This is regarding my friend's 2011 Subaru Impreza, on which we replaced a drive axle (torn CV boot) and ball joint.
When putting things back together yesterday evening, I removed the top caliper pin, cleaned off the old grease, relubed it with purple Permatex, and reinstalled it. No problem at all.
However, I could not remove the lower pin (or move it at all). The head will not accommodate a socket, only the flats of an open-ended wrench, which slips off. Vice grips didn't work either.
I wish I had checked for movement when the caliper bracket was off. Could have clamped the head of the pin in a vise, and used the bracket for leverage. Coulda-woulda-shoulda ...
We put the brakes back together with the seized pin, because my friend needed the car back.
Strangely enough, the brake pads were wearing evenly, and the rotor looked good.
How did the pin seize? The top pin had no anti-rattle rubber bushing, so I suspect the bottom one did.
Given that a previous owner had spray-painted the calipers Brembo yellow, I could easily imagine him also lubing the pin with an incompatible grease that would swell the rubber bushing.
Anyway, it's a problem for another day ...
When putting things back together yesterday evening, I removed the top caliper pin, cleaned off the old grease, relubed it with purple Permatex, and reinstalled it. No problem at all.
However, I could not remove the lower pin (or move it at all). The head will not accommodate a socket, only the flats of an open-ended wrench, which slips off. Vice grips didn't work either.
I wish I had checked for movement when the caliper bracket was off. Could have clamped the head of the pin in a vise, and used the bracket for leverage. Coulda-woulda-shoulda ...
We put the brakes back together with the seized pin, because my friend needed the car back.
Strangely enough, the brake pads were wearing evenly, and the rotor looked good.
How did the pin seize? The top pin had no anti-rattle rubber bushing, so I suspect the bottom one did.
Given that a previous owner had spray-painted the calipers Brembo yellow, I could easily imagine him also lubing the pin with an incompatible grease that would swell the rubber bushing.
Anyway, it's a problem for another day ...
