Caliper Installation

[aj81spider]

I'm replacing most of my brake assembly (lines, rotors, calipers) and have gotten to the point where I am installing everything. I installed one of the rear calipers tonight and am worried about how it went together. I installed the bottom caliper locking block first, as the manual directs. To get the top locking block in required a fair amount of pushing on the caliper and some friendly persuasion on the block (i.e. hammer). It is all together - caliper blocks lubricated with caliper grease, but very tight. As I understand it the caliper needs to slide back and forth on the blocks when it operates.

How tight should the caliper be? I cannot move anything by hand. I can tap the blocks out with a drift and hammer, but they will not move by any sort of finger force. The wheel rotates OK, but the system is completely dry right now (master cylinder being replaced as well).

I'm thinking having functional brakes is a little important so I'd like to get this right!

[124JOE]

it helps to have pics
theres a spring that holds the caliper from rubbing the rotor
the spring should go under the lip and the block over

i know this is the front but mounts the same

[aj81spider]

Thanks Joe,

Mine is set up just like that. The caliper is mounted just like your picture. However the blocks are pretty tight and the whole assembly doesn't move by hand. The blocks can be drifted out, but won't move without some persuasion.

My question is whether being this tight will cause problems with the brakes operating.

[124JOE]

they slide on the caliper not the braket.
its a hydrolic system so dont worry about it.theres vplenty of push to go around.
however are your brackets rusted at all that might make it tighter
do the other side quick to feel it also

[aj81spider]

I ran out to the garage to take a picture:

[124JOE]

looks great

[So Cal Mark]

you should be able to slide that caliper back and forth by hand. The only thing that retracts the piston is the resilliency of the o-ring on the piston. If the caliper doesn't slide easily, the brakes will drag

[aj81spider]

That's what I was afraid of. Thanks Mark - looks like I have some work to do.

[131]

Pull the pins out of the slides and with a thumb and finger on either side of the slide give the caliper a tap with a hammer, on the top near the slide, as if you're tapping it in towards the axle. It shouldn't take much of a tap to be able to move the slides from side to side. If the slides move easily enough put the pins back in and give the system a good bleed.

[124ADDHE]

Yeah, those sliders are a every-second-oilchange-type of maintenance item...use only top quality synthetic brake grease, it will save brakes and fuel, like Mark said, those things need to move freely. The fronts can actually be serviced without tools (if they are still free) and be accessed byturning the wheels, the rears can be done without removing the wheels also, but you need to get your ass on your shop floor

PS I recommend using anti-seize on the bleeders....I dont want to tell you about my 2 passanger-side calipers that are sitting there with broken bleeders

[jpman78]

I cant get the front calipers to stop leaking