Caliper pin boots

[Donald]

I did one side of side the rear brakes of my pickup today and the boot that was on the caliper had one end of the boot with a larger opening than the other. Sure looks like both ends should the same as the smaller end. The shoulder of the caliper pin that is covered by the boot had more rust than I would have expected.

I have owned the truck since it had 30K on the clock and it now has 114K. I have never done the rear brakes.

So unknown. Came from the factory with wrong boot? Someone before me did the rear brakes and used the wrong boot? At 30K I would doubt the boot needed to be changed.

This was a pad slap. When I do the pads and rotors I will get new pins and boots.

 

[Hall]

Someone before me did the rear brakes and used the wrong boot?

Most likely scenario, I'd guess. The factory receives the brake caliper assemblies fully built meaning an error would have had to come from the brake vendor. Those assemblers see the same, identical component hour after hour and would (should) notice the slightest variation or something wrong.

 

[JC1]

I had to replace a caliper bolt on the civic. I noticed one of the boots appears to be damaged since it isn't fitting snugly when I reassembled.

Do you guys recommend OEM boots for the slider pins only?

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

I had to replace a caliper bolt on the civic. I noticed one of the boots appears to be damaged since it isn't fitting snugly when I reassembled.

Do you guys recommend OEM boots for the slider pins only?

I do.

 

[JTK]

I realize you can't always rely on what the other side looks like, but was it the same?

 

[Donald]

Both sides the same.

 

[Donald]

New caliper pin boot from AC/Delco had the proper boot with same size opening on each end.

Of course brakes are all installed and driving truck.

 

[doublebase]

Came from the factory with the wrong boot would be my guess. If the brakes were changed at 30,000 miles or before you bought it, they wouldn’t have replaced those boots anyway unless there was something wrong (doubtful at that mileage).

But if you put it back on with the boot, I’d be careful to add plenty of grease because you don’t want the hassle of dealing with a frozen caliper pin later done the line.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Came from the factory with the wrong boot would be my guess. If the brakes were changed at 30,000 miles or before you bought it, they wouldn’t have replaced those boots anyway unless there was something wrong (doubtful at that mileage).

But if you put it back on with the boot, I’d be careful to add plenty of grease because you don’t want the hassle of dealing with a frozen caliper pin later done the line.

No matter how much grease you put on the pins, when you install them most the grease will wind up in the boot because the pin to bore clearances are small.

 

[The Critic]

No matter how much grease you put on the pins, when you install them most the grease will wind up in the boot because the pin to bore clearances are small.

Depends on the thickness of the grease.

 

[Trav]

I had to replace a caliper bolt on the civic. I noticed one of the boots appears to be damaged since it isn't fitting snugly when I reassembled.

Do you guys recommend OEM boots for the slider pins only?

I did one side of side the rear brakes of my pickup today and the boot that was on the caliper had one end of the boot with a larger opening than the other. Sure looks like both ends should the same as the smaller end. The shoulder of the caliper pin that is covered by the boot had more rust than I would have expected.

I have owned the truck since it had 30K on the clock and it now has 114K. I have never done the rear brakes.

So unknown. Came from the factory with wrong boot? Someone before me did the rear brakes and used the wrong boot? At 30K I would doubt the boot needed to be changed.

This was a pad slap. When I do the pads and rotors I will get new pins and boots.

It could be that the guy that did the brakes before used a lube that was not compatible with EPDM rubber and the lube had more contact with the outer one. This is exactly what happens to EPDM when petroleum based lubes come in contact with it over a longer period.
Both sides of the boot should be the same.

 

[Trav]

I had to replace a caliper bolt on the civic. I noticed one of the boots appears to be damaged since it isn't fitting snugly when I reassembled.

Do you guys recommend OEM boots for the slider pins only?

Some of the aftermarket stuff is fine just get a brand name.

 

[Jetronic]

No matter how much grease you put on the pins, when you install them most the grease will wind up in the boot because the pin to bore clearances are small.

Yes, thats why I fit and twist the pins first without boot so the bore is covered in grease

 

[Jetronic]

It could be that the guy that did the brakes before used a lube that was not compatible with EPDM rubber and the lube had more contact with the outer one. This is exactly what happens to EPDM when petroleum based lubes come in contact with it over a longer period.
Both sides of the boot should be the same.

Yes swelling of the boots is common, esp if the pins ever got regreased with a petroleum product

 

[Donald]

I will be taking out the caliper pin and boot and replacing both. With the opening too large the shoulder area of the caliper pin had rust on it as there was not a good seal.

I am surprised there is not a recall on this. But truck was made in or made for sale in Canada. Maybe recalls are different up north?

It could be that the guy that did the brakes before used a lube that was not compatible with EPDM rubber and the lube had more contact with the outer one. This is exactly what happens to EPDM when petroleum based lubes come in contact with it over a longer period.
Both sides of the boot should be the same.

All 4 boots were identical. Larger opening at one end.

 

[doublebase]

No matter how much grease you put on the pins, when you install them most the grease will wind up in the boot because the pin to bore clearances are small.

That’s true, I was thinking more along the lines of add more grease, hope that it builds enough of a barrier to prevent some rust from forming on that pin.

 

[Trav]

I will be taking out the caliper pin and boot and replacing both. With the opening too large the shoulder area of the caliper pin had rust on it as there was not a good seal.

I am surprised there is not a recall on this. But truck was made in or made for sale in Canada. Maybe recalls are different up north?


All 4 boots were identical. Larger opening at one end.

The grease will tend to migrate to the outer part of the boot if that is where the larger end is.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Depends on the thickness of the grease.

Yes I use Toyota Rubber Lube Grease on the pins.