is it hard to rebuild calipers your self?
have any of you done this before?
if so how did it go?
have any of you done this before?
if so how did it go?
rebuilding calipers?
- Thread starter toy4xfun
- Start date
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Yeah, I've done it several times. It's not bad, just be methodical about it, get yourself an old muffin pan to keep the parts organized. Toyota sells a kit of just the seals, it's waaaay cheaper than buying new calipers.
Trick I use for getting the old sticky pistons out: the method they show in the FSM of using air pressure to pop them out doesn't work. Not enough pressure to push them out. What I do is BEFORE you disconnect them from the truck, slip the brake pads out of the calipers, while they are still mounted on the knuckle. Pull them out of both sides. Then get in the truck and stomp on the brake pedal. The hydraulic pressure should be enough to push the old sticky pistons almost all the way out of the calipers, but eventually they hit the brake rotor and don't fall out.
Kinda like this "before" pic:
Be sure to inspect the pistons carefully, be prepared to replace any that are really crusty. If you have to replace more than 2, it suddenly gets cheaper to just get a whole new caliper.
"After" pic:
Trick I use for getting the old sticky pistons out: the method they show in the FSM of using air pressure to pop them out doesn't work. Not enough pressure to push them out. What I do is BEFORE you disconnect them from the truck, slip the brake pads out of the calipers, while they are still mounted on the knuckle. Pull them out of both sides. Then get in the truck and stomp on the brake pedal. The hydraulic pressure should be enough to push the old sticky pistons almost all the way out of the calipers, but eventually they hit the brake rotor and don't fall out.
Kinda like this "before" pic:
Be sure to inspect the pistons carefully, be prepared to replace any that are really crusty. If you have to replace more than 2, it suddenly gets cheaper to just get a whole new caliper.
"After" pic:
- Thread starter
- #3
well i think i am going to try it.
thanks for the info klf.
thanks for the info klf.
Have fun. Getting the boots blown out over the pistons is a giant PIA. I haven't rebuilt on in about 20 years. Way too easy to just go get ones that you know have good parts in them.
I have always had good luck w/the compressor method.
Sometimes when they get sticky, you could try using some channel-locks to prevent all the pistons from coming out.
This seems to focus the compressed air-pressure onto a pair of pistons, or a single piston if desired.
Only use brake-cleaner or brake-fluid during your rebuild to clean things up.
Once you've rebuild your calipers, you will be surprised how easy it was.
If you don't feel confident rebuilding them yourself, invite a fellow cruiser-head for some assistance.
or
pickup a rebuild set.
properly functioning brakes are very important...
hth,
manny
Sometimes when they get sticky, you could try using some channel-locks to prevent all the pistons from coming out.
This seems to focus the compressed air-pressure onto a pair of pistons, or a single piston if desired.
Only use brake-cleaner or brake-fluid during your rebuild to clean things up.
Once you've rebuild your calipers, you will be surprised how easy it was.
If you don't feel confident rebuilding them yourself, invite a fellow cruiser-head for some assistance.
or
pickup a rebuild set.
properly functioning brakes are very important...
hth,
manny
I've torn two sets of calipers apart for my 4runner, they all had pitted pistons. It was cheaper to buy rebuilt calipers then to replace the pistons and do it my self. But the time it takes to tear them down to see if they are worth rebuilding is pretty quick and easy.
- Thread starter
- #7
i am just going to get rebuilt ones, the are both locked up on the inside, and screwed the rotors up too.
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Rebuilding is best done before you have a problem... at $10 a side it's cheap maintenance...
- Thread starter
- #9
these are off of an 87 truck i bought for parts, i thought they were locked from sitting but then i seen the back of the rotor and they have been locked, for a while.
also i pulled the spindle and every thing off the truck,still together so they have been in my garage since 1998.
also i pulled the spindle and every thing off the truck,still together so they have been in my garage since 1998.
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I rebuilt the calipers on Green Bastard, and after sitting for 3-4 years it only had one stuck piston (one of the large ones). After I got it out it was pitted badly, so I stole a piston out of a later (V6) caliper at a junk yard and it went right in.
- Thread starter
- #11
on one caliper both inside pistons are froze i tried to use a c clamp on that side to try and push them back in and they would not move.
so i figured if i am going to buy one caliper i will just get both of them, the good thing is i have them off so there will be no core charge.
they have been sitting off the truck for a long time under my work bench, so i was surprised all 4 pistons were not locked.
so i figured if i am going to buy one caliper i will just get both of them, the good thing is i have them off so there will be no core charge.
they have been sitting off the truck for a long time under my work bench, so i was surprised all 4 pistons were not locked.
For future attempts by mudders that choose to rebuild and they are locked up, try grease........it works great. I used to do this on Sub. and old cruisers back in the day.
but now I am to lazy to rebuild
but now I am to lazy to rebuild