9 replies to this topic

[jonny d]

Hi there everyone took the mini for a long drive today and at the end of my drive (lucky) I smelt the drivers side brake getting very hot, its a cooper s caliper so its old. I refurbed them quite a few years ago with stainless pistons and new seals ect. Have a look at the photo's and see what I found when I took the brake off,now should I buy new ones or refurb again

[jonny d]

no takers

[Dan]

If the casting is undamaged rebuild them again.

[andydclements]

When you re-built did you use rubber grease?
It's great at helping to keep the moisture out of the space behind the rubber and it will help the rubber seals by reudcing the wear against moving parts.

[jonny d]

When you re-built did you use rubber grease?
It's great at helping to keep the moisture out of the space behind the rubber and it will help the rubber seals by reudcing the wear against moving parts.

no I didn't use rubber grease at the time only brake fluid

[jonny d]

If the casting is undamaged rebuild them again.

casing is fine just surface rust but this one locks up could it be the internals breaking down (didn't split them apart) just new pistons and seals

[andydclements]

When you re-built did you use rubber grease?
It's great at helping to keep the moisture out of the space behind the rubber and it will help the rubber seals by reudcing the wear against moving parts.

no I didn't use rubber grease at the time only brake fluid

I can't say that was the problem (re-build should last years) but using rubber grease may have helped / may help in the future, the brake fluid is quite thin so drains away (great for initial assembly lubrication) but it doesn't stay there to keep water off the metal surfaces and most of it actually absorbs moisture.

Rubber grease is normally cheap, you only need a few ml of it for a pair of callipers so either a one-use sachet or a small tub will be more than enough. If the local motor factors don't do it, there is bound to be some on eBay.

[jonny d]

thanks for that would silicon grease be ok? got plenty of that

[andydclements]

I don't know how silicone grease and rubber react, normal (oil based) grease can cause issues by making the rubber swell, don't know what silicone grease would do. The red stuff is £2-£3 normally.

[jonny d]

I dont mind buying some red stuff and wouldn't use oil based grease as I know what it does to rubber thanks for the info anyway