Splitting rear calipers

[njhucker]

I want to renew the rear discs and at the same time replace the seals and pistons on my rear brakes.
Looks to me like it would be a real pain to get the calipers out, especially the top bolts.
Has anyone doe this by splitting the calipers, which seems a lot easier.

[njhucker]

Thanks for that guys. I hadn't noticed that each side of the caliper has a separate feed. Thought they would be connected by an internal way and an o ring. Think I will split the caliper leave the inner halves and fit new seals & pistons in situ.

[njhucker]

Job now done. Have replaced discs, pistons and seals, and did it by splitting the calipers. You need good quality tools to do it, The bolts holding the two halves of the caliper are torqued up to about 50-60flb. I would also split them if I wanted to take the calipers off completely, as once the disc is out if the way the top caliper bolt can be got to from the side.
I firstly removed the A frames and drive shafts.

after removing the handbrake calipers and undoing the pipe union I used a socket and T bar to undo the 4 bolts holding the 2 halves of each caliper together.
The condition of the pistons was not too bad, but a couple of dust seals were perished and the discs corroded, as can be seen in the following pics.


I have fitted new pistons, seals, discs, pads and pins.

Quite a time consuming job, but not difficult.