Brake Caliper replacement source?

[RickWoodall]

One of my calipers is leaking... considering just replacing both instead of repairing as 12-13 years old.
Looking at Vans store....dont see them there.
Believe i can source from spruce... anyone have a good replacement source at fair price?

 

[rvsxer]

Rick,

If it is not cracked and leaking from the supply fitting or bleeder I would take it off and pop out the piston. If the bore isn't pitted with corrosion you can clean it up and replace the O-ring with a new Viton O-ring and that should fix the leak. While you're at it do the other one so you know that has a Viton seal, too. The calipers on my 2000 RV-6 are Cleveland and use 2-218V-75 or M83248/1-218 seals. If yours are different size, the M83248/1 series seals are Viton. Make sure you clean up any burrs on the bore and piston and lube the new O-ring well with Parker O-Lube or something similar.

 

[lr172]

Rick,

If it is not cracked and leaking from the supply fitting or bleeder I would take it off and pop out the piston. If the bore isn't pitted with corrosion you can clean it up and replace the O-ring with a new Viton O-ring and that should fix the leak. While you're at it do the other one so you know that has a Viton seal, too. The calipers on my 2000 RV-6 are Cleveland and use 2-218V-75 or M83248/1-218 seals. If yours are different size, the M83248/1 series seals are Viton. Make sure you clean up any burrs on the bore and piston and lube the new O-ring well with Parker O-Lube or something similar.

+1

Save your money and just replace the O ring. Pretty uncommon to see corrossion on these. Unlike auto applications, we do not use a hygroscopic brake fluid.

 

[RickWoodall]

thanks

Wasnt sure if rebuild was the smart move. Replacement is a bit $$ Thanks, will order a couple rebuild kits and give it a go. Cheers

 

[Rodney]

Caliper o ring

Wasnt sure if rebuild was the smart move. Replacement is a bit $$ Thanks, will order a couple rebuild kits and give it a go. Cheers

I think the rebuild kits are for the master cylinders.
Your caliper only has one O ring. Can’t imagine what could be in a kit for a caliper.

 

[RV6_flyer]

Wasnt sure if rebuild was the smart move. Replacement is a bit $$ Thanks, will order a couple rebuild kits and give it a go. Cheers

Rick:

Depending on when Van's shipped your wheels / brakes, they could be Cleveland or Matco. Cleveland caliper and parts are VERY Very very expensive. Typically, the mil spec O-Ring is all that is needed. As stated above, Viton replacement stands up to the heat better but if you operate in Very cold weather, you may want to stay with the mil spec rubber o-ring. I have used the viton for years but when I was in SoCAL, 17F was the coldest that I operated in once. Typically the past 10-years in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, (and most of the time in SoCAL) I would not pull the airplane out unless it was 32 F / 0 C or higher.

 

[RV6_flyer]

Cleveland 30-9 Caliper Illustrated Parts List

I am attaching a page out of the Parker Aerospace Cleveland Wheels & Brakes Catalog that lists the 30-9 caliper that was supplied with many early RV kits.

View attachment 30-9_Parts_list.pdf

Hope this helps others that need parts and or O-Ring.

The Mil Spec O-Ring works and is a LOT less money than the Cleveland part number. Van sells a new O-Ring that has the high temperature that Viton does but will also work at a lower temperature.

I have used O-Rings out of bulk o-ring kits to repair brake master cylinders. I have had issues with some that were not true mil-spec parts and they would leak. I try to only use true mil-spec o-rings or viton o-rings where heat can be an issue on brakes because they have always worked.

I like the Viton replacement o-rings because they withstand heat better but they can have issues and leak at low temperatures. I have not had any issues with them leaking on my airplane but my airplane almost never sees operation on the ground when temperature is below 32 F or 0 C.

Price note: Just looked up the price of the Cleveland 101-02300 part and MS28775-218 o-ring on Aircraft Spruce. Both are the same price. 25-years ago, there was a big difference in price.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

One of my calipers is leaking... considering just replacing both instead of repairing as 12-13 years old.
Looking at Vans store....dont see them there.
Believe i can source from spruce... anyone have a good replacement source at fair price?

