Bendix 4 piston issues - need help

[millicon]

Hi all - I'm having some issues with my '68 Charger R/T front brakes. It has the original 4 piston Bendix set-up and like everyone else's they are leaking.

My plan had been to replace with the A-1 Cardone calipers (being re-sold by pretty much everyone), Year One rotors and Centric pads while I had the originals restored. I'm having problems all over the place and no one seems to have any answers. I'm hoping someone's been though this and might know how to help get the car back on the road.

First, issues with A-1 Cardone calipers:
1. No tapped holes in the bolts for the mounting bracket - replaced bolts with originals for now. Any one know of a place to buy new ones? I don't want to weld on nuts. I'm getting quotes from some specialty/custom fastener shops here in Metro Detroit -but it would be nice to just buy some.

2. The calipers are not handed (they're all rights). Therefore, the left side bleeder's on the bottom and you can't use the bracket and hard line. You also can't just swap the bleeder to the other hole (the sealing surface for the hard line isn't the same as the one for the bleeder). So, I'm stuck. How have you guys handled this? (Make custom hard line with the bleeder as-is? Get them remachined to swap the bleeder? Just swap them as-is and hope for the best?)

Then, there's the question of who still rebuilds the originals. Seems like many places that used to do them have stopped. Any suggestions? Right now, I've got calipersonline and gold line on my 'to call' list.

I'd really like to keep the stock setup if at all possible - but - I'd rather drive the car more than keep it stock. So if this becomes too much of a hassle, I might just swap over to the single piston setup or just do a full disc conversion. 

[hemi71x]

If you have two right side A1 Cardone calipers, why aren't you returning one of the righties to them for exchange for a left?

Guess you have to hope that they have a left one in inventory, to make the exchange.

As far as your bolt situation goes, that's a pretty easy one to fix and remedy, as long as hardened, grade 8 bolts arent used on the calipers.
If the bolts are a standard grade, just drill and tap the two end bolts for 5/16 x 18.
That's what a drill press is for, and a drill, and tap and die set.

As far as getting originals rebuilt, you seem to already know about calipersonline, so why not send them off to get rebuilt, by him?
Or kits are available in the 50 - 60 dollar range to do them yourself, if your that mechanically inclined to do that type of work.
And caliper pistons are also available, now a days, so if any of them need replacement, you can get them without searching the nation anymore.

Then just hope that the bores in the calipers aren't pitted to death, that will require sleeving, then you will have opened a whole new can of worms.

Done a couple of these Bendix brakes in the past few years, the most recent on a friends 68 Hemi GTX 4 speed car, that's pretty much all original.

Or just search out caliper rebuilding companies on the internet by GOOGLE,ing and i'm sure lots of them will show up throught the USA.
Lots of them are out there. It's a big country.
Jim V.
hemi71x

[millicon]

Thanks for the help Jim 

- For the calipers, I'd love to exchange them - but they're sold as right or left - and I called my supplier and their Mopar tech expert confirmed just that. 

- For the bolts, I would just drill and tap them; but the bolt heads a significantly shorter, so I'd also have to put in a steel bushing to offset it back to the right place. Do-able - just kind of gross. I suppose I was hoping that there was a secret cache of new bolts out there because I can't be the only one to have faced this issue. But, until I go back to the original setup or do something completely different, choices are limited at best and I'll likely reuse the old ones or drill, tap and bushing my way to getting it put together.

- For the rebuilders, I was wanting to find someone who had some experience with these Bendix calipers and was looking for recommendations because I couldn't call over the holiday weekend. btw - it looks like my calipers will indeed need sleeved with new pistons and seals. I can do a rebuild and I'm really glad to have found the pistons and seal kits readily available - but I don't have the equipment in-house to sleeve them.

