How to rebuild Austin Healey Sprite & MG Midget front brake calipers. Bugeye Build Episode 68

These brake calipers, sourced from a 1972 MG Midget, will be going on our 1959 Austin Healey Sprite. They get cleaned, painted and rebuilt prior to installation.
We would love to hear from you! If you have a questions or suggestions please leave them in the comments section or send me an e-mail at the address below.
Just a quick disclaimer... this may not be the "correct" way to do this job but it's how I did it with what resources I have on hand.
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Thanks for joining me in the garage!
#bugeyesprite #frogeyesprite #austinhealeysprite #mgmidget

[@mundanestuff]

nice job refurbishing the calipers, so much less trouble than I thought it was going to be, and you made it look easy.

[@EconoboxGarage]

Thanks Ken. I'm finding a lot of these little jobs turn out to be very 'doable' even with basic tools and knowledge.

[@jimh5107]

Ian, I watched the video on your disc brake rebuild. My pistons are stock and not stainless like yours. I noticed that pushing them into the caliper looked pretty easy. Mine are an all day job just to get the pistons in. We’re yours new from Moss and we’re they as easy as it looked. Jim in .Spokane, Wa

[@EconoboxGarage]

Hi Jim. I had to go back and watch the video to refresh my memory!! I used the Moss piston/seal kit (part number 182-890). The job was fairly straightforward. I took my time making sure that the pistons were well lubed (lube supplied in the kit) and that they were square in the bore. Some took a little more pressure that others but all in all the end result is a good set of brakes.

[@jimh5107]

Thanks Ian, I’ve watched your videos pretty much from the start. I did mine about 7 years ago and ended up with rust in my master cylinder. I Ve had the car since high school and never really paid attention to that fluid except to make sure it was full. The rust was eating the seals and suddenly the clutch gave me troubles. I’m replacing all the seals , cleaning out the lines with denatured alcohol and then putting it all back together. I’ve talked to several people with Bugeyes and they’ve switched to silicone with no problems. Thinking of doing the same. Any thoughts? Jim

[@garethgoodchild2643]

Thanks Ian. Very instructive as usual. I’ve always purchased rebuilt units but I may try a rebuild next time. You made it look easy! 👍

[@EconoboxGarage]

Glad you enjoyed this one Gareth.

[@billcunningham8485]

Great video Ian - had not seen that rebuild process previously. Nice work. And yes the paint to “match” the caliper pair was wise. I would have done the same thing - would have driven me nuts to have them not match.

[@EconoboxGarage]

Thanks Bill. I've seen videos of them being rebuilt without splitting them but I think it's a lot easier to do it this way.

[@ebr2124]

Thank you Ian. Very instructive. Just one question, what is the blanking plug for?

[@EconoboxGarage]

I believe it's simply a gallery plug. It looked like the hole was needed for some internal machining. Could be wrong on that though.

[@JohnSmith-tv5ep]

Good idea to dismantle the calipers and removing the old fluid behind them but when you bleed the brakes with new fluid, how do you remove the air pocket that is trapped from the outer piston as the bleed screw is on the inside side of the caliper piston? (Spongey brakes )

[@EconoboxGarage]

Haven't had an issue so far.

[@pascalpielage7854]

Will there be a book review in the next episode ?

[@EconoboxGarage]

I'm planning one for episode 70.

[@karlheinzbachmann9886]

Hi! I thought disassembling the caliper is not allowed? Only replace the complet calipers...Kalli

[@EconoboxGarage]

Hello Karlhienz, I don't see any reason why the calipers shouldn't be rebuilt. Parts are readily available from several sources and it's a fairly straightforward procedure.