Fwd: Alfa adjustable calipers

["Costel Vasiliu" <costelv@domain.elided>]

Any more opinions on the adjustable calipers?

Costel
77 Alfetta

>From: "Graham Hilder" <graham.hilder@domain.elided>
>To: costelv@domain.elided
>Subject: COSTEL....Alfa adjustable calipers -Reply
>Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 13:25:17 +1300
>
>Hullo Costel,
>
>Haven't seen your message in the Digest so I'll just reply to you.
>
> >>> "Costel Vasiliu" <costelv@domain.elided> 19/11/99  6:39 pm >>>
>Graham,
>Last summer (your winter, I guess:) I decided to take care of the leak on
>the rear right caliper of my 77 Alfetta.  I took it off and noticed that 
>the
>inboard pad had A LOT more wear than the outboard, just the right caliper  
>(anybody noticed that, and if so, what's the explanation?).
> >>>>
>
>Yep...... happens often on our Alfasud inboard front brakes (same setup as 
>Alfetta rear). Don't know why.  Possibly the inbooard pads get hotter, 
>being closer to the engine?   But then, sometimes an outer pad wears 
>more...... oh well.....
>
> >>>>
>So I ordered the seals.  To my surprise, I didn't get ALL the seals: the 
>two small O-rings that go in-between the caliper halves were missing, as 
>well as the  O-ring on the adjuster shaft you are mentioning.  I called 
>International Auto Parts in Virginia and they told me the caliper is not a 
>serviceable part, I shouldn't have opened it and those seals don't come in 
>the repair kit.  However, there were two other small O-rings that didn't 
>fit anywhere.
> >>>>
>
>Yeah, much the same happened to me when I did the fronts on my Alfetta 
>recently. Had to split the caliper halves to remove the old stuck pistons, 
>and the Alfa parts agent also said  I shouldn't have opened it and the 
>O-rings between the caliper halves don't come in the repair kit.
>I had the devil of a job to find any, too, as they're a flat-faced one 
>which is not normal.  Finally got some from a brake shop in a distant city 
>through the advice of an AROC and Alfetta friend up there.  Oddly enough, 
>once located, they turned out to be a common-or-garden std PBR Australia 
>part-number if I recall.
>
> >>>>>>
>Anyhow, it took a lot of work to put everything back together (replaced the 
>  pads, of course).  Unfortunately, the caliper was still leaking.  I 
>started  doubting the two small O-rings between the halves of the caliper, 
>but one  day I looked underneath and noted a trace coming out of the 
>adjuster hole,  precisely the seal you were talking about.  I haven't 
>double-checked to make  sure that's the culprit, but it's the main suspect.
> >>>>>>
>
>What I did with this seal in the case of my Alfasud fronts was go to a 
>local hardware and buy a 50-cents nearest-approximation for the outer 
>adjuster O-ring. Working just fine, so far. If you didn't replace yours, 
>and if you did take that outer adjuster out of the caliper, then if the old 
>O-ring was a bit tatty it may have got further damaged when you drew the 
>adjuster and O-ring back into the outer caliper case..... in the Alfasud 
>brake at least, there's a lot of stress on that O-ring during 
>adjuster-installation and an old tatty one may be pulled to bits on the way 
>in. I used brake grease to ease things when assembling my outer adjuster. 
>If yours is pouring fluid out of the outer adjuster, maybe that O-ring's 
>stuffed, or has emerged out out of its cylinder (it can be drawn out by the 
>way if you turn the adjuster to retract the outer piston, and the adjuster 
>moves in instead of the piston moving out!  That circlip outside of the 
>outer adjuster locknut should prevent this however).
>
>
> >>>>>
>Anybody had any experience with the two small O-rings between the caliper  
>halves causing leaks?
> >>>>>
>
>Not me, 'cos as I mentioned, I was able to find new ones in time to 
>assemble my Alfetta front brakes with. (And Sud brakes don't use 'em).
>BTW if you want some, I can get and post some to you. They're only $4 NZ 
>each  (about $2 US I guess). Oh hang on, the part-number I have is for 
>Alfetta front...... but if you gave me the dimens of your flat rings, maybe 
>they'll be the same.....
>
>Best regards,
>Graham.
>
>

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