If you’re not in a huge hurry, PM me your mailing address and I’ll get a couple of viton o-rings in the mail to you on Monday.

 

[avrojockey]

I think the rebuild kits are for the master cylinders.
Your caliper only has one O ring. Can’t imagine what could be in a kit for a caliper.

Rodney is right...the only thing to replace in the caliper is the o-ring. Super easy, just make sure everything is clean of contaminates and piston is square when reinstalling.

I went through a complete rebuild of my brakes in September (new hi-temp o-rings, hi-temp fluid replacement, and master cylinders rebuilt).

Bleeding recommendation...bottom up, pressurized, and make sure brake peddles are fully retracted. I bought a small 1/2 gal garden sprayer from Ace, and modified it with a tire valve stem to pump up with compressed air. Some have theorized that using the manual pump may cause air bubbles in tank fluid which may enter bleed line.

I have the special ACS fitting that attaches to caliper bleed valve but I don't think this is really needed, but allows you to use a higher pressure with the compressed air and bleed system pretty fast. If you don't have this fitting the hose could come off the bleed valve with high enough pressure.

 

[jrs14855]

Caliper

You many need to VERY CAREFULLY use a little air pressure to remove the piston. Fold up some shop towels to form a cushion. Place the assembly piston side down on the towels on a bench. Starting with very low pressure blow air into the fitting.
Clean up the inside of the bore with fine scotchbrite pad or 500 sandpaper. wash everything with solvent, wipe dry and wash a second time with alcohol.
Install the o ring, then a bit of hydraulic fluid on the o ring and on the inside of the bore, The piston should push in place easily.
Bleeding the brake is best done from the bottom up. Borrow a brake bleeder if you can. Alternate is a new pump oil can with a hose attached to mate to the bleeder fitting. Another hose and container to catch fluid at the master cylinder or reservoir.

 

[Caveman]

Rick, in addition to what the others have said, take a close look at the attachment Gary posted. Note the orientation of the O-ring (part # 3 in the illustration) on the piston (part #2). If the piston is installed with the O-ring and its groove inserted facing the wrong direction your brakes will start leaking much quicker as your pads wear. The O-ring is closer to one end of the piston than the other. As shown the O-ring end goes in first. I've seen these installed wrong a few times and read of a few instances have resulted in lost brakes on landing. Brake fires are also a possibility.

 

[RV6_flyer]

Rick, in addition to what the others have said, take a close look at the attachment Gary posted. Note the orientation of the O-ring (part # 3 in the illustration) on the piston (part #2). If the piston is installed with the O-ring and its groove inserted facing the wrong direction your brakes will start leaking much quicker as your pads wear. The O-ring is closer to one end of the piston than the other. As shown the O-ring end goes in first. I've seen these installed wrong a few times and read of a few instances have resulted in lost brakes on landing. Brake fires are also a possibility.

Joe is correct on the o-ring. I saw one brake fire that almost destroyed the RV aircraft. There was a guy at his hangar saw the wheel pant fire and grabbed his fire extinguisher and put the fire out before the fuel in the fuel tank caught fire.

 

[ariel_arielly]

Cleveland Brake O-Rong

Rick,

If it is not cracked and leaking from the supply fitting or bleeder I would take it off and pop out the piston. If the bore isn't pitted with corrosion you can clean it up and replace the O-ring with a new Viton O-ring and that should fix the leak. While you're at it do the other one so you know that has a Viton seal, too. The calipers on my 2000 RV-6 are Cleveland and use 2-218V-75 or M83248/1-218 seals. If yours are different size, the M83248/1 series seals are Viton. Make sure you clean up any burrs on the bore and piston and lube the new O-ring well with Parker O-Lube or something similar.

Hi.
I found the two O-rings of the calipers of my -8A in bad condition and I'm trying to find new ones. I found and place an order for 4ea. P/N MS28775-218 (AN6227B-23) . The price tag foe each is US&1.76. But, from some reason the say the don't have them in stock.....
I tried to look for other sources but the price tag is more than US$20.00.
Where is the "catch"?
Does anyone know where I can find some 4 units?
Thanks
Ariel
RV8A #80295 450 TT