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Stainless Steel Pistons

whistler110

whistler110

Overdrive!
This may be a stupid question but I need to ask it.

I have been looking at rebuilding my brake calipers using Stainless Steel piston pots but this got me thing about corrosion. I was thinking about SS because all the salt used on the roads around here and the fact that I don't use the brakes much is causing them to corrode. But here is the concern, with SS pistons will I start to get Galvanic corrosion between the pistons and the caliper body with the presence of salt water?

I have heard of people having pistons lathed up using brass or copper, I can't remember which. Would this be a better option?
 
Search google for Galvanic index. The closer the 2 metals are on the index the less Electrolysis there will be. And thus less corrosion
 
Have one, thanks.

I guess I was looking for more first hand knowledge as I've never worked with this kind of stuff. I'm not sure if the piston being sealed from the Caliper body with the rubber seal is enough to keep the corrosion occuring with salted water being flung up onto it from the road.

My main concern is if it's worth going SS if it will be a problem, do I spend the money to have something machined up custom, or just live with the fact that I have to rebuild more often then most.

Opinions welcome.
 
If you're going to use S/steel you need to use 304 (also known as food grade) or 316 grade both are non magnetic so dont rust 304 is the better to machine.

As for whether it's worth it that all depends on how often you're rebuilding the steel ones.

The Piston don't touch the caliper casting so I dont think it would have any Galvanic process going on.

Go for it what have you got to lose
 
When I got my Ninety 5 years [and 30,000 miles] ago, I replaced the rusty pistons with SS ones, as like you I was concerned that the standard chromed ones may rust out before they had worn, as I was using the car mainly as a weekend toy, and I envisaged long periods of mud covered inactivity.

Last time I looked the pistons [and seals] were looking in very good shape. despit the fact that I have replaced the discs once, and the pads twice in that period.
 
Thanks guys. I have to rebuild the calipers because of the pistons everytime I have to change the pads. I'll give the SS a try as I can buy those instead of having them machined.
 
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