'R' front Calipers replaced - want to refurb old ones

[stagger321]

Lo there.

Last week my 4 yr old R failed the MOT because of sticking front calipers.
This after only 22.8k miles!! - and also having previously had the disks replaced under warranty.

This explained a lot, as I was having slight understeer followed by a boot full of lift-off oversteer mid cornering sometimes. Pretty exciting at the time.

I was um'ing and ah'ing about the second year of extended warranty, and in the end took it - which is extremely fortunate.

New set of calipers have been fitted by the dealer, and was told they would have cost me £1200.

Being cheeky I asked for the old set back - expecting them to say 'No' as this was for warranty and they may try to either refurb in the system, or send back to Alcon for investigation.
Nope - they left them in the boot for me in the new items boxes :beer: :dance:

May send them off for refurb/refinish professionally. but they don't look bad to me. So may pop the pistons out if I can and look at inspecting/cleaning and pop in a new set of seals. I then have a spare set in case this happened again.
Anyone know where I can get a set of seals from - as these R calipers are pretty rare units.

TIA

 

[renegade79]

is the low miles to blame for the sticking calipers or what? did Peugeot explain why it happened?

 

[stagger321]

is the low miles to blame for the sticking calipers or what? did Peugeot explain why it happened?

Nope - no explanation
TBH, when they said they was going to let me have the old set for free, I didn't want to get into protracted conversations and just get the 'ell out of there before they changed their minds.
I don't think its down to the low mileage - as I use her every day. So its not like the calipers are unused.
Visually - while obviously dirty they don't seem in too bad shape. I will try and get the pistons out (carefully) and see why they are sticking. It may well be that when my discs were changed (also under warranty at 12k miles - another £1200 replacement :crazy: ) that someone didn't clean the piston heads and dirt was pushed back behind the seals.
That would do it.

BTW, I checked with Alcon Re cleaning & strip/servicing during a disk pad replacement - they said this only applied to their race calipers. So for standard OEM calipers like these (albeit 380mm ones) standard piston retraction during pad replacement just requires an external piston clean.

 

[stagger321]

Just done some further digging - to see why I may have had a failure:
To all R owners out there. Maybe time to renew your extended warranty if you haven't already. :eusa-think:
I spoke to Godspeedbrakes.
They are very aware of the Pug sport calipers fitted to our car, and they have seen many issue with these typres of calipers from Alcon. They believe they are very similar, if not identical, to the calipers fitted to Astra 888's.
I am told the issue is that Alcon choose to fit mild steel pistons to these calipers which corrode and start sticking. So while I might have a new shiny set for now - the same is going to happen again at some point in the future.

For reference: To strip, re-powdercoat, fit a new set of Stainless pistons + seal kit + reassemble is going to cost about £480/pair from Godstone incl VAT and postage. This is assuming the piston sizes are identical to the Astra 888's

 

[RCZ-R]

I also recommend to change the brake fluid far more often then it is advised in the service manual. This simple step will help prevent from corrosion for those of you who do not use the R on daily/regular basis and do not put serious heat/strain on those brakes. Once a year should help prevent from such a failure.
The sad truth is, a racing brake (which our Alcons are almost) needs heat and and a lot of movement to work properly.

 

[renegade79]

The sad truth is, a racing brake (which our Alcons are almost) needs heat and and a lot of movement to work properly.

I try telling this to my wife regularly when my Alcons squeal when cold or just after washing but it goes in one ear and out the other :eusa-whistle:

 

[renegade79]

Just done some further digging - to see why I may have had a failure:
To all R owners out there. Maybe time to renew your extended warranty if you haven't already. :eusa-think:
I spoke to Godspeedbrakes.
They are very aware of the Pug sport calipers fitted to our car, and they have seen many issue with these typres of calipers from Alcon. They believe they are very similar, if not identical, to the calipers fitted to Astra 888's.
I am told the issue is that Alcon choose to fit mild steel pistons to these calipers which corrode and start sticking. So while I might have a new shiny set for now - the same is going to happen again at some point in the future.