[hemi71x]

The way the BENDIX calipers are drilled and tapped for bleeder scrwes, and the hard line, there officially isn't a left and a right caliper.
They can be used on either side by just swapping the bleeder screw to the highest point on the caliper, and then attatching the appropriate bracket, with hose, to the caliper.

Calipers are drilled and tapped, at both ends to make them universal side to side, so you shouldn't be running i to any problems with what sides you wan't to mount them on.

I just got these calipers from a friend of mine that wanted me to take them apart to see what kind of condition they are in, internally, before he decides what he wants to do with them.
These are his spare parts, that he has been holding onto.
Rebuild them, do they need resleeving, use them as cores, or are they just boat anchors.
Well, i took them apart, and they will need to be resleaved, and have one flare nut, brake hose fitting, drilled out, that's busted off, flush with the casting of the caliper.
So they will need lots of work, and $$$$$$ to bring them back to operational condition.

hemi71x
Jim V.

[ht4spd307]

and well worth doing as they will last a life time once they are  done and original to the car 

[Chargen69]

I bought reman calipers from O reilly's and they bolted on with no issues at all

[hemi71x]

Detailed Description
This caliper is the same part for right and left sides.  If you want both, order quantity 2. To avoid core charges, send old cores to our factory prior to shipment of remanufactured calipers, and select the Cores Returned Prior to Product Shipment option, under Core Charge drop down box.

Found this description on the calipersonline web page.

[millicon]

Yes, you are right Jim. The original Bendix caliper (original casting) can be used on the right or left sides.

The manufacturer of the caliper I bought that uses a reproduction casting (not a reman, a reproduction) has a secondary chamfer in the hole that initially housed the bleeder. So, it becomes non-interchangeable.

- A hard line will seal in the hole with the secondary chamfer if enough torque is applied but it is an incomplete seal that is more prone to leaks and damage to the flare.

- I have had the reproduction caliper remachined so that I can drive the car while my originals are being R&R'd

[hemi71x]

Had no clue that REPRODUCTION calipers were being sold by anyone.
Didn't know anything like that existed out there in the Mopar world.
Just thought old, originals were being rebuilt, then sold, from numerous vendors, sellers, until what is, (was) in the supply system gets used up, all over again.
Guess it goes to show they still can't make something that works as good as original stuff.

[millicon]

I was surprised too -

To their credit, other than the machining difference (and those darn bolts) - they actually seem pretty well done (no obvious porosity, fitment issues, etc)

[hemi71x]

https://www.yearone.com/Product/chrysler-b-body/ng669#prettyPhoto

I don't get it.
More than likely you bought repop calipers from the Year One Company.
Their web page for Bendix calipers, states they are the same, and are used on either side.
Then what are you trying to tell me, (us) the difference is in machining for the bleeder screw, or the hard line attachment?
Then to my thinking, there is No such thing as a specific reproduction left, or a right, brake caliper?
They are all being marketed, and sold as the same.

[Chargen69]

Had no clue that REPRODUCTION calipers were being sold by anyone.
Didn't know anything like that existed out there in the Mopar world.
Just thought old, originals were being rebuilt, then sold, from numerous vendors, sellers, until what is, (was) in the supply system gets used up, all over again.
Guess it goes to show they still can't make something that works as good as original stuff.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/OBH3/184473/03345.oap?year=1969&make=Dodge&model=Charger&vi=5003337&ck=Search_brake+caliper_5003337_-1&keyword=brake+caliper

[millicon]

The ones I have (and looks like the ones that O'Reilly has) are definitely reproductions.

I was aware and was ok with this because I only intended upon using them as a stopgap.

They bolt onto the spindle and fit onto the rotor just fine. My headache is because there is a difference between the way that the holes were machined on the reproduction calipers.

Pics are here with descriptions - hopefully they will show the issue better than I can explain.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/33213177@N07/albums/72157670826503305

[Canadian1968]

I was not a fan of the hardline bracket setup. I used a set of steel braided lines, with adaptor fitting.  No problems. ..