bendix brake caliper replacements

[sethkestenbaum]

In changing the brakes/rotors, it seems that I need front calipers. This car happens to have the Bendix brake calipers up front (seen in the photos).  One has a front piston stuck and the other has a back piston stuck.  My mechanic tells me that I should just replace both. 

1) Is it worth trying to rebuild what I have or should I just give them up as cores? I do not have a press and have never rebuilt calipers. I would likely have to pay the mechanic to do this for me and suspect that I won't know if the calipers I have are even rebuildable until I have them apart/inspected.
2) Should I bother looking for rebuilt bendix or are there other options?
3) I found replacements from OPParts sold via AutohausAZ. Are these any good?
4) What are my other options if any?

Thanks,
Seth

[adamb]

I've rebuilt my front calipers myself though I'm not a mechanic. You need an air compressor and some patience and skill.

If not comfortable then you can probably send off to a local company who will recondition for you. Recondition is possible unless the inside groove is really badly scored, which is unlikely.

Where I live you can get reconditioned calipers on an exchange basis for not much money. The rear calipers I exchanged with a company called GSF. These look like new as they are painted, usually silver. After receiving the new ones I sent off the old ones to them and get a partial refund. They will rebuild mine and sell on to somebody else.

No need to buy new unless you have no choice.

[sethkestenbaum]

Closing the loop on this, I purchased two correct late bendix remanufactured for about $50 each plus a $10 core charge each.  I'll keep the cores and possibly rebuild them myself for "spares".  Apparently there is also lots of confusion as to early vs. late bendix calipers for the car.  I was lucky enough to get some guidance on this prior to placing the order.  Hopefully I will be back on the road next week.

[sethkestenbaum]

With new brakes and rotors all around and new front calipers, I went for a nice 15 mile drive and found that my rear passenger side wheel was getting far too hot.  It doesn't look like the rear calipers are bad or causing binding. Any thoughts on what could cause this?

[s class]

Are the parking brake shoes adjusted correctly?

[sethkestenbaum]

I would hope so.  I had a local and experienced mechanic who is familiar with MBs do the pads (and check them yesterday after the fact).  He felt they were correctly installed.

[rumb]

Easy enough to check the parking brakes yourself.  should only take about 1/2 hour.

https://handbook.w116.org/Maintenance/MY72/706.pdf

[sethkestenbaum]

No problems with the brakes after the mechanic rechecked and I took the car for a 20 minute drive up and down a bunch of hills..... but my radio antenna wasn't working.  I suspect the gremlins.