[Fot] Girling caliper seals TR/GT6

[Scott Janzen]

Hi, Jason:
The brakes on a GT6 are asked to do a lot.  The car weighs about as much as a TR4, but it’s nose heavy and you run 13” wheels, compared to the 15s on a TR.  Smaller discs, less size to absorb heat and less ventilation.  

That said, I’ve only had a seal fail once  - summer race weekend, put the car on the trailer hot, and found brake fluid on the trailer floor when I got home.  Calipers had not been rebuilt for a while.  Since then, I try to repack wheel bearings and pop the pistons out of the calipers about every two weekends.  When the seals have gotten a little crispy on the outside edge, I replace them.  I just get the Moss rebuild kits, though Dave Bean Lotus on the west coast has something special that costs more.  Not sure it’s worth it.  I don’t bother with dust seals as they just melt.
I’ve rebuilt the same calipers over and over, use stainless steel pistons which I polish occasionally when they get scuffed.  I never break the calipers apart.  Bore condition really only has an effect on the piston wear, as the seal does not move in the bore.  White Post tells me they do not re-sleeve caliper bores.

You might try brake ducting to bring the temp down a bit. Motul 600 is good, but I boiled it once on an enduro pit stop, and now use the ridiculously expensive Castrol Gold stuff.

See you at the races!

On Jul 20, 2019, at 10:01 AM, Jason Sukey via Fot <fot at autox.team.net> wrote:

After two race weekends I have a leaky Girling 16pb caliper- Before the season, i rebuilt them with new pistons and seals, paying attention to carefully clean everything including the seal groves before assembly.  The seal kit i used was branded TRW, Pistons are nitrided steel. Motul RBF600 fluid.
Could just be a fluke.....
Is there a particular brand of seals that hold up better to racing use?  

What sort of service life are others getting in-between rebuilds?  

Jason
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