Where to buy rear calipers?
Where to buy rear calipers?
Author
Discussion

jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

242 months

Sunday 24th January 2010
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Anyone know where I can pick up either or both the rear calipers? Bleed nipples have snapped on one (plus botched drill out operation), and I can see the same happening on the other side. Have asked at the usual two breakers, neither could supply second hand calipers without bleed nipples, and been keeping an eye on classifieds and eBay and no luck.

Alternatively, does anyone know where I could repair my one botch caliper, and a fool-proof way of removing the bleed nipples on the other caliper?

Gazzab

21,646 posts

312 months

Sunday 24th January 2010
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Have you asked Plastiman? I know he has done some brake related work on various cerbs/TVRs over the years (eg fitting Aston brakes) and so he MIGHT have some lying around?

itiejim

1,822 posts

235 months

Sunday 24th January 2010
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You need to find someone who has the equipment to do spark erosion. This process was explained to me as being like backwards welding.

I used a local chap to remove an extremely hard stud which has snapped off in a motorcycle exhaust. He was able to completely erode it leaving the thread in perfect condition - amazing woohoo

My only question with this system is whether it is OK with the calliper being alloy, but it's got to be worth asking.

clive f

7,259 posts

263 months

Sunday 24th January 2010
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yes you can spark erode alloy, think its pricey though but if you can`t get a caliper then worth the dosh.

Brummmie

5,284 posts

251 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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They are the same castings as Lotus Elise fronts, Caliper number CP5111, i have this one, but have not measured piston sizes, take a slightly different pad, but they would fit.
They use the same air vents too!



Edited by Brummmie on Monday 25th January 10:45

WorAl

10,877 posts

218 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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I have a pair coming from a Tuscan chassis which I have purchased. How soon do you need them?

Gazzab

21,646 posts

312 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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Looking on Google it appears that the casting Brummie mentions is a 130 pcd and is used on MG zt 260s too ?
I also believe that 5111,5211 and 5311 are all the same size again.

Gazzab

21,646 posts

312 months

Monday 25th January 2010
quotequote all
WorAl said:
I have a pair coming from a Tuscan chassis which I have purchased. How soon do you need them?
There are Tuscan ones on ebay (from Bell Hill). Are they the same as Cerb ones (they look different in photo).

WorAl

10,877 posts

218 months

Monday 25th January 2010
quotequote all
Gazzab said:
WorAl said:
I have a pair coming from a Tuscan chassis which I have purchased. How soon do you need them?
There are Tuscan ones on ebay (from Bell Hill). Are they the same as Cerb ones (they look different in photo).
Oh yeah, they are the single piston type aren't they? Sorry, as you were.

Steve_T

6,356 posts

302 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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Have you considered sending your calipers away to a specialist? BG Developments would be worth a call. Other than that 5111s are the two pot used on the rear - 5211s are the front caliper.

itiejim

1,822 posts

235 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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The thing I had spark eroded wasn't too pricey - £25 iirc. Definitely worth spending to save otherwise serviceable callipers.

VPower

3,598 posts

224 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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I know a chap in Kent who does spark erosion in his garden workshop!

Planning on going shooting with him on Thursday (if he turns up) so will ask him about this and get his opinion (and a price) if he does.

jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

242 months

Tuesday 26th January 2010
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Excellent, cheers guys. I think the offside caliper is pretty ruined! But I'll definitely look at spark erosion when the inevitable happens with the nearside!

Steve_T

6,356 posts

302 months

Tuesday 26th January 2010
quotequote all
Is there a possibility of drilling out and using a thread insert? I suspect that a secondhand caliper may be easier, but just a thought.

jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

242 months

Tuesday 26th January 2010
quotequote all
The problem I had with drilling out was that the nipple seemed to have welded itself with the alloy, or at least some sort of chemical reaction had happened that made it nigh on impossible to work out where the nipple ended and where the alloy started. I'm more than happy to pay someone £25 for spark erosion if it gets the job done nicely.

VPower

3,598 posts

224 months

Tuesday 26th January 2010
quotequote all
I'm sure we have been through this before chaps?

One other solution was to freeze the nipple (DON'T SAY IT) and then heat the ally calliper which breaks the grip on the threads and an easy-out would do the trick.

If I Remember Correctly liquid Nitrogen was required for the freezing bit.

But you can get freezing spray from builders merchants; for freezing central heating pipes to allow mods without draining.

Not sure if that would be cold enough to work, but might be worth a try?
Hot water on the calliper and freezing pray down the nipple hole.

TT Tim

4,168 posts

277 months

Tuesday 26th January 2010
quotequote all
VPower said:
I'm sure we have been through this before chaps?

One other solution was to freeze the nipple (DON'T SAY IT) and then heat the ally calliper which breaks the grip on the threads and an easy-out would do the trick.

If I Remember Correctly liquid Nitrogen was required for the freezing bit.

But you can get freezing spray from builders merchants; for freezing central heating pipes to allow mods without draining.

Not sure if that would be cold enough to work, but might be worth a try?
Hot water on the calliper and freezing pray down the nipple hole.
Julian drilled out the thread of one caliper that I 'mullered' and we used the other heat and cold method to remove others:

Pics here

Freezing and heat worked!

Tim

jammy_basturd

Original Poster:

29,778 posts

242 months

Tuesday 26th January 2010
quotequote all
I did LOTS of heat on the first caliper after I read one of the topics on here about this very topic, unfortunately I didn't have access to any freezing spray.

FarmyardPants

4,378 posts

248 months

Tuesday 26th January 2010
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VPower said:
... pray down the nipple hole.
interesting idea..

VPower

3,598 posts

224 months

Sunday 31st January 2010
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jammy_basturd said:
Excellent, cheers guys. I think the offside caliper is pretty ruined! But I'll definitely look at spark erosion when the inevitable happens with the nearside!
JB
Just PM'ed you with details of that chap in Kent with spark erosion machine.