For reference: To strip, re-powdercoat, fit a new set of Stainless pistons + seal kit + reassemble is going to cost about £480/pair from Godstone incl VAT and postage. This is assuming the piston sizes are identical to the Astra 888's

do I see dollar signs here????? refurb the calipers and bang em up on ebay for £1000 :lol: im amazed the dealer let you have em back but then they are your calipers afterall...

 

[tianorth]

Thus is all that is listed on the Peugeot service system.

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[tianorth]

These are the prices for my RCZ-R

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[stagger321]

do I see dollar signs here????? refurb the calipers and bang em up on ebay for £1000 :lol: im amazed the dealer let you have em back but then they are your calipers afterall...

lol. Well - not really mate. They replaced them like-for-like. So strictly speaking they are the property of the Warranty company. But they were asked I am told by my dealer, and didn't want them back.
The thought of flogging them on has crossed my mind, but I will hold on to them any maybe refurb for if I need some for a quick swap in the future.

 

[stagger321]

These are the prices for my RCZ-R

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Yep. That looks about right order of magnitude. Two brake calipers + pads etc is going to be about the £1200 I was told by my dealer. Then there's the price of fitting/bleeding etc on top.

Interested in why the two part number and why the different costs. They are both Fronts from what I can see.

Also TN, is there a listing for pistons & seals for servicing the calipers?
At these prices, I was a tad surprised they didn't just get a service kit and new pistons (if required) from Alcon. Gotta be a whole lot cheaper than anew pair of calipers.

 

[tianorth]

Bleed n i p p l e s on opposite sides therefore it makes it a handed part, so you require an as-drawn part and an opposite hand part as well!


That is literally all that is listed for front brakes.


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[stagger321]

I also recommend to change the brake fluid far more often then it is advised in the service manual. This simple step will help prevent from corrosion for those of you who do not use the R on daily/regular basis and do not put serious heat/strain on those brakes. Once a year should help prevent from such a failure.
The sad truth is, a racing brake (which our Alcons are almost) needs heat and and a lot of movement to work properly.

That may be true mate. However, its a poor decision not to fit Stainless pistons to these calipers. It would have cost a little more (pence) sure, but the warranty claims due to rusty mild steel units are going to make the decision a bad one. The more regular fluid flushing/changing you mention may reduced the amount of rust in the pipes, but that about it.
Sure they are almost as good as some of the race Alcons, but racing calipers are only designed to be used and abused for short periods before servicing and maybe piston & seals replaced. So mild steel pistons are almost a consumable. I know you run your R at the max, and have to brake accordingly, but not on our UK roads.
Pug have got Alcon to spec cheaply. I am not the first to have his calipers changed. Its kinda crazy they don't appear stock a service kit and/or replacement pistons.

 

[stagger321]

Bleed nappies on opposite sides therefore it makes it a handed part, so you require an as-drawn part and an opposite hand part as well!


That is literally all that is listed for front brakes.


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OK. Ta.

BTW I think you have your nappies and nipples mixed. :clap:
Not a nice issue to have. :crazy:

 

[tianorth]

I think it is the P.C. version of my auto spell checking/correcting on my phone!

I know what I typed!!!!! [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

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[tianorth]

Bleed apples on opposite sides therefore it makes it a handed part, so you require an as-drawn part and an opposite hand part as well!


That is literally all that is listed for front brakes.


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Just been in to edit the original post and it has done it again, definitely put nappies in but it changed it to......

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[tianorth]

This is getting ridiculous, the spelling is correct just before I click submit.

After clicking submit it changes it!

Haaaa sorted it now!

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[2retro]

I guess you must type nappies into your phone a LOT for it to autocorrect nipples to that... :eusa-whistle:

:lol:

 

[tianorth]

I do sometimes like it as it give me a smile and doh! at the same time.

As said I do like the "bleed apples".

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[DKZ5745]

I just had a picture in my head of Chris, on a good night out, sucking someone’s nappies :?