Front Brake Caliper Rebuild notes
 

I rebuilt my front brake calipers today. While they weren't leaking, I figured that it needed done since the car has 185k and I've replaced both rear calipers already.

I bought one rebuild kit from Nissan, which is enough to rebuild both fronts. It contains a new piston dust seal, new piston o-ring, and new rubber parts for the slider pins.

Remove the brake caliper at the 14mm slider pin bolts. Working over a catch pan, remove the 12mm brake line bolt and don't lose the copper crush washers.

Next, remove the top slider pin. Discard both the rubber boot and guide seal, and clean the bolt. Now take some of the orange grease from the kit and fill the new boot. Push it onto the slider bolt, pinching the end of the boot to keep the grease from pushing out. Hook the end of the boot onto the groove at the end of the slider. Now install the replacement guide seal. Reinstall into the caliper bracket.

Repeat for the lower slider. All the same except there is no guide seal.

Now the caliper. I used a long 1/4" ratchet extension to push through the brake line hole and push out the piston. Discard the old dust boot, which will probably require coaxing from the bore of the caliper cylinder. Now using a fine screwdriver, carefully pry out the cylinder seal (square o-ring). Wipe the cylinder bore and bottom until it's spotless. Do the same for the outside of the piston. I needed a little solvent to cut into the grease caked onto the piston. If there is any corrosion on the piston, discard it and get a replacement.

Now the fun begins.

Clean both grooves in the cylinder as best as you can. Be careful you don't get rust into the cylinder from this point forward, and keep your hands as clean as you can. If you want to bling your brakes, now is a great time to take them for a professional blasting. Now install the new o-ring with a little of the pink grease. Take a break.

Now insert the new dust boot into the bore. Starting at one spot, push that bottom edge until it sets into the groove. Now work slowly and patiently, feeding the seal into the groove and pushing it in tight. When I got around to where I started, I found I had been stretching it too and had to work around the rubber already in the groove for a bit. Eventually, I got it in there. Next, take your cleaned piston and set it inside the caliper just at the dust boot. If you have a helper, get them to help pull the dust boot over the base of the piston. The piston will only go in when the dust boot is completely stretched around the piston. It took me a few tries but I got it. The hard part is over. Now push the piston all the way into the bore and relieve any air pockets so that the dust boot accordians properly.

Reassemble the caliper. Bleed the brake thoroughly, and tap the caliper with a hammer to loosen any air bubbles.

Dave

Why would you do this if the calipers are working OK (not leaking, sticking)? Also, if they do begin to malfunction, they are relatively inexpensive and super easy to change.

Does the build kit come with new copper crush washers?

MINE are FINALLY Sticking (siezed) so i can upgrade to 4 piston calipers .. = )

and as far as why he is doing it... well.. he knows how to.. had the parts.. had free time... so he did it...

Any difference in feel compared to before they were rebuilt or did you also do pads and rotors at the same time?

Because I had to bleed the brakes when rebuilding the master cylinder. Might as well rebuild the caliper.

No.

Same pads/rotors. However, I have a set of EBC Redstuff Ceramic coming. *That* should help a lot.

Dave