caliper piston dust boot installation

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
Post Reply
micbrody
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 443
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2014 4:50 pm
Your car is a: 1981 fiat 2000
Location: Munster, IN (Northwest Indiana near Chicago)

caliper piston dust boot installation

Post by micbrody »

Can someone help me with instructions of how to get dust boot re-installed?
User avatar
blazingspider
Posts: 173
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 8:44 am
Your car is a: 1977 fiat spider
Location: Nanuet, New York

Re: caliper piston dust boot installation

Post by blazingspider »

FWIW what I do is:

1: Make sure the groove for the dust boot in the caliper body is cleaned up really well.
2: Make sure you have the boot oriented properly as there is a front and back side to it.
3: Fully retracted the caliper piston. I use a c clamp and a small piece of wood to protect the caliper piston for the fronts, screw the piston in with the backs.
4: Grease up the groove on the caliper for the boot and the inside and outside of the boot itself. I use a pure silicone grease.
5: Work the boot into the groove and over the piston making sure the boot has been fully inserted into the groove.
6: Re-install caliper and step on the brake pedal a few times to re-set the piston up against the brake pads.
7: Remove the caliper again to check that the dust boot has been installed correctly. When properly fitted, the boot has a bellows like action to it. It should never pull out and away from the groove or extend with caliper piston. If you see either of those problems then you haven't got it right yet.

Good luck
micbrody
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 443
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2014 4:50 pm
Your car is a: 1981 fiat 2000
Location: Munster, IN (Northwest Indiana near Chicago)

Re: caliper piston dust boot installation

Post by micbrody »

Thanks; I'll try this.

Question: I have screwed with boot so many times, I am not sure which is front or back; or if I have turned it inside-out. Do you have a picture or description of boot?
User avatar
blazingspider
Posts: 173
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 8:44 am
Your car is a: 1977 fiat spider
Location: Nanuet, New York

Re: caliper piston dust boot installation

Post by blazingspider »

From memory and without pulling a wheel off and removing the caliper to check....the front side of the dust boot has that recess between the inside and outside edges. In other words the inside and outside edges of the boot are on the same plane. You could lay a straight edge across them.

The bulge of rubber that provides the "bellows" effect between the inside and outside edges goes on the back side.
User avatar
4uall
Posts: 4145
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 12:09 pm
Your car is a: 1980 Fiat Pininfarina Spider 2000 F.I.
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: caliper piston dust boot installation

Post by 4uall »

Jay

Fiona
1980 FI 2000 Spider
ITZEBTZE

https://goo.gl/photos/eNKaX7hrXhBu9fmp6

FINN (FN-2187)
2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport
MYTHERPY
Post Reply