Frozen caliper bushings

[edzell]

(1990 Corolla wagon, 2WD)

I'm overhauling my brakes - new Drums & shoes, disks & pads. On the fornt calipers the "sliding bushings" - that's what Haynes calls them - seem to be totally frozen and I can't move them. Advice welcomed - especially if it's from hands-on experience.

According to Haynes, I just "push" (!!) the sliding bushings out of the caliper then "remove" the sleeves which I presume they're supposed to slide in. Unfortunately the book doesn't show much assembly detail so I have questions:

- Are the bushings one-piece double-ended - so that if I could push them out I could do it from either end?

- What about the sleeves: Are they also(?) in one piece and what holds them in place apart from ancient grunge?

I've tried putting the bolts (pins?) back through the bushings and hammering on the heads but nothing budges. Also, with some trepidation, got my vise grips on the end of a bushing to see if I could free it by rotation, but that didn't seem likely so I quit before seriously damaging the bushing. I guess I could apply heat but that would ruin the rubber boots and I bet I'd have to buy a whole new rebuild kit to obtain new ones. Grrr....

Help. help - anybody!!

[Flashmn]

One piece double ended.

you can use a mallet to drive them out.

Most likely copper grease was used, thats why they froze. I'm having hte same problem here.

[edzell]

Thanks Flashman. Think I'll try some gentle heat on the caliper casting first. I doubt I have a mallet that would stand up to the kind of pounding that seems to be needed.

Maybe you can tell me, as a new user here - why don't I see my post and your reply on the Corolla forum? I can only get to it by doing a search on my thread title.

Thanks

[Flashmn]

I dunno, maybe its a browser issue.

Dont heat them.

[freakinbox]

yea I can see everything.
Sometimes you have to really beat them out!

[alltracman78]

A new rebuild kit [all seals] should be around $30 for both sides....
:shrug:

You could also try www.1sttoyotaparts.com

But yes, beating them out is really the only option.
Get a brass hammer or drift pin, and whale away...
Having the caliper in a vice is nice too.

[freakinbox]

you could put the bolt in and grab a LARGE pair of channel lock plyers and see if squeezing it out works

[alltracman78]

No no.
Don't put channel locks on the slide bushings.
You WILL scar them. Which makes them no good....

[freakinbox]

you put the bolt in/ on it between the slide and the plyers
and catch the side of the caliper, not the bushing, resulting in no damage that will hurt the function of the slide

[Flashmn]

just beat the motherf*cker out.

[freakinbox]

I just suggest that if he doesn't have a vice around, since the vice will make beating them out alot easier

[Flashmn]

eh... if they're stuck only way to get them out is to beat them out, you wont have enough force to pull them out, unless you're hulk hogan.

Chances are when you get them to move, they'll loosen up.

[edzell]

Originally Posted by Flashmn

Dont heat them.

Have you tried that - what happened?

Originally Posted by Flashmn

Just beat the motherf*kers out

I don't know why you call them that. They just look like metal sleeves

Thanks everybody for the advice. I will take the calipers off and get them in a vice but I'm holding off for a bit as there are days this week when I'll need the car. Around here a rebuild kit for ONE caliper is $40Cdn and I still have to get the sleeves out, so I've no reason to shrug about that.

I'll post again when the job is done.

[Flashmn]

Have you tried that - what happened?

First of all you'll melt the piston seals, secondly they might freeze even worse.

[freakinbox]

I am trying to remember if we ever did it at the shop, I THINK we did it once but for the life of me I can't remember. I am with him, you would have to be pretty careful doing it and there's a pretty high chance you would just mess up the caliper.