Front caliper replacement - any tips?

[LC2015]

Long story short, the pins that hold the pads onto the caliper are seized onto the caliper, with no chance of getting them off. I just ordered some OEM front caliper replacements and plan to swap them out.

I've bled brakes before, and read up on the proper sequence, etc.

I'm not planning on a full bleed since the dealer did that last year. I just want to bleed enough to fill each caliper being replaced.

Questions:

- Anti seize on those big caliper pins so they don't end up stuck in the caliper again? Or grease? Ideas?

- Would you do one caliper at a time in terms of the replacement and bleeding process? My plan is to do front passenger caliper replace and bleed, then front driver separately, using Toyota instructions.

Any hints or tips are appreciated. I'll make sure the reservoir never dips lower than Min, with wife holding brake pedal.

If I run into any issues I have a shop very close by who can just bleed for me after. Safety net!

 

[LBridges]

I would pick up some brake pad grease to lube the pins. It usually comes in small quantities for less than 2 bucks at Autozone or similar places. Made for the heat that a caliper will experience. If the anti-sieze specifically says it's good high temps it might be OK too.

I don't see it mattering if you did one side then the other, or if you did them both before bleeding.

 

[CharlieS]

In my experience (with other vehicles), you will want to bleed the entire system, not just the ones you replace. You don't want any air trapped in the system. Bleed after all of the relevant calipers are replaced.

 

[LC2015]

Thanks for the ideas...
Would you guys pinch the hose right above the caliper (during replacement), or too much risk of damaging the hose?

 

[TeCKis300]

Having just swapped my front calipers for Tundra calipers... (BTW, if anyone else is looking for a good working set of stock calipers, IM me)

If you are able to swap the lines over to the replacement calipers reasonably quickly (should be doable), and avoid bleeding down of the master cylinder, than you can just bleed the front two calipers. If you're taking long enough, I would do a full bleed including the rear calipers. Perhaps up to and including the master cylinder, using techstream to activate and purge the ABS block.

People do it, but I personally wouldn't pinch the hose.

When you say lube the big caliper pins, do you mean pistons? They should not be lubed.

Good luck!

 

[LC2015]

When you say lube the big caliper pins, do you mean pistons? They should not be lubed.
Good luck!

Definitely not the pistons, they're fine - calipers are working perfectly. I just mean the two long cotter pins that hold the pads into the caliper.

See pic

 

[TeCKis300]

Yes, a light dab of lube against the contact points on the caliper and also where the pads contact the pin.

 

[04UZJ100]

Have you tried tapping the pins out with a hammer? I have a hard time believing they are that seized. What is the overall condition of the rest of the truck??

This is probably a dumb question and I don’t mean to insult your intelligence but did you remove the retaining pins/springs?

 

[LC2015]

Have you tried tapping the pins out with a hammer? I have a hard time believing they are that seized. What is the overall condition of the rest of the truck??

This is probably a dumb question and I don’t mean to insult your intelligence but did you remove the retaining pins/springs?

lol yes, I did remove the retaining springs. It's a 2015 and in great shape, but I think this is one of the challenges with new england salted roads - things like this happen.

I tried to bang it out with a hammer, which I did a few years ago when I swapped pads, but one is so seized in there that I ended up bending the end of the pin and got frustrated with it all.

If I had the time and patience, I would have disconnected the caliper from the brake line and brought it to my workbench and banged it out or squeezed it out on my vise. But I was lazy and tried to bang it out with a hammer and ended up in a worse situation.

I ordered the new calipers from lakeland toyota (toyota parts overstock or whatever) and they weren't so terrible (about $150 each). I'm happy with new calipers anyway, and will do it the right way this time. I'll put some lube or antiseize on the pins, both where they slide through the caliper and where they contact the pads (as TeCKis300 said).

 

[04UZJ100]

lol yes, I did remove the retaining springs. It's a 2015 and in great shape, but I think this is one of the challenges with new england salted roads - things like this happen.

I tried to bang it out with a hammer, which I did a few years ago when I swapped pads, but one is so seized in there that I ended up bending the end of the pin and got frustrated with it all.

If I had the time and patience, I would have disconnected the caliper from the brake line and brought it to my workbench and banged it out or squeezed it out on my vise. But I was lazy and tried to bang it out with a hammer and ended up in a worse situation.

I ordered the new calipers from lakeland toyota (toyota parts overstock or whatever) and they weren't so terrible (about $150 each). I'm happy with new calipers anyway, and will do it the right way this time. I'll put some lube or antiseize on the pins, both where they slide through the caliper and where they contact the pads (as TeCKis300 said).

Roger.

Did the new calipers come coated/painted? Suggest doing that if they’re not already.

 

[LC2015]

Roger.

Did the new calipers come coated/painted? Suggest doing that if they’re not already.

They're the OEM ones, so I'm assuming not? They haven't arrived yet...