Major problems replacing rear pads! Torn Piston Boot?

[Janine]

Hi folks - really need some help here - my car has been sitting forever while I have been trying figure this out. I've been borrowing a car to get to work - have to get this done!!

I finally got the caliper bolt & the 2 caliper anchor bolts out - what a nightmare that was - and I was able to lift the caliper up & away. I removed the caliper anchor & got the old rotor off & the new one on.

The problem is, there is no way I can get the anchor pin out of the anchor plate - even with the anchor plate off - it's seized in there - I've sprayed it with PB Blaster, let it sit for days, no go. I read here that it isn't necessary to remove the anchor plate guide pin to replace the pads, but even though I got the caliper free to replace the pads, I can't get it back in place without removing the guide pin on the anchor plate.

Also, I used the little cube tool to push the caliper piston back, but it looks like it tore the piston boot!!! I know, I've learned now that I should have used the round disc tool. With the piston pushed all the way into the caliper, should you be able to see gaps in the boot, or have I torn it? If it's torn, can new boots be installed by just pressing them in, or does the caliper have to be disassembled/rebuilt to get them in? If so, I'll just get a rebuilt caliper, but I was so hoping I wouldn't have to remove the caliper. If the boots can be replaced w/o rebuilding the caliper, I figured I would just get a caliper repair kit & use only the boots, but I can't find any auto parts store in my area that carries a repair kit, & illustrations for the kits I see online don't include the boots.

I've done brakes before, and never had this kind of trouble!!

Thanks so much for any help!!

'96 Teal Contour SE
DURATEC V6
MTX
66,000 MI

 

[blu_fuz]

You can not buy that dust boot for the rear calipers anywhere...... It is a metal ring covered with rubber, pressed into the caliper body, that extends and becomes the "boot". I have repaired some boots with high temp black RTV.
-Fully extend the boot so it is not all crinkled up.
-Clean the boot with brake cleaner or other quick dry solution.
-Generously apply the RTV across the tear as evenly, as wide, and with a decent thickness.
-Let sit for overnight.
-Finish your install.

This is pretty temporary but will buy you some time. It is really a pain in the butt to do and you are probably better off getting a reman caliper or buying a good used one.


Where yours sounds like it ripped is right at the groove where the boot sits in the piston. If it ripped there, you need to replace it - no good way to do a repair.

Also, the slide pin is installed with threadlock and you will most likely strip the Torx head out.


Good luck!

 

[SVT Doood]

Dumb question time...the rear caliper piston screws in. It doesn't get pushed back in like the front calipers does. Did you use a clamp device to force the piston back into the sleeve?

 

[blu_fuz]

I used the little cube tool to push the caliper piston back

^ this tells me that they had the turning tool, but just said "pushed" even though it twists in........ Not 100% sure though. I don't think you can clamp it hard enough to even get it to go in. :shrug:

 

[Janine]

Thanks so much for the info.

Yes, I did use the cube tool to screw the piston in - I did not clamp it or force it back. The problem was that the cube tool was wide enough to catch on the boot, once the piston was all the way in, & tore it. The guy at Advance Auto said that he's seen that happen before, which is why they recommend the round disc rental tool instead. The manager said that he would replace my caliper since they sold me a tool which damaged mine, which I thought was extremely generous of him. Is there any way I could get the boot off of a rebuilt caliper & get it on mine? If not, I'm just going to take it to a shop to have the caliper replaced with the one Advance gives me. I'm just not up to trying to get the old one off & a new one on.

Here are the shop manual instructions for rebuilding the caliper:

# Install new caliper piston seal into groove, lubricate with clean brake fluid.
# Install new piston dust seal onto piston, then pack seal with a suitable disc brake slide grease. Lubricate piston surfaces with clean brake fluid.
# Using rear caliper piston adjuster T87P-2588-A, or equivalent, rotate caliper piston clockwise to install piston into caliper and onto adjuster spindle.
# Seat piston dust seal into caliper.
# Install caliper into vehicle.

There are 2 seals - an inner piston seal, & the outer piston dust seal - the outer is what I tore. Are you certain that I can't just back out the piston on mine (without removing the caliper, which is what I'm trying to avoid), & install the new dust seal that I could remove from the rebuilt caliper?

Also, the slide pin is installed with thread lock and you will most likely strip the Torx head out.

Yes, I had read that thread lock was used at the factory, & I was careful removing it - I used PB Blaster & let it sit for a couple of hours & then used as long a breaker bar as I could fit in there to break it loose. BTW, for anyone reading this, the shop manual says to use thread lock on the threads & suitable brake lubricant on the sliding surface when reinstalling the caliper pin (bolt) - I saw several threads where no one mentioned this & maybe everyone isn't doing it.

Anyway, I still also have the problem of not being able to get the guide pin out of the caliper anchor. (Yes, I did remove the cotter pin.)

