2001 Pathy caliper

[dostrander]

2 part question.
1) Did a total Brake pad/rotor/inner/outer bearing refit this weekend. It was a little dark when I broke down the caliper bracket and didn't notice until the light of the next day that one of the slide pins had a rubber seal on the end of it. Does it matter if it goes top or bottom?

2) Also, I've read on a "how to" here on NICO that the flat sides on the head of the pins are supposed to be top/bottom, however in the FSM it shows the flats to be on the left/right. Could I get a verification on that?

Thanks

[rgk]

I just pulled my pins today for an inspection, and noticed that rubber seal. The driver's side caliper had the rubber seal on the top pin, but not the bottom pin.

Regarding the head, I don't remember whether the flat surface was vertical or horizontal. But I did notice that it only fit one way, so as long as it is seated against the flat surface of the caliper, it should be OK.

[dostrander]

Did the passenger side have one? Mine did. It was also one pin with seal per side. Maybe thats what allows the caliper to be able to pivot up when removing the bottom one.

[rgk]

I'm sure it did, but I didn't check the passenger side.

Are you concerned that you put the top pin in the bottom slot?

[dostrander]

Yeah... Alcohol and vehicle maintenance are not a good combo...

[rgk]

I was wrong. It looks like the slide pin with the rubber seal goes to the bottom.

Either I got them mixed up, or the previous owner did, because upon inspection today