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May I Solder this Caliper???

Curious_George

Curious_George

Monkey
Oct 14, 2007
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Here is a picc of a cracked Formula Oro Caliper. It has a slight line at the base of the pad bolt and it digging in to the piston's reservoire?

Seeing as a caliper is almost the same as a new set can I solder it up to stop the leakeage??

picture attached
 

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AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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Jun 4, 2006
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Technically, aluminum cannot be soldered, it must be welded. The bolt tab probably does not have enough room to support a proper weld bead. Theoretically it could be welded, however doing so would more than likely create other problems and more labor, such as removing excess bead and rethreading the hole, not to mention if the caliper has gone through heat treating process.

Find out if you can buy replacement parts for the caliper.
 
MobileChernobyl

MobileChernobyl

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Apr 16, 2006
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Golden, CO
Yes, its solderable, just make sure to use MAPP gas as you'll need the extra heat. Go to your local welding shop and buy 10% silver solder. Heat it up until it glows cherry red, apply the solder, and then stick it in the microwave for 10 minutes submerged in soapy water. No disassembly will be required for this procedure.

Good luck!
 
DirtyMike

DirtyMike

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Aug 8, 2005
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Just to clarify a little bit, Aluminum CANNOT be SOLDERED, but It can be braized. very simular but different process. different material being used, different heat levels.


For the OP, you already know its cracked, you already know teh cost of replacing it.... sooooo whats to loose in giving it a shot???




ONe last thing to add, I do not know for sure myself.......But that caliper is indded aluminum, not magnesium right? Its its mag, Make video when you do this, might be a cool fireworks show!!!
 
AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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I stand corrected.

According to The Complete Metalsmith by Tim McCreight, " Aluminum can be soldered and joined only with special solders, many of which are sold with their own flux. "

What he is talking about is not using a electronics type soldering iron but soldering with a torch. I would not recommend doing this without several practice attempts. This type of soldering is difficult and requires years of practice to become proficient at. Trust me, I'm a smith I know these things.

If it were me and I could find a replacement part and rebuild the caliper that is what I would do. But if money is tight and I could get my hands on the appropriate solder than I might give it a try.

If you do attempt to solder it, thoroughly clean off any brake fluid as it will prevent solder from bonding to the metal. Also do so outside or in a well ventilated space.
 
AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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MobileChernobyl said:
Yes, its solderable, just make sure to use MAPP gas as you'll need the extra heat. Go to your local welding shop and buy 10% silver solder. Heat it up until it glows cherry red, apply the solder, and then stick it in the microwave for 10 minutes submerged in soapy water. No disassembly will be required for this procedure.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
WTF...he wants to fix his brake not blow up his house.
 
al-irl

al-irl

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Dec 9, 2004
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don't bother with either. A caliper half is relatively cheap. Get in touch with your local formula dealer. Formula might even warrenty it, although it looks like it was caused from over tightening of the pad retainer pin.
 
Curious_George

Curious_George

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Oct 14, 2007
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al-irl said:
don't bother with either. A caliper half is relatively cheap. Get in touch with your local formula dealer. Formula might even warrenty it, although it looks like it was caused from over tightening of the pad retainer pin.
Click to expand...
D.O.G. a new caliper is 170 retail...where a new brake is 230....ya...they are apparently only sold as a pair

More soldering ideas???
 
MobileChernobyl

MobileChernobyl

Monkey
Apr 16, 2006
392
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Golden, CO
AngryMetalsmith said:
WTF...he wants to fix his brake not blow up his house.
Click to expand...
Haha funny! I'm assuming your being totally sarcastic here? Just incase your not, I've done plenty of experiments with materials and compounds exposed to the microwave spectrum, and aside from sticking a ballon filled with oxy/acy and steel wool to a 1' dia... I've never had a microwave "deconstruct itself" under its own power (in a realistic amount of time). Sorry to be a buzzkill but metal + microwave, despite the common misconcetion, does not equal boom ;)
 
S

Sonic Reducer

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Mar 19, 2006
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google alumalloy. it is a type of aluminum solder that can be worked with mapp gas. personally I would bet that the cast aluminum is a little porous and has a lot of brake fluid residue in it making any successful bonding difficult.
 
DirtyMike

DirtyMike

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Aug 8, 2005
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AngryMetalsmith said:
I stand corrected.

According to The Complete Metalsmith by Tim McCreight, " Aluminum can be soldered and joined only with special solders, many of which are sold with their own flux. "

What he is talking about is not using a electronics type soldering iron but soldering with a torch. I would not recommend doing this without several practice attempts. This type of soldering is difficult and requires years of practice to become proficient at. Trust me, I'm a smith I know these things.

If it were me and I could find a replacement part and rebuild the caliper that is what I would do. But if money is tight and I could get my hands on the appropriate solder than I might give it a try.

If you do attempt to solder it, thoroughly clean off any brake fluid as it will prevent solder from bonding to the metal. Also do so outside or in a well ventilated space.
Click to expand...

To add here, when braizing aluminum, you really REALLY need to practice. not trying to beat a dead horse, but the heat range for this type of work is pretty damn specific. Basically you have an extremly narrow window in which your going to have the metal hot enough for the substrate<soldier> to bond to the aluminum, and overheating in which the metal melts. When I am braizing in new lines for AC, I am normally using an Oxy/accelatyne torch. But a Mapp/Oxy system will work. doesnt make as much heat at the accetalyne, and belive it or not, that makes it a little harder. Basically when we are using aluminum lines, we get those things damn near melting when the solder melts. heat on the back side of the joint, solder on the opposite side, and soon as it melts pull the wire half way around the joint and pull the torch away , the solder will flow all the way around.















So, to clear up a little terminology, the act of doing is confused, "soldering" Is done with a heating device, pinpoint, and exacting connetions which involve an electrical connection. If your using a torch, your braizing, spreading the heat over larger areas, and is not so pinpoint.


Solder, is just the material used to join to other metal peices together..... Best part is, with the proper Solder, you can even join two different metals!!!!! IE Brass to copper, or Brass to aluminum!!!!!
 
AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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DirtyMike said:
So, to clear up a little terminology, the act of doing is confused, "soldering" Is done with a heating device, pinpoint, and exacting connetions which involve an electrical connection. If your using a torch, your braizing, spreading the heat over larger areas, and is not so pinpoint.


Solder, is just the material used to join to other metal peices together..... Best part is, with the proper Solder, you can even join two different metals!!!!! IE Brass to copper, or Brass to aluminum!!!!!
Click to expand...
There are actually two types of soldering techniques, Hard Soldering and Soft Soldering. The latter is used in the electronics industry and employs the use of a soldering iron. Hard Soldering is done with a torch and is the primary joining technique in the metalsmithing and jewelry industry. Hard Soldering is also a type of brazing, both of which use a third element to bond the two pieces of metal called solder. The main difference between the two is the type of solder used and the metals to be joined. Brazing uses brass to bond steel and other ferrous metal. Hard Soldering uses silver or gold solder to bond non-ferrous metals such as gold, silver, and copper.
 
buildyourown

buildyourown

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2004
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South Seattle
Wow, lots of misinformation in this thread.

To the OP, you aren't going to fix it for less than the cost of a new one. Suck it up and buy it. Some things just aren't easy to repair. Aluminum castings are one of them.
 
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