Having a bit of trouble stripping (and understanding) my offside brake caliper ears.
The "pins" (i.e. the bolts that hold the caliper on) are out. They came out easily, because I put silicon grease and PTFE tape on them last year, when I stripped the other caliper, which had a stuck piston. I ran out of time to strip this caliper then.
The main current problem is with one of the yellow metal (finish?) bushings, which is stuck fast.
Plan A was to use a spare-tyre holdown out of an abandoned Corolla as a press, but the plate on the end wasn't strong enough. Hopefully its backed up with a nut in use, otherwise I wouldn't want to be in the back of a rolling Corolla estate.
Plan B used another spare tyre holdown (either from the Skywing or Sierra, can't remember) with some washers and sockets..
Bit wimpy. I'll try and rig something better, but the damage to that improvised thrust washer suggests this bushing isn't going anywhere with this technique alone.
So serious heat/cold (perhaps in conjunction with a vice/big hammer) seems to be indicated, or take it to someone with a hydraulic press, or a new caliper, if I can get one.
HOWEVER (cue red face / schoolboy error icon) I'm having trouble understanding the consequences of this stuck bushing, especially since the brakes seemed to be working OK.
The bushings needs to move freely on the pins, and they do.
Do the calipers need to move freely on the bushings?
IF I understand it correctly, a stuck bushing does restrict the movement of the caliper.
If the caliper wasn't moving at all, I'd only have one pad effective. Perhaps there's enough movement between the end of the bushing and the caliper to bring the other pad into play.
The pads aren't currently very worn, but in this scenario, as they wear, the other pad will become ineffective. Shims might buy more time.
The "pins" (i.e. the bolts that hold the caliper on) are out. They came out easily, because I put silicon grease and PTFE tape on them last year, when I stripped the other caliper, which had a stuck piston. I ran out of time to strip this caliper then.
The main current problem is with one of the yellow metal (finish?) bushings, which is stuck fast.
Plan A was to use a spare-tyre holdown out of an abandoned Corolla as a press, but the plate on the end wasn't strong enough. Hopefully its backed up with a nut in use, otherwise I wouldn't want to be in the back of a rolling Corolla estate.
Plan B used another spare tyre holdown (either from the Skywing or Sierra, can't remember) with some washers and sockets..
Bit wimpy. I'll try and rig something better, but the damage to that improvised thrust washer suggests this bushing isn't going anywhere with this technique alone.
So serious heat/cold (perhaps in conjunction with a vice/big hammer) seems to be indicated, or take it to someone with a hydraulic press, or a new caliper, if I can get one.
HOWEVER (cue red face / schoolboy error icon) I'm having trouble understanding the consequences of this stuck bushing, especially since the brakes seemed to be working OK.
The bushings needs to move freely on the pins, and they do.
Do the calipers need to move freely on the bushings?
IF I understand it correctly, a stuck bushing does restrict the movement of the caliper.
If the caliper wasn't moving at all, I'd only have one pad effective. Perhaps there's enough movement between the end of the bushing and the caliper to bring the other pad into play.
The pads aren't currently very worn, but in this scenario, as they wear, the other pad will become ineffective. Shims might buy more time.
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