I decided to freshen the brakes up on a 75 that I had picked-up. The brake pads were shot but the brakes worked well and the calipers didn't leak. OK...this should be an easy one...right.

Leaving the calipers brake lines connected, I unbolted all four calipers and removed the brake pads. Installed the first rear caliper with new pads and was making the clearance adjustments...this is where the "oh shit" part comes in. Not thinking I decided to pump the brakes a few times to see how the adjustment went on that first rear wheel.

Yup...got out of the car an saw pools of fluid below the other three calipers....I had fully extended the pistons and two of the calipers ripped the dust boots, but all three shot fluid out once the piston came to the end of its travel.

So what are my choices at this point?
I pushed the pistons back in on all three calipers, but a front and rear caliper tore it's dust boot (I think that's what it's called)?

What's involved in replacing those dust boot seals? I presume those seals are to protect the pistons from dust and are not the seals that actually seal the fluid in the brake cylinder? If they don't seal fluid, how critical are non torn dust boots?

This is the dumbest thing Ive ever done

your correct that they seal from dust, there is an actual rubber seal inside the cylinder where the piston is that seals the fluid in. The thing i can see happen would be, without the dust boot, the brake dust will accumulate on the piston and start wearing down the seal inside the piston cylinder leading to leaking brakes, and possibly leaving you without brakes on a drive. i would just purchase the brake rebuild kits from eric shea, the kits come with brand new dust boots, etc. I don't know how hard it would be to install them with the calipers bolted together, but if you separate them, its very easy

Brake rebuild kit

Dust boots can be replaced reasonably easy.

You took the calipers off to replace the pads? Why? Aside from that, the dust boots are relatively easy to replace with the calipers off the car.

The Cap'n

I had the rotors turned. So how do you change a dust boot. The calipers are now all off the car.
Thanks

On the front calipers, you have to move the pistons out a little, remove the remnants of the old boots along with the ring that holds the perimeter in place, install the new boots and ring, and put the caliper back on the car. Once that's done, and they're all installed, you can push the pistons back with a prybar. Then you install the pads. The rears are different, as you have to both pry and turn the adjusters at the SAME time in order to retract the pistons. I believe I have a writeup in the archives concerning replacement of the rear pads.

It's good practice to move the pistons back BEFORE you remove the calipers. That way you don't get into this situation.

The Cap'n

Gonna leak now. Once the piston seal gets past it's normal operating range, it gets nicked on the way out. I would just buy a cheap hone, order kits from eric-NO ONE ELSE-and re-do the seals. Your pretty much at that point now anyway.

I ordered a kit of Evilbay before I knew of Eric, and they don't have all the seals you need.