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  #1  
Old 12-12-2009, 10:30 PM
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New brake caliper stuck, help!

Just replaced a leaking front passenger side caliper that's been leaking at the seal. Got a used caliper from a parts yard and put it on, it's seals were good. I pushed the piston in to getthe new pads on and brake fluid cameout where the hose screws in. After we bled the brakes now the car won't move in any gears. I unscrewed the bleeder and some fluid leaked out but it's just stuck. If I floor the pedal it will move a few inches but that caliper won't come loose. What can I do?

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  #2  
Old 12-13-2009, 12:20 AM
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Get a rebuilt caliper at AutoZone and replace the bad caliper. Cost: about $100.

P E H
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  #3  
Old 12-13-2009, 12:32 AM
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Answer

Quote:
Originally Posted by Biotour View Post
Just replaced a leaking front passenger side caliper that's been leaking at the seal. Got a used caliper from a parts yard and put it on, it's seals were good. I pushed the piston in to getthe new pads on and brake fluid cameout where the hose screws in. After we bled the brakes now the car won't move in any gears. I unscrewed the bleeder and some fluid leaked out but it's just stuck. If I floor the pedal it will move a few inches but that caliper won't come loose. What can I do?
Un-bolt the caliper, and pry it off the rotor.
Replace BOTH front calipers with rebuilt calipers, and replace the hoses.

This thread has all the data you need on how to and why to do this job..

Brake:
Brake:





Have a great day.
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  #4  
Old 12-13-2009, 04:49 AM
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just figured it out- the place we went to gave us a caliper from an 88 w126. not sure which engine. turns out its not compatible; the wheel well was rubbing against the outside of it and it was bolted on so tight that we were scraping the inside of the wheel well. hopefully an 85 or older will fit? i figured they'd all work if they were the same chassis number.
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  #5  
Old 12-13-2009, 05:42 AM
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Why don't people realize that when they have a faulty brake part its a waste of time going to a junk yard. If your part is faulty, there is a good chance the one at the junk yard will be to, or at best will fail soon after. The parts have been out in the weather for who knows how long and no one knows their history. Even disk rotors may be accident damaged or have microscopic fatigue cracks, a few weeks later; bang and you stop in a hurry!! or don't stop in time!! think about that at the next school crossing!!
If you are replacing calipers, do both sides!! The other one won't be far off failure!! The hoses are made of a similar material to the seal so if the caliper seal is leaking its only luck that the hose isn't.
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  #6  
Old 12-13-2009, 10:08 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Biotour View Post
Just replaced a leaking front passenger side caliper that's been leaking at the seal.

What can I do?
You could replace the seals on the caliper that you already have.
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  #7  
Old 12-13-2009, 10:14 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P.E.Haiges View Post
Get a rebuilt caliper at AutoZone and replace the bad caliper. Cost: about $100.

P E H
Hello Paul,

Good to see you back............we were a bit concerned..........

B.C.
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  #8  
Old 12-13-2009, 03:02 PM
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Hi Brian,

No problems here, I have just been busy building an 1100 sq. ft. addition to my garage. I should be able to fit 6 more MB in when its finished. I got the roof 99% finished so that's all I'm going to do until spring when I get back from FL. I should be on more often now.

Thanks for the concern.

P E H
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  #9  
Old 12-13-2009, 04:31 PM
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id like to do the seals but dont have access to shop air or a press. thinking either the dealer or autozone for new calipers, i'll be taking the used caliper back tomorrow, and in the future i'll just get a set of junkyard ones and rebuild them so they'll be ready if i ever need to replace them on one of my other cars.

is it possible to get the pistons back in without a press? i remember reading something about working the pistons in and out a few times to loosen them up. would i be able to do this with the brake pedal or do i really need to use air?
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  #10  
Old 12-13-2009, 04:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Biotour View Post
is it possible to get the pistons back in without a press?
If you can't push them in by hand, something is wrong. And you can remove the pistons without shop air. Rip the grease boots off and use the groove to pry them out from opposing sides. Use non-marring tools.
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  #11  
Old 12-13-2009, 05:13 PM
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"working the pistons a few times to loosen them" is a new one to me. I would think that could actually damage the seal or cause the piston to misalign.

I R&R'd my calipers with normal garage tools. I did have trouble getting a piston out without shop air, but my work around was using a bicycle tire pump and a cut length of old brake line on the fronts. I was R&R'ing the hose anyway.

The pistons slid back in without a press. The trick is getting them aligned correctly for the heat shields to attach. The FSM recommends a tool but you can do it without the template if you think ahead and dry fit the parts first with consideration for how the pad will align with the heat shield. There's a brake piston lube that makes the process easier.

I thought rebuilding the rears was harder than the fronts due to the very tight rubber dust boot on the rear piston.
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  #12  
Old 12-13-2009, 05:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yak View Post
...but you can do it without the template if you think ahead and dry fit the parts first with consideration for how the pad will align with the heat shield.
How hard is it to fabricate a template? Just cut a piece of cardboard at the specified angle. (The ATE seal kits that I have used came with instructions that specified the angle.)
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  #13  
Old 12-13-2009, 06:06 PM
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Forget the dealer, the parts will cost a fortune. Should be about $100 at AZ for a rebuilt caliper..

P E H
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  #14  
Old 12-13-2009, 09:32 PM
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im leaning towards autozone rebuilt calipers, but would the dealer have the rebuild kit? now it doesn't really sound all that difficult and id prefer to rebuild them.
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1985 300D, 288K, california version
1985 300DT wagon, 315k, broken odo
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  #15  
Old 12-13-2009, 09:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P.E.Haiges View Post
Forget the dealer, the parts will cost a fortune. Should be about $100 at AZ for a rebuilt caliper..

P E H
Got mine at O'reilly for 55 a piece, Fastlane has them for 83. Is it really worth the risk to keep going back to junkyard calipers (not to mention the time to rebuild yourself)? I guess if you really want to, go for it but make sure you do it right.

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