Front Brake Calipers

[MWMan]

I'm thinking about replacing my front brake calipers with some new ones. I don't fancy the hassle of using a refurb kit. I could just buy the genuine ones from Rimmers, but £114 each is a bit steep. Has anyone got any recommendations for a good replacement? Would ATE or TRW be an OK replacement for our cars?

Thanks

[marinabrian]

How about these?

LINK

[SCP440]

Or even these
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/For-Rover...N/312024002559

[MWMan]

Thanks for the replies both. However, even though the old girl is knocking on a bit, I want to be sure that the parts are of good enough quality to last her out.

I have bought BIGG RED caliper repair kits in the past and they seem to be of good quality, but I have never bought full calipers from them. Brian's link says the brand is ECR which I have never heard of before.

Can I ask both of you if these are parts you have fitted yourselves and been happy with, or were you just being helpful and showing me some options?

Thanks

[marinabrian]

I'm not impressed one bit with the quality of the rubber seals in the big red kits, nor the pistons if I'm being totally honest.

I local member brought his car to me an despite the calipers being overhauled within the past 18 months, the dust seals had spilt and the calipers were partially seized.

The advantage of a caliper that has been completely stripped treated and zinc/nickel plated is you do not get rust expansion pushing the outer periphery of the dust seal inward, which causes the piston to stick.

I was taking an example with the eBay link, but I've bought rear calipers from the same supplier and fitted them to one of my own fleet without any problem.

Brian

[MWMan]

Thanks Brian. I appreciate the insight.

[clf]

I can attest to what Brian is saying (not that he needs attesting lol). Refurbishing a used set of rear calipers with bigg red seals, they had no pliability and split trying to fit over the piston. Inner seals felt dry and brittle too, though they did go in easily, and I only realised they were stiffer when I bought a different set.

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk

[David Lawrence]

I had a sticking front on my silver cdt last year, and obtained a set of replacements from Mickyboy, and refurbished those with the big red kits. Cant say I had any problems.

Today however my wedgie blue car also developed a sticky front caliper. Unfortunately it was exactly the same side as the silver one, so didnt have a replacement to hand. However, the pads were almost at the end of life, and after retracting the piston, it has stopped sticking. It will get me through for a while, but like the OP will need to obtain so decent replacements.

If the bigred kits are not so good, is there another kit supplier we might use instead?

[clf]

Originally Posted by David Lawrence

I had a sticking front on my silver cdt last year, and obtained a set of replacements from Mickyboy, and refurbished those with the big red kits. Cant say I had any problems.

Today however my wedgie blue car also developed a sticky front caliper. Unfortunately it was exactly the same side as the silver one, so didnt have a replacement to hand. However, the pads were almost at the end of life, and after retracting the piston, it has stopped sticking. It will get me through for a while, but like the OP will need to obtain so decent replacements.

If the bigred kits are not so good, is there another kit supplier we might use instead?

THIS is the company I used, and comparing them with the Bigg Red ones, they were night and day. Make sure you select the correct one, 190 calipers use a wider diameter piston. I have only got 2000 miles on these so have no long term experience, although the difference in how they felt compared to the Bigg Red ones gives me enough confidence in them (as well as their disclaimers and information on the different sizes mentioned between the 190 and non 190 calipers)

Brakes Int also supply new calipers too at quite reasonable prices (I wish I had checked this out before refurbing my used ones. It didnt work out much more expensive overall (after ordering the wrong refurb kits for the rear initially and then damaging one of the fronts ).

[alanaslan]

Originally Posted by marinabrian

I'm not impressed one bit with the quality of the rubber seals in the big red kits, nor the pistons if I'm being totally honest.



I local member brought his car to me an despite the calipers being overhauled within the past 18 months, the dust seals had spilt and the calipers were partially seized.



The advantage of a caliper that has been completely stripped treated and zinc/nickel plated is you do not get rust expansion pushing the outer periphery of the dust seal inward, which causes the piston to stick.



I was taking an example with the eBay link, but I've bought rear calipers from the same supplier and fitted them to one of my own fleet without any problem.



Brian

I can Recommend these. Whilst upgrading the brake hoses and replacing the brake pipes on my wife’s saloon three years ago just after we got the car. I went to bleed the brakes and flush the system. I could not get the front bleed nipples out, the only answer was to replace the callipers. I got mine from this supplier, having changed every brake part on the car and being unable to move the front nipples, I ended up fitting a full set of callipers all round. Then just to finish the job replaced the ABS pump as well.
Having gone that far I just did the master cylinder and servo. It meant that her full braking system was new.
Haven’t had a single problem with the callipers since they went on the car lovely even brake wear. I will confess to have fitted brass bleed nipples with PTFE grease on the threads. All pipe ends are brass with PTFE grease on the threads during assembly the hoses were braided stainless and the pipes cunnifer. I managed to get all four callipers for about a tenner more than Rimmers wanted for one. The most expensive part was the ABS Pump.
I expect to have to flush the fluid every four years or so depending on how much water it absorbs.
Can’t fault these units almost as cheep as a full new set of seals and covers along with a re-Chromed piston.
Altogether great value
Alan