Replaced calipers, they're stuck

[cutter]

Aka why do I even try.

I replaced some super rusty rear calipers (with broken bleeder screws) with duralast, when finished I drove it and the pads are way stuck. Three block drive, constant metal on metal, got the rear rotors really hot. It's now night time and I used a flashlight to look and the guide pins seem to be jabbing into the back of the pads. There is no float whatsoever with the caliper. What gives? I torqued it like I did with the Oem calipers, but never had this issue. Was i supposed to take out the bushings and bolts from the old calipers and use them? I noticed with the remanufactured pads, the bolts that are supplied just went right in and out of the other side the rubber boots.


Darn, it's too dark to work again, thought maybe I'd ask here to get a better idea tomorrow.

 

[SuperDave456]

I'm lost. Are these rotors or drum brakes?

What car?

 

[cutter]

Rotors. 00 celica gts. Basically, the reman calipers with its supplied bolts allowed me to torque the guide pin bolts to strike the pads, causing the whole thing to become fixed and constantly apply the brakes. I wondering if I'm an idiot and missed something or if calipers shouldn't allow this and the reman was bad.

 

[KrisZ]

The caliper pins and the bolts that attach the pin to the bracket look like this:

What exactly is striking the brake pads?
The pins slide into the bracket and the bolt attaches the caliper to the pins.

 

[Smoky14]

As you are finding out, there can be more to being a mechanic than changing parts.

 

[cutter]

This is the diagram for the rear

This is what the reman looks like and what it comes with.

So in the oem caliper, the sliding bushings seem to prevent the long guide bolts from screwing all the way through. The reman felt like it allowed that. In fact, when I was tightening the new caliper on without any brake pads in yet, I noticed the guide pin bolt had gone far enough through to hit the rotor.

 

[KrisZ]

Oh, so you were talking about the rear calipers, I missed that somehow.

Are you sure you didn't use the long bolt in place where the short one is supposed to go?
Other than that, if the bolts are the same length as the OEM ones, there shouldn't be any need to prevent them from going through as they should snug up against the caliper bracket long before they reach the end of the sliding bushing.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Something was obviously wrong during assembly, yet you tried driving it anyway?

 

[KrisZ]

I found a picture, I think, that illustrates what you're talking about.
I don't know this specific caliper configuration but I think that these bolts should go into the caliper bracket.
In any case I think it’s the installation issue and not hardware issue.

 

[stephen9666]

I'm not familiar with this application, so perhaps I don't know what I'm talking about.

But, this picture shows a long and short bolt. If you put the long bolt in the wrong place, would that allow it to go through too far and hit the rotor or another piece?

 

[mechtech2]

The pads may be too thick, or the new pins a bit too long.
Brake shoes and pads sometimes come too big to fit right.
Both in material and steel backing.

 

[cutter]

I went home for lunch and checked it out, I definitely didn't mix up the bolts. The shorter one is 17mm hex and the longer one is 14mm hex, I felt for them and the short 17mm is on the lower position on both calipers where it should be.

Ugh, and the short drive has already scored both rear rotors. So instead of hitting the back of the pads, the bolt is hitting the rotor.

 

[mechtech2]

I have no clue now - that is WAY wrong.

 

[bladecutter]

Take a picture of how your brakes are currently assembled, and post that so we can see it.

BC.

 

[doitmyself]

I wonder if there is a left and right caliper and he mounted them on the wrong side and/or upside down. My son had a car where you could do this. I.E.- mount the right caliper on the left side, upside down.

 

[Donald]

The RockAuto parts list will list a L and R caliper if thats it.

 

[cutter]

I found the problem. The remanufactured duralast calipers came with a bolt (the shorter one) that was 4-5 mm longer than the oem, just enough to poke into the rotor. My fault for not sizing up the bolts before install, but this should have been an "exact fit".

 

[artificialist]

I have dealt with some rebuilt calipers that fail within weeks of installation, but I never had ones that were bad out of the box.

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: cutter
I found the problem. The remanufactured duralast calipers came with a bolt (the shorter one) that was 4-5 mm longer than the oem, just enough to poke into the rotor. My fault for not sizing up the bolts before install, but this should have been an "exact fit".


Many of us would have done the same... just bolt on the new parts.
This is rare and bad luck.
Good work figuring it out!