Thanks again!

(BTW - not a newbie - have been a CEG'er for many years - had to re-register - working on having the admins find my old account. )

 

[Janine]

Update

Update

OK...just to update. I took the caliper anchor plate to a local shop & they were able to get the pin out by using a torch on it. Wish I had done that ages ago. :hammer: The guy said he sees this all the time - where the pins seize & are really tough to get out - he said there is no way it could have been hammered out with a nail punch, etc., which is what I was trying to do after spraying it with PB Blaster numerous times.

The lesson here I guess is don't let your brakes go this long - I should have done a brake job a long time ago, even though the pads weren't worn down yet. I bought the car new in '96, & the brakes are original. That's way too long a time to go to expect things to come apart easily.:nonono:

Anyway, anyone else reading this who is having trouble getting the anchor plate pin out might want to remove the anchor plate (2 bolts) & take it somewhere to get the pin out. Since you have to take the anchor plate off anyway to replace or turn the rotor, it's not an extra step. The caliper will come free (after first removing the caliper bolt, of course) w/o having to remove the anchor plate pin first - I just wasn't able to get the caliper back in place w/o removing the pin. And I'm guessing that you could loosen the anchor plate first, & then work the caliper free, rather than jerk on the caliper to get it free , as I did, when I couldn't get the pin out.

I still have the problem of the torn caliper piston dust seal. I've ordered a rebuilt caliper - I guess it's going to have to be replaced. I also got the loaner Brake Repair Tool Kit from Advance Auto - I'll certainly never use the cube tool on a piston again!! :bah:

 

[ukravit]

Rockauto has a caliper repair kit for the rear caliper. It comes with the dust boot and the piston seal. 5.37 CENTRIC Part # 14361021 Services One Caliper

I have used this kit when I tore a boot, just take care when installing the boot.

 

[Janine]

Rockauto has a caliper repair kit for the rear caliper. It comes with the dust boot and the piston seal. 5.37 CENTRIC Part # 14361021 Services One Caliper

I have used this kit when I tore a boot, just take care when installing the boot.

Thanks so much for the info, ukravit!

But can the boot be replaced w/o disassembling/rebuilding the caliper? That info would be priceless to me at this point! It would save me a ton of time & hassle if the caliper doesn't have to come off. (I'm running out of warm weather here....)

And could you elaborate a little on taking care when installing the boot? If it can be installed with the caliper still on the car, could you give the the exact procedure that you followed?

Thanks a ton!!!!

 

[ukravit]

You dont have to take the caliper apart. I did mine with the caliper off. you need a solid support for installing the boot. with the piston all the way in I removed the old boot with a screwdriver. doesnt matter how it comes out its bad anyway. I used the old seal inverted, a socket extension and a soft hammer to tap the new boot in. I dont have a socket that big. you need to go SLOW so you dont tear the seal as it seats. be sure to lube the seal a lot. you could also use a seal tool to install it.
Its up to you if you want to try it on the car. it could be done.

 

[jimbbski]

The lesson here I guess is don't let your brakes go this long - I should have done a brake job a long time ago, even though the pads weren't worn down yet. I bought the car new in '96, & the brakes are original. That's way too long a time to go to expect things to come apart easily.:nonono:

If you bought the car new in '96 and you are doing the brake for the first time only now then you should have replaced the calipers with rebuilt ones. i will rebuilt fronts any day of the week but with rear calipers and the internal parking brake system many have now I don't want to bother do one and then not haveing it work correctly.

 

[Janine]

To update...I have been in the hospital - I have learned that I have some very serious health issues. Today has been the first day I've had the strength or energy to work on this again. I've decided to take it somewhere to have the brake job finished & the left rear caliper replaced, due to the torn dust seal. (I've decided to replace the caliper rather than try to mess with replacing the seal.) But I need to get the car back together to where I can drive it to a shop. I got the caliper anchor back on, but I cannot get the caliper centered over the pads - it just won't go down far enough to line up properly to install the caliper bolt. The piston has been turned in & is flush with the caliper, so the problem is not that the piston is in the way. I don't have very much strength, so is it just that I can't force it down? Are the rear calipers normally very hard to get in position over new pads? Or could it be that I just don't have something lined up properly? I checked the part numbers & I have the correct new rotor & pads. Thanks for any help.

 

[striker2]

where in SW Indiana are you? If you arent too far away from Louisville I could come help replace the caliper instead of you having to take it to a shop

 

[Janine]

Striker2 - thanks so much for the offer - that is really cool of you. But I'm really too far away for that to be practical. My friend's nephew owns a shop just a few blocks from me. I'm going to see if he can come over & get the car back together, & then I'll get it over there for him to finish. I have to get this done very soon as I need the car to drive back & forth to the hospital to have a bunch of tests & scans done. Thanks again!! And thanks to everyone else who offered info & advice!