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Patience is up: new calipers?

1K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  sigtauenus 
#1 ·
I can't take it any more guys! I have been searching for, rebuilding, installing, removing, rebuilding, reinstalling and watching these K/H calipers leak for 4 years now. I've had 4 pairs of 7/16" inlet Kelsey Hayes calipers professionally rebuilt and they ALL leak. I'm going postal... can't handle this anymore. :) The best I have been able to obtain is one pair that only leaks at the brake bleeders...slowly weeps up through the threads on the bleeders. I am certain that if a tool existed that could be threaded into the brake bleeder location to re-surface the seat inside the casting, I could get this pair to seal. However, I have not been able to find any such tool or rebuild shop that can do this. Grrrrrr.

So, I'm at a point where I am ready to face the fact that new castings may be my only option.
Who sells something that looks most like the original K/H castings yet are new and will not leak! :) SSBC? Virginia classic? NPD? Mustang's Plus? They all sell them....just don't know who has the closest thing to oem.
 
#4 ·
Angela, who did your rebuilds?

Did any of the 4 sets get rebuilt by SSBC? They have a pretty good reputation on their rebuilds.

I too have used the SSBC kit and other than the powdercoat black and SSBC cast into the caliper instead of K/H, they are exactly the same.
 
#5 ·
I hesitate to publicly post the name of the rebuild shop... I probably should since two of the four pairs were rebuilt by the same shop and they both leak. A third pair was already rebuilt when i got them and the fourth was an ebay purchase.
If you email me directly I'll provide further details concerning the brake rebuild shop. I am suspicious they ruined two pairs of my very hard to find 7/16" K/H calipers, but would prefer to give them the benefit of doubt.

For now, I am going to send my latest set to another rebuilder and see if he can fix them. I am convinced that the #1 source of leaking on these old calipers is the brake bleeder seal surface, inside the caliper. All four sets have leaked in this location. Someone must have a tool to resurface this area and if done, I think these calipers would work.
 
#7 ·
I used NPD's replacement KH calipers with no problems. They were the expensive guys but came with SS pistons. I had one leak after bleeding but just had to tighten the bleeder up and it went away.

sorry for your troubles, take the calipers back and tell them they leak and to fix them the right way.
 
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