another chorus of the "time to rebuild..., ... the rear caliper blues" Options

[red914]

i had thought that yesterday would be nice day to press a piston back into the caliper and reset the venting, do a little brake bleeding, and be done with it. such naivete must amuse you gurus out there...

anyway, Dino (dinomium) came over to assist and act as technical consultant (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) . i plied him with salami and goat cheese on garlic bread sandwiches (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif) (alas, i could not offer him a brew), coffee, and we got started. all went according to expectations; piston went back in smoothly (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) , etc. then came time to adjust venting. Dino pressed on the brake. the pistons actuated. Dino released pressure on the brakes. and the pistons stayed right where they were (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) . rotor no move no more. then that little ray of sunshine that is Dino says, "hmm, it's time for a caliper rebuild." i think i heard thunder punctuating his statement.

so, rear caliper rebuilds are in my immeadiate future. i will, when the time comes, be requesting input. and while i am in there, maybe i can do a couple other things... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

[brp914]

Dont be too quick to blame the caliper. Once I had a e-brake stick "on" even when released due to engine heat or corrosion inside the cable(s). Check if the pivot is all the way to the "off" position.

I've also had the rubber brake line at the caliper go bad. When this happens you will be able to apply the brake due to the high pressure inside the line. But internally the line is swelled shut and wont relieve the pressure from the caliper and it stays clamped. Both my cars havehad the rubber lines go bad. Those things are too cheap not to replace, if you havent alreeady.

If you've been diriving it this way for a while you may well have bad caliper seals if you didn't already. Use the vent adjustment screws to back the pisons out of the calipers. May need to use some air pressure the towards the end. I used a bike pump. Put something between the caliper - those pisons will pop out like a cannon. Good luck.