Glad I did my brakes because....

[ZZman]

Two caliper slide pins on two different calipers were totally stuck in the caliper brackets. At first they wouldn't slide/turn. Lots of heat, PB Blaster and time finally let me get them out. Of course they were the pins with the little rubber seals on the end.

How many times have you guys run into stuck caliper pins?

 

[supton]

I've never had one. I've had them get sticky but usually just working them a bit gets them unstuck.

I also go through my brakes yearly, sometimes twice. I suspect that just taking it apart, pushing the pins back and forth a few times, even without new grease, just so as to stir it around a bit, will do loads for keeping things moving. [Of course, pulling the pin out, wiping off old grease, putting in new, is best & not exactly all that time consuming, but you get the idea.]

 

[Donald]

Two thoughts, 1) it had been a really long time since the caliper pins were serviced 2) someone used the wrong grease on the slide in and the boots for the slide pins swelled and no longer were properly sealing the pin to keep dirt and water out.

How were the pins? Did you get new pins? Boots for the pins?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I've never had caliper pins seize up. Now caliper pistons ...

The salt brine eats the caliper boots in a year, then the second year the pistons corrode and seize up in the bore.

At least the silicone lube keeps the sliders from completely locking up.

 

[Hall]

Donald already asked the same thing I was going to ask.... Did you replace the slide pins or at least remove the rubber boots (until you can replace them) ?

 

[Donald]

I often spray brake cleaner in the hole for the caliper and then use a Q-tip and compressed air to get the hole all cleaned out. I also spray brake cleaner on the caliper pin boot inside and outside to get it as clean as I can.

 

[Donald]

So there are a lot of extras one can do to get the caliper all set to reinstall. Such removing rust under the SS clips, then coating with something to prevent rust, Cleaning the caliper pin, boot and pin hole before lubricating, And more. Each of these seems to take another 5 minutes. Do good shops do all of this in the rust best. I would guess the chains that do brakes do not do all the extras.

Given the cost of a mechanics time, I wonder if not more cost effective to replace the caliper bracket rather than do a lot of prep work on it?

 

[JC1]

Two caliper slide pins on two different calipers were totally stuck in the caliper brackets. At first they wouldn't slide/turn. Lots of heat, PB Blaster and time finally let me get them out. Of course they were the pins with the little rubber seals on the end.

How many times have you guys run into stuck caliper pins?

Never had one stick.

 

[Donald]

Never had one stick.

I think shops in a hurry are likely to reuse a pin that has some rusting rather than replace it. That may lead to it sticking in the future.

 

[Hall]

Given the cost of a mechanics time, I wonder if not more cost effective to replace the caliper bracket rather than do a lot of prep work on it?

Looking quickly at AZ's retail prices, caliper brackets are mostly $25-35. Presume they pay 2/3rds of that for their cost x (2) brackets, I can't see it being practical. I think with experience, they can clean a caliper bracket, slide pins, etc in 5 minutes and even do a fair job (better than not cleaning them at all, certainly !). When it takes you or I 10+ minutes per piece, it's because we're not on the clock. I'll take longer and not care.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Two caliper slide pins on two different calipers were totally stuck in the caliper brackets. At first they wouldn't slide/turn. Lots of heat, PB Blaster and time finally let me get them out. Of course they were the pins with the little rubber seals on the end.

How many times have you guys run into stuck caliper pins?

Which car? I would guess either one in your list had the brakes done once or twice.
Did you do them?
The boot must have been torn or not over the lip allowing moisture in.

To answer your question. None that I recall. And none of my cars and they get minimal brake servicing.

I did have one rear outer pad fail on the 2017 crosstrek and it was thin enough to jamin between the rotor and the bracket frame "window".
I think the pad ears were missstamped oversized a bit. I even had to file-fit the new ones.
Shims and bracket were brushed clean.

They were non ceramic, metallic cheapo duralast pads from autozone. Never has an issue before with
the cheap pads other than a bit of rotor chewing and dusting.

 

[Donald]

Looking quickly at AZ's retail prices, caliper brackets are mostly $25-35. Presume they pay 2/3rds of that for their cost x (2) brackets, I can't see it being practical. I think with experience, they can clean a caliper bracket, slide pins, etc in 5 minutes and even do a fair job (better than not cleaning them at all, certainly !). When it takes you or I 10+ minutes per piece, it's because we're not on the clock. I'll take longer and not care.

