Stuck sliding pin

galwaydude18

I just changed the rear brake pads on my 08 Renault Trafic. The drivers side went without and hassle. The passenger side was a different kettle of fish. The caliper was hard a nails to wind back. Got it wound back after a half hour of trying.

I put the new pads in on the passenger side and the top sliding pin moved in and out no problem at all but the bottom one refused to budge at all. It cased me hardship getting the two bolts back on. Managed it in the end tho.

The pads on the driver side were a little over half way worn down but the ones kn the passenger side wer practically down to metal.
Would the sliding pin that I couldn't get to move be the reason for the uneven wear between the driver and passenger side

rex-x

Yes you badly need to get that pin unstuck. You should be removing, cleaning and re-greasing those pins using silicone paste every time you change the brake pads.

galwaydude18

rex-x wrote: »

Yes you badly need to get that pin unstuck. You should be removing, cleaning and re-greasing those pins using silicone paste every time you change the brake pads.

How will I get the fecker out? What grease do I use on the pins?

porsche boy

galwaydude18 wrote:

The pads on the driver side were a little over half way worn down but the ones kn the passenger side wer practically down to metal. Would the sliding pin that I couldn't get to move be the reason for the uneven wear between the driver and passenger side

it's a combination. the piston not winding back easily will be a bigger part of it. Had the rubber protector boot on the caliper been damaged? An overhaul or replacement of the caliper is likely on the cards.

challengemaster

Yeah, I'd be looking into a replacement caliper.

galwaydude18

porsche boy wrote: »

it's a combination. the piston not winding back easily will be a bigger part of it. Had the rubber protector boot on the caliper been damaged? An overhaul or replacement of the caliper is likely on the cards.

No the rubber boot on the caliper is in perfect condition. I sprayed the caliper in 3 in 1 oil ( a spray can version) and left it for 10mins and it wound back very easy then after that.

Flood

Have you reassembled the brakes with the stuck slide pin?

rex-x

Silicone paste is all that should be used on the caliper slide pins. It wont eat away the rubber boots like grease will

galwaydude18

Flood wrote: »

Have you reassembled the brakes with the stuck slide pin?

Ya I have them reassembled

Flood

Free out that pin asap.

George Dalton

galwaydude18 wrote: »

How will I get the fecker out?

Extreme heat and ignorance :pac:

galwaydude18

George Dalton wrote: »

Extreme heat and ignorance :pac:

Crap I don't have the extreme heat part :-(

George Dalton

Do you know any friendly plumbers who will lend you a turbo torch? Needless to say you should take off the little rubber boot before you heat it. As you apply the heat try and twist the pin to work it loose. Be careful as it can shoot out of the carrier pretty suddenly when it frees up due to the force of the boiling grease behind it!

galwaydude18

George Dalton wrote: »

Do you know any friendly plumbers who will lend you a turbo torch? Needless to say you should take off the little rubber boot before you heat it. As you apply the heat try and twist the pin to work it loose. Be careful as it can shoot out of the carrier pretty suddenly when it frees up due to the force of the boiling grease behind it!

If I get hold of one of those turbo torches will the pin be reusable?

George Dalton

Generally yes. Just clean up the pin and guide and grease it up well and it is usually fine.

galwaydude18

George Dalton wrote: »

Generally yes. Just clean up the pin and guide and grease it up well and it is usually fine.

Does the brake hose and that need to be taken off the caliper to heat up the pin?

CJhaughey

galwaydude18 wrote: »

Does the brake hose and that need to be taken off the caliper to heat up the pin?

Its rubber so I would take it off.
Other wise it can turn black and produce an orange flame and sooty smoke. IME:)

rex-x

No need to remove the brake hose if you use localised heat, but remember you are not heating the pin, you are heating the carrier(metal the pin slides into). If you heat the pin it will expand and get more stuck, the aim is to heat what the pin slides into and then it will expand and you can wiggle the pin out

galwaydude18

rex-x wrote: »

No need to remove the brake hose if you use localised heat, but remember you are not heating the pin, you are heating the carrier(metal the pin slides into). If you heat the pin it will expand and get more stuck, the aim is to heat what the pin slides into and then it will expand and you can wiggle the pin out

So if heat the area on the carrier around the pin and hold the end of the pin with a vice grips I should be able to wiggle it loose?

rex-x

Exactly, or you could use spanner/ socket so as not to damage the pin itself, you need to get it pretty hot though

galwaydude18

rex-x wrote: »

Exactly, or you could use spanner/ socket so as not to damage the pin itself, you need to get it pretty hot though

Cool I'll try get a hold of one of those plumbers gas torchs and heat it up to get it out

sparky63

One of my sliding pins was stuck really bad, managed to free it. With a socket on head of pin tap the socket wrench handle with a lump hammer, in my case i needed to give the socket handle some fair whacks to free the pin. I'd advise against using a vice grips, it'll most likely ruin the head of the pin.

jca

galwaydude18 wrote: »

No the rubber boot on the caliper is in perfect condition. I sprayed the caliper in 3 in 1 oil ( a spray can version) and left it for 10mins and it wound back very easy then after that.

Too late now I suppose but it isn't a good idea to be spraying any type of oil around brake components. A dribble of brake fluid put on with an old paint brush would be better.

galwaydude18

I manged to sort this out. I put a vice grips on to the sliding pin, wiggled it up and down and out it came. I cleaned it up, greased it, put it back together and job now sorted and new pads also bedded in nicely. Great satisfaction in sorting it out.

jca

galwaydude18 wrote: »

I manged to sort this out. I put a vice grips on to the sliding pin, wiggled it up and down and out it came. I cleaned it up, greased it, put it back together and job now sorted and new pads also bedded in nicely. Great satisfaction in sorting it out.

Well done.:D

galwaydude18

Cheers dude! Cheers to everyone for the advice as well