I killed a caliper... (1 Viewer)

[Klunky Chris]

soo......
as is the story of my life, I wait just a little to long to replace my brakes. I was waiting to do the rear axle bearing repack and seals all at once.
(of course after taking just 5 minutes to pull the rear caliper and rotor, I feel reeeeeeeeeeal dumb )

So i'm driving along, and the rotor squeeling noise just got way worse! I stop and check to see if anything is grinding or if its the rotors.
I then pull away..... but i don't..... I'm stuck!!!
I give it gas, but it feels like the parking brake is on! I try reverse and BANG!!! I move backward!

gawd..... THAT'S not good....

Luckily I'm 1 mile from home so I start off slowly..... rotor noise is amazingly bad!
I round a left turn, and noise gets a little worse, then SCREEETCH!!!!
I come to a stop.
no... I didn't touch the brakes.....

again, I have to reverse... BANG! then forward a bit.

Anyway, after pulling it apart just now I find the pad from the piston side back behind the backing plate, and the piston ground to the rotor. The pad (or particles) must have been getting caught between the caliper and the rotor...)

Soooo......
my question is, should I try to rebuild this thing? can I get a new piston? The rubber boot doesn't look that bad (only in reference to damage, I would replace it)

how about aftermarket calipers? has anyone had any luck with certain brands?? I hate aftermarket, but my pockets are a little light right now :'(

luckilly, I have new OEM rotors and pads already (although I feel REAL dumb about not putting them on before...)
The fronts are in great shape as the rotors and pads are new (I figured someone would ask )

TIA for any advice!!!

 

[cruiserdan]

My,

It's guys like you that keep guys like me in dog food

It is possible to obtain a piston and an overhaul kit that would give you the rubber parts. The caliper appears quite rusty to me. That may be a function of the high desert climate I reside in. I do not know the price of a piston off the top o' me bald head but IIRC a reman OEM caliper is around a hundred bucks. There is a core value of 20 bucks in addition to that. Since the piston is damaged the core has no value so that needs to be added in. I think a new piston would be in the neighborhood of 40 bucks or so.

D-

 

[Koffer]

Nice Chris
You need to do a little thing like maintence once every so often . A set of pads about 10k ago would have been in order
Its alot cheaper

 

[Klunky Chris]

rust!?! in the great northeastern salt belt?!? NEVER!

actually, I haven't gone over the caliper closely. Isn't this the type that are supposed to slide on 2 guide rods? I *think* they get rusty and sticky right?

can any old Yoda dealer get re-man OEM parts? From what I've gathered, I *think* you sell yoda parts. I might be working on a tight schedule though, and therefore might need to get them from a local dealer. I'm am definitely open to suggestions though.

what's the price difference between a new OEM caliper and a re-man OEM caliper??? I might just go new if it's not huge.

Thanks C-Dan!

 

[Klunky Chris]

[quote author=Koffer link=board=2;threadid=7907;start=msg66629#msg66629 date=1069539600]
A set of pads about 10k ago would have been in order
[/quote]

I know.... I know.... and I know better too.....

you know whats really bad though? I haven't even had this thing for 5K-6K miles yet!!!! 10K ago??? thats the PO!!!! (I'm calling him now!)

 

[thelal]

I replyed via http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80scool/message/50466

Lal

 

[cruiserdan]

Chris,

There is a huge difference between re-man and new. I would opt for re-man in this case. Yes, I can supply OEM if that avenue suits you. Yes, any Toyota dealer has the ability to obtain any re-man components that are offered by Toyota. Of course they need to know how to find them.

D-

 

[Gumby]

Carquest loaded caliper was 110.00 a couple of weeks ago when I checked for somebody else. I would repack those wheel bearings too. You probably got them hot.

 

[Junk]

Nice work spunkie. Dude, like one of the first things ya gotta check is the pads when buying a used vehicle.

You, uh, may want to consider doing some checking on other possible lack-o-maint areas based on this + the birfs.

