Trying to get an insight into some brake problems I'm dealing with, I came across http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=733022 which mentions a dimple punched into the bottom of each half of a Girling caliper, and that you should be able to see two of these dimples together to assure that the caliper was assembled correctly. I have one rear caliper that (a) was mounted upside down and, therefore, couldn't be bled properly and (b) was barely doing any braking. The other one seemed to be working fine. The sick caliper shows no dimples anywhere, the well one does, but they are on the upper rear surface of the caliper, approximately at the height of the bleeder valve. Does that mean that the dimples could be anywhere on the caliper, and that they are assembled correctly as long as they are together, and that with the ones without any dimples at all you just hope for the best? I have rebuilt calipers on order and would like to have some confidence in their having been put together correctly before I go through the trouble of mounting them.
Bob S.

That "dimple post" was probably mine, where I was referring to Girling FRONT calipers. I can't really say about the rears, but will check if I can fine a couple in my garage.

No post back will mean I couldn't find any rear Girlings.
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

I found different markings on two Girling Rears.

One had very distinct dimples (more distinct than I've seen on Fronts) on the rear-upper face, just above the bleeder position.

The other caliper is marked differently. No dimples, but on the lower-rear face, there is a raised circular "boss" about 5/16" in diameter on the inner half. The outer half has a matching "negative" (recessed) circular impression.

BUT — the UPPER face of the OUTER half ALSO has the same recessed circular impression, which matches nothing. (???)

So apparently, it could just as well be turned over and mated to the opposite side's caliper half. No sign of the definite dimples as on the other caliper. Which leaves me puzzled, because it wont work inverted, IMO.


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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

Thanks, Bruce.
That's exactly what I found except that, with a bit of imagination, I can see a dime-sized area on the upper part of the inner half that appears to be sort of flattened. The opposite "sunken" spot is quite distinct, but recessed next to the seam and raised at the outer side. This is the caliper that was mounted upside down and I found impossible to bleed. The odd thing is that, before I started to overhaul the brake system, that caliper was working -- not well, but it was doing at least half its job. So, someone must have found a way to bleed the bugger before I got to it.
Bob S.

I would strongly suspect that the dimples were added after the fact by a previous rebuilder. I have not seen them, personally, on any "untouched" calipers.

Same calipers were used on different applications and, in some instances, same castings were assembled into different units for different applications.

Make your own marks if you have to disassemble.

Mike!

Mike,
Could be, except that these dimples are a good 1/8th in diameter and at least 1/16th deep and almost appear to be cast in rather than punched -- hard to tell, what with the rust and the paint. Might have been drilled also.
Bob S.

That may explain it. I was thinking small.
Incedentally, I've never split the Girling calipers as I was told not to and could get the piston/seal/retainers out with it assembled. Also I was told that if the cylinders were damaged to just replace the whole thing and let a regular rebuilder worry about splitting/honing/sleeving/whatever/and reassembling.
Of course, I get a bee in my bonnet from time to time so this is good to know.

Thanks,

Mike!