Wilwood is well known for creating brake calipers and braking components. Made in America, they are also thought it have high-quality craftsmanship with extensive experience in manufacturing. When we were looking for a caliper brand to incorporate into our brake kits, we couldn’t go past Wilwood for their extensive range of sizes and performance options.
We are often asked, “Why do our (Wilwood) calipers not come with dust boots?”
Firstly, Wilwood calipers are built for high-performance applications. The rubber dust boots often found in OEM calipers would melt through the pistons or turn hard and brittle when exposed to high temperatures. This would cause the dust boots to lose their effectiveness in keeping dirt and debris away from the pistons, potentially causing a dangerous situation, which would not be ideal for track use. This could result in damage to the piston seal, fluid leaking or total brake failure.
As Wilwood calipers are designed for high heat, the use of dust boots is pointless. The calipers’ construction relies on simple maintenance procedures that prevent dirt and debris from entering the pistons, meaning re-building is often unnecessary despite the lack of dust boots.
When changing brake pads, it is recommended to spray brake cleaner in and around the exposed pistons, wipe off the excess with a clean rag, and then push the pistons back into place. This very simple maintenance procedure is all that is required when using calipers without dust boots and will significantly affect brake performance if not done.
