Brake caliper refurb

I've pulled (actually had to cut the fronts) my brake calipers off as they were in need of some attention due to sheared bleed nipples. I figured since they're off I'd rebuild them with new seals and pistons but I'm having trouble finding parts. My car is a 2000 C4 but the only rebuild kits I can find are for 996.2. were the brakes different? I can find 986 kits as well. Anyone know if the boxster shared the same brakes?

Personally I would just send them off to ProCalipers for a refurb, but it may be worth contacting them for a price on a refurb kit :thumb: I had a job at AP Racing recently and asked them of they would refurb my 996.1 calipers, you can imagine the response :grin:

As Kris says I'd ring that place or Bigg Red. Only thing I'd say differently to Kris is do them yourself rather than give them to those places. You've done the hard bit in getting them off and stripping them. You can do a great job for under £200 for all 4. Add another £100 for nice new HEL flexi's though. I'd get yourself a kit (dust seals and pistol seals), Brembo nipples (as aftermarket ones are crap IME), have a local powder coating place do the calipers whatever colour you like, then get some new 'Porsche" decals from somewhere like Highgate house. It's a great little DIY project and I cringe when I see people paying £600/£700 to have a set done by these companies. Your piston sizes should be - front calipers at 36mm and 40mm. rear calipers at 28mm and 30mm. This is listed as the same for 996.1 and 986 Boxster S. Are you sure you need pistons? They usually clean up unless really knackered. Good luck anyway. It's one of those projects that makes a huge difference once done. :thumb:

Another recommendation - Brakes International https://www.brakeparts.co.uk/shop/Porsche/911/97-04/911 996 3.4 & 3.6 Carrera & 4/ They don't seem to stock a kit either, but they do suggest you contact them for help. Their listing suggests 996.1&2, C2&4 are the same.

Cheers lads. Some good info in here regarding compatibility and piston sizes. I can find 996.2 kits including all seals and pistons for about £50 a corner. I could probably just clean up, paint and stick back on the car but it'd be daft not to do them while off. No intention of sending them off. I've done the job before and it's not that difficult. Besides, mine would end up costing a fortune with the sheared bleed nipples and seized main line.

Pistons are plated in Hard Chrome, so unless they're scored or pitted, they shouldn't need replacing. Although a lot of refurbishers use Powder Coating, VHT Caliper Paint is superior as PC tends to discolour under hard use, because it's cured at a low temperature (180-200 Deg C). There's a good reason why manufacturers such as AP and Alcon use spray finishes, (such as commercially available Xylan) but for DIY, a good quality VHT Caliper Paint/Clear will be perfect :thumb:

Thanks to the info here I've been able to source kits and all the parts individually so I'll probably just buy the seals and only replace the pistons if they're gubbed. I'm taking some parts up to the powder coater on Thursday but I think I'll stick with painting the callipers. Got the apparatus for doing small 2k spray jobs at home. Thanks all.

Don't forget the before and after pics to show off your handy work! :thumb:

Yeah I bought the VHT paint and laquer last time, but when I began the prep I thought 'Sod it" and took them to the powdercoaters. I pay £30 for 4 calipers to be stripped and coated bright red. I then tried to use the VHT lacquer on top of the decals and powder coat but it wouldn't set and I had to clean it all off. So do it either way but don't mix and match. A plus side of not lacquering over the decals is that when they discolour you just swap them. I'll be going for powder coating again if I get my current ones done. Never had an issue with discolouration but never say never I guess. Glad you found the seal kits etc anyway. Since you mentioned stuck bleed nipples etc. My mate Craig had one stuck in a spare caliper he had. He sent it to one of the specialists as they were refurbishing a set of good ones for him so he thought why not. He got it back this with this comedy oversized nipple fitted. What a joke. :grin: Another reason good to do things ourselves. :nooo:

There's a joke there about big nipples but I'm not sinking that low :lol: :lol: Looks like they had to retap it and fit the oversize one to sort it. Did they also refinish the caliper in the picture?

:grin: Yes they had to oversize it basically. It'll never go on a car we own though. It looks ridiculous. That caliper wasn't for refurb but they said throw it in with the ones that were and they'd sort the nipple. I think they charged £50 for the privilege. :hand: If they'd said that would be the repair my mate wouldn't have bothered. :grin: After seeing how the 'professionals" do it, we've always done it ourselves since.

I've always reurbed my own calipers, I use the Bigg Red kits, with VHT paint coated with 2k lacquer, they always come out stunning and very hard wearing.

Unbelievable! Were those guys wearing chaps & spurs? Spot on! :thumb:

I had a broken nipple once I took it to a local engineering shop (the type that skims heads) and they mounted it in the mill, milled out the steel nipple, picked the thread out and clean up, and cut a new nipple seat. Cost about £50 You'd never know it was done. Unfortunately this takes skill and to know how to use tools, much easier to do the above and drill the lot out and fit oversize bits.

That's the way to do it :thumb: Some places just take the easiest route, rather than the right one - most times that's an attempt to save time and maximise profit but with this job it wouldn't really take any longer to do it right in the first place - if, as you say, you know what you're doing.