Brake Caliper Conundrum
- Thread starter 97TJGUZZY
- Start date
Whether in the shop, or in the pits, this is all that I have ever used to bleed brakes: Brake Bleeder Bottle You will need two.
I wonder if heat is causing the pistons to warp in these old calipers?
Before you go pulling the caliper apart, open the bleeder screw and see if you can't press the piston back in with a C-clamp. If it's the piston seizing in the bore, you should have a heck of a time pressing it back in.
When you do decide that it's time to pull that bad boy out, pop out that piston and inspect it, as well as the piston bore. BTW, for safety's sake, place a piece of wood where the brake pads live before you put shop air to the bleeder hole to remove the piston. Do this very slowly, you would be surprised at how fast the piston will want to eject from its home. It scared the crap out of me the very first time I did this.
I wonder if heat is causing the pistons to warp in these old calipers?
Before you go pulling the caliper apart, open the bleeder screw and see if you can't press the piston back in with a C-clamp. If it's the piston seizing in the bore, you should have a heck of a time pressing it back in.
When you do decide that it's time to pull that bad boy out, pop out that piston and inspect it, as well as the piston bore. BTW, for safety's sake, place a piece of wood where the brake pads live before you put shop air to the bleeder hole to remove the piston. Do this very slowly, you would be surprised at how fast the piston will want to eject from its home. It scared the crap out of me the very first time I did this.
ok, so I didnt replace the caliper before my trip, I brought it with me and tried something. I think my problem with these calipers is purely in lubrication of the slide pins. I lubed them when I installed them last spring but havent hit them again...well I lubed them up before the trip and they are good as new. I think mud and me washing the jeep was cleaning all the grease off and making the slides dry so that they could not open back up. They seem fine now.
What tipped me off was that I was able to just pry the caliper open after moving it a bit so it wasnt the piston stuck in the caliper just the caliper stuck on the slides.
What tipped me off was that I was able to just pry the caliper open after moving it a bit so it wasnt the piston stuck in the caliper just the caliper stuck on the slides.
Genius. Fixed mine as well. My pins were so seized up I had to pop them out with a punch. :eeek:
The overheating periods also caused the rubber grommets in the caliper to melt to the slider. I had to take a grinder to mine to remove all the melted rubber and gunk buildup from the metal slides. Looks like something I'll check before every trip. Good find.
The overheating periods also caused the rubber grommets in the caliper to melt to the slider. I had to take a grinder to mine to remove all the melted rubber and gunk buildup from the metal slides. Looks like something I'll check before every trip. Good find.