Brake pad replacement and frozen fucking solid caliper slide pins

[Leaffan]

@Gary_T

If I can’t turn the pin on the car, I remove the caliper mounting bracket and clamp the pin’s hex or flats into a vise. Then, using a good amount of penetrating oil, I get a prybar onto the caliper body and carefully coax it into moving. Carefully so as to avoid having the pin break, which means getting a new bracket and a new pin. Usually once it starts to move, it’s just a matter of time working it as you did.

Once the pin is out, I clean out the bore in the caliper body with a drill bit. Sometimes I can save the pin, getting it good and clean with an abrasive disc, otherwise a new pin isn’t very costly.

It’s possible for it to be so badly siezed that the pin won’t come out without breaking. Heating with a torch is not advisable as it can alter the temper of the bracket, which can weaken it.

I like to use synthetic brake grease for the lube.

Thanks. I never shopped for brake caliper grease before. Now I know.

[novaman]

This crap design is great if you live in the desert or dry areas. One little leak or crack in the pin boot will allow moisture in but not out freezing the pins eventually. This issue plagued me on my 94 Caprice with rear disks (calipers made in Australia) and my 03 Elantra GT. They should go back to the old designs which worked(Asian and American manufacturers used to use this design) where the pins float in the rubber bushings or they simply float in the caliper brackets on looser fitting pins without boots.

[MikeG]

My BMW has Allen heads on the pins which were fine on 3 wheels but my front left lower pin broke 4 Allen drivers. I ended up using pb blaster, a hammer and heat to get it out. All the new pins got nickel anti seize and brake lube where needed.

[ralph124c]

One reason why dual piston disc brakes are better. seriously, how much more would it cost to have dual piston brakes? Maybe $5.00/car?

[Mechman]

Uric acid !! Dog pee, it’s a theory anyway ! Cars parked with the nearside wheels to the kerb are a favourite with our canine friends. Cheers M.