Leaking caliper

[BruceMe]

My caliper is leaking around the piston. I put fresh linings on, still does it. How do you fix that? Does anyone make a rebuild kit for the caliper? I found plenty for the master cylinder on Wicks. FYI: RV-4, standard Cleveland whatever.

-Bruce

 

[scard]

Yep. No biggie, except for re-bleeding the system. Search the archives, all you have to do is replace the O-ring around the piston.

 

[jrs14855]

caliper

Just one o ring. Force the piston out with just a couple of pounds of air pressure If there is any corrosion in the bore, clean it up with some 400 wet or dry with wd40 for lubricant. Then clean and reinstall the piston with some hyd fluid on the o ring.

 

[Wallbangar]

PISTON REPLACEMENT

BE SURE TO PUT THE PISTON BACK IN CORRECTLY ! ! !

 

[Geico266]

IMHO, It has been my experience that the o-ring get deformed by excessive heat. You might want to look at your braking habits.

 

[sprucemoose]

They may wear from excessive heat, but they also just plain wear out with time and use. How many hours do you have on them?

 

[Mike Zeller]

I USE A VITON O-RINGS AND CLEAN UP THE CYL. WITH SCOTCH-BRITE PAD.
VITON RUBBER CAN TAKE MORE HEAT. 1/8 X 1 1/4 INCH I THINK. TAKE THE OLD ONES WITH YOU TO A BEARING SHOP. CHEEP.
GOOD LUCK
M.Z.

 

[BruceMe]

IMHO, It has been my experience that the o-ring get deformed by excessive heat. You might want to look at your braking habits.

I bought them used, they came off an 80's RV-4, maybe 1000 landings by now and there's just no way around scrubbing some on taxi.

Honestly, I'm a nearly perfect pilot in all respects Just ask my vict...err passengers.

 

[Geico266]

I bought them used, they came off an 80's RV-4, maybe 1000 landings by now and there's just no way around scrubbing some on taxi.

Honestly, I'm a nearly perfect pilot in all respects Just ask my vict...err passengers.

Well then! They do wear out also!

Bruce, others have given you great advice about the simple repair. Good luck and post the results.

Story Time! I had just landed at OSH a few years ago and tied down the RV-9a. I walked by an RV-10 that had both wheel pants off and fire extinguisher powder all over both wheels and all over the grass. Seems the long taxi had been too much for the dragging brakes and it caused the wheels pants to catch fire. It is VERY easy to drag the brakes in RV's if you are not thinking about it. FYI.

 

[BruceMe]

Follow-Up

I USE A VITON O-RINGS AND CLEAN UP THE CYL. WITH SCOTCH-BRITE PAD.
VITON RUBBER CAN TAKE MORE HEAT. 1/8 X 1 1/4 INCH I THINK. TAKE THE OLD ONES WITH YOU TO A BEARING SHOP. CHEEP.
GOOD LUCK
M.Z.

[Edited 10/23/2010... I quoted a size of o-ring from mfg, which did not work go to Van's, they have the one's that work]

-Bruce

 

[BruceMe]

Finally!

Just an FYI... use the o-ring from Van's, it worked, the Viton (probably the right make, but wrong exactly fit) did not, I will edit my prior post so nobody makes that mistake.