 

[Beowulf]

Chris,
Don't feel too bad as you're not alone. A good friend of mine and C-Dan's (fellow club member) did the same thing on the front, and then about 6 months later, he let a rear go too long. And he's a good mechanic!!!

I agree with Junk in that you need to take some of the resources (time & $$) you were planning for wheeling trips and go through your truck really well. Fixing things after they break gets very expensive... but you know that .

-B-

 

[Klunky Chris]

yep guys, you're all totally correct.
And I do know better. I knew the pads were worn from my last inspection, but didn't think they would go like this... :
I also made the mistake of being lazy about changing the pads because I didn't care about the rotors. I was changing them so it wasn't a big deal. (riiiiiight..... )

I AM going to be re-doing the wheel bearings and seals during this maintenance.
Luckilly, it wasn't a wheel bearing that went. (I was thinking that's what it was based on the noise/ seizure)

I agree that I should go over this thing real good. I'd like suggestions as to what to look, for

I HAVE already done:
*front birfield/wheel bearing repack with all new OEM seals.
*changed both diff fluids and transfer case fluid with redline.
*new OEM PS pump and synthetic ATF
*checked 4 wheel alignment and all parts for wear
*oil/ filter change (obvious, but thought I'd add it )
I had my trusty Toyota Mechanic perform the following:
*front main crank seal and oil pump seal. distributor O-ring seal
*replaced O2 sensors under Toyota recall warranty
*power flush my transmission fluid.
*changed all the brake fluid (bled it all out)
*changed plugs/ wires/ cap/ rotor
*replaced the PHH and power flushed the coolant system. new Toyota red/ cap/ thermostat
*all new OEM belts and new idler pulley bearing.


Looking back at this list I don't feel too bad as I have obviously done a lot to this truck already...... (still no excuse to skimp on a 15 min job : )

Any suggestions as to other things to look for would be GREATLY appreciated!.

 

[Beowulf]

Chris,
Good list and it looks like the last thing you needed to do is on-deck; the rear bearings, seal, and brakes.

-B-

 

[bkfj40]

[quote author=Junk link=board=2;threadid=7907;start=msg66668#msg66668 date=1069551322]
Nice work spunkie. Dude, like one of the first things ya gotta check is the pads when buying a used vehicle.

You, uh, may want to consider doing some checking on other possible lack-o-maint areas based on this + the birfs.
[/quote]

Don't hold back Mike...tell Chris how it really is

maybe Chris's new name should be klunky and squealy

bk

 

[Riley]

After investigating:
DIY rebuilding calipers
and buying rebuilt calipers

and the info from this site and friends, my conclusion is that a DIY rebuild of a caliper is pretty easy AS LONG AS the pistons are in good shape (not scored, pitted ect.).

In turn this makes me wonder if a guy should add this to his periodic preventive maintenance list. I'm thinking that every 90K or so a guy should treat the caliper to new seals, boots and bleeder screws ect.. The idea being to get to this before the boot gets torn and the piston gets pitted and seized.

if you wait too long then the task becomes more difficult (I think).

What do you guys think? Too anal? or worthwhile?

R

 

[landtank]

Now look what you've done . Just spent $250.00 for new front rotors and pads, and feeling pretty damn good about it, and now you're talking sense about completing the job with caliper rebuilds.


What's those kits cost?

 

[Gumby]

Ever rebuild a caliper? Everything is pretty easy except for getting the piston back in. It's enough to make you swear off them ever again. You would also have to do it as preventative maintenance, because if it sticks because of the piston, you're done there anyway. It is good maintenance to replace the pins on occasion, but I'll just replace my calipers every 150,000 miles or so rather than adding replacing the seals to my maintenance list.

 

[Riley]

Ok Todd - that's what I was looking for. I'll follow your lead and forget it.

The rebuilt calipers we installed on Simon's truck didn't come with new pins. We just cleaned them up.