH_6bkfiRcOyiTP-JMDFY-jibsA/view?usp=sharing
@@JB-ho9qh That's good to know!
Thank you for getting in touch, your Mk1 looks stunning - I am biased towards Ermine white though!
What's the red mix you're spreading in piston hole?
Hi Charles, it's red rubber grease. You'll be able to get it at a decent par parts shop or try a hydraulics place if not.
Good luck.
Jim
Using wet and dry to clean the inside of the cylinder bore is a waste of time! - don't you understand that the piston only seals against the narrow shoulder !!! Yes clean the cylinder walls but really only a wipe is required as it's only a reservoir - not a running fit!