So, before leaving on my fiasco trip to Indiana and back, I had a couple of new tires put on, and as always, when they had the wheels off I checked all of my brake pads for wear.
Left front had a pretty big thickness difference between the inner and outer pad, so I was pretty sure the slide pin was seized.
Also, my truck had 250K miles on the original front wheel bearings and had never been repacked.
So, made plans to get it pulled down and not just have the bearings repacked, but replaced along with new seals, and have the seized slide pin(s) taken care of.
Well, the slide pins were so seized up they would not come out no matter what the tech did, and finally one broke off, so needed a new caliper bracket.
Turns out the shop could get me a reman caliper WITH the bracket CHEAPER than just buying the bracket alone.
So, they replaced the caliper and bracket, and the new caliper and bracket came powder coated so it won't rust like the stock stuff. (will have to do the right side to match now!)
And, replaced the brake pads with carbon ceramic Power Stop Z36 pads, no more brake dust so bad it completely covers the wheels and tires.
Rear brakes and slide pins checked out ok, just got them lubed.

Best part of the whole deal was the shop that did all this for me, only charged me $250, including the reman caliper and bracket!
I supplied the bearings and seals.

 

Every day thing at my shop. Road salt and all.



2007 sporttrac. 100k miles.

But it's an every day thing. Some of the worst are the big chevies with the big Allen head slide pins. Sometimes you have to torch them and just buy new pins

 

Mine didn't look anywhere near that bad.
And, I really don't get into that much road salt, stay away from the great white north when the weather is crappy.

 

Most don't. And 3 of the 4 weren't stuck on that one. Lol. Even that one pecked out with voice grips on it. I have locked them in the vice and heated the bracket and drove them out. Everything we do here takes 3x as long because of rust

 

That's a good price for the work.

But yes, the last time I did brakes (on my 'Wagon), I found I had slide pins seized on both sides front and one side rear. It was either the same price or more expensive to just get the bracket w/pins as it was to get an entire caliper assembly with bracket and pins (less core charge that is refunded upon return). No clue why. I ended up replacing ALL calipers, brackets, and pins, since why have one ticking time bomb when it wasn't much more time to replace the 4th one in the grand scheme of things.

What was more maddening was I ran out of synthetic brake grease, had to run to the local NAPA (because I was using a bay at the shop, my garage at home isn't big enough), and it was $20ish for a small tube that I would have paid $5-6 for at Advance or AutoZone. Napa has good stuff but they're god-awful expensive.

 

I ran into the same thing, my local Napa would need to order a new bracket at like $125 or I could get the semi-loaded caliper and bracket for $95 or so before core.

I feel your pain...

This was the slide I could get off, the driver's side were totally seized in the bore of the bracket







Just did the rears on my truck, original plan was a pad slap and new rotors... turned into new calipers, pads, fluid and rotors. I had to order a hub puller to get the rear rotors off. In all my years in New England, I have never seen rotors stuck on that hard. Usually some Kroil and a 4 or 8 pound hammer will get the job done.... nope.

 

Worked on a friend’s, 2000 F250 diesel, replacing front pads and rotors. The truck had very low miles, 60K, however on the left side the two slider pins were stuck hard. Tried all the rust removers, vice grip and hammers tricks but no luck. Pulled out the propane torch and a few minutes later they were out. Never tried heat before but that sure worked well.

Mike

 

The problem with doing that is that, unless you have bore gauges and pin gauges to make sure the bore is straight and to size, and probably a reamer to clean it out and make it smooth, you're likely to end up in the same position again, but quicker - there's still rust in the bore, it may not be a straight hole anymore, and any chunks of steel that come off could get lodged. All of these could lead to the pin sticking again.

 

Yeah, heat will do the trick...sometimes...
Had a stuck pin on my old RAM, and went through all the steps to try and get the pin out, and finally got the torch out and did finally get it out.
Then used a drill bit to dredge out all the rust, then got a barrel bore brush for a 9mm and chucked it up in the drill to finish cleaning it all out, loaded the hole with disc brake grease and put it all back together, work perfectly.

 

i have a HD pullHr.for drums and rotors. Has a strap you ratchet that wont let it slide. I have use locking pullers too.

Ive had them shoot out with a pop. Lol.

I use a drill bits the size of the pin and then some brushes I bought on Amazon that go in a drill. Then silicone or brake grease. Ive never had one stick again.

 

Fortunately the bore of the calipers once the pins were removed looked pretty good. I did install new pins, greased up as well, plus new rubber boots so I doubt the caliper will wobble much. Also with the amount of miles my friend puts on his truck it will be another 25yrs until a front brake problem arrises.

I just thought it was interesting how heat really helped over the many other means I had tried to get the pins out.


Mike