SouthStreet Auto uses a sand blaster to clean the area where the clips fit in. That to me will then require a thorough cleaning of the caliper pin holes to get out any possible sand.

You are right, it takes me longer to do most things. My workshop is split between the garage and basement.

 

[Hall]

SouthStreet Auto uses a sand blaster to clean the area where the clips fit in. That to me will then require a thorough cleaning of the caliper pin holes to get out any possible sand.

Does he use a sand blaster or just a grinding wheel ? He always says "don't remove metal, just rust" when he's cleaning them up, I remember.

I'd venture to say that many shops just do minimal clean-up on the parts, especially if they're just replacing the pads. If you're replacing rotors, the bracket has to come off so cleaning it then is much easier. If it remains on the car, I'm guessing a small file or sandpaper is all that gets used.

 

[SoNic67]

How many times have you guys run into stuck caliper pins?

None on my cars. Worked on one Ford Cougar, two Mercury Sable, one Hyundai XG350, one Hyundai Sonata, one Ford Explorer, one Kia Soul...
Always use fresh brake grease (synthetic) on the pins, clean their hole with brake cleaner, and check to see if the rubber boots are correctly seated/sealed.
If I would find one rusted, I would replace the caliper and the pins. I had replaced a caliper (whole thing) just because was not using the pads on that side like on the opposite side (had a bit of extra friction in the cylinder).

My friend had a bent pin in his Mitsubishi because he rode the pads until they were metal on metal.

PS: Better prices are on Rockauto.

 

[Donald]

Does he use a sand blaster or just a grinding wheel ? He always says "don't remove metal, just rust" when he's cleaning them up, I remember.

I'd venture to say that many shops just do minimal clean-up on the parts, especially if they're just replacing the pads. If you're replacing rotors, the bracket has to come off so cleaning it then is much easier. If it remains on the car, I'm guessing a small file or sandpaper is all that gets used.

They use a sand blaster. I remember him saying not to use a wire brush that might polish the rust vs remove it. Sand blast or a file.

They may not actually be using sand. But it was a "sand blaster" type of machine.

 

[JTK]

I live in the Buffalo NY area and luckily I've never had to spray one with heat. I've had them be hard to remove. Like supton mentioned above, I try to have the brakes apart on my vehicles every year to 1.5yrs and that's about the limit with disk brakes on a newer vehicle in the rust belt if you want to salvage parts. That's how it works for me. Everyone's mileage will vary.

 

[The Critic]

I live in the Buffalo NY area and luckily I've never had to spray one with heat. I've had them be hard to remove. Like supton mentioned above, I try to have the brakes apart on my vehicles every year to 1.5yrs and that's about the limit with disk brakes on a newer vehicle in the rust belt if you want to salvage parts. That's how it works for me. Everyone's mileage will vary.

You guys are gonna hate us Californians when I say this - I regularly replace original rear pads on vehicles that are 10+ years old. Slide pins still have some grease left and the pads just fall out of the bracket. Even the caliper bracket clips are reusable after a light brushing.

 

[JTK]

You guys are gonna hate us Californians when I say this - I regularly replace original rear pads on vehicles that are 10+ years old. Slide pins still have some grease left and the pads just fall out of the bracket. Even the caliper bracket clips are reusable after a light brushing.

Trust me, I marvel at any of the west coast youtubers watching their repair videos on ~12yr/old vehicles that look as good as a new vehicle where I live. LOL

 

[supton]

Trust me, I marvel at any of the west coast youtubers watching their repair videos on ~12yr/old vehicles that look as good as a new vehicle where I live. LOL

I always assume those are just Hollywood illusions, cars just don’t look good after a few years... right?

oh the joys of New England...

 

[Donald]

You guys are gonna hate us Californians when I say this - I regularly replace original rear pads on vehicles that are 10+ years old. Slide pins still have some grease left and the pads just fall out of the bracket. Even the caliper bracket clips are reusable after a light brushing.

For those of us who use a rust preventive spray, any part of the under part of my truck that the mechanic touches or his shirt touches will get some NH Coatings on it.

It also creeps more than other products. Its about 3" up my tailgate and wife has suggested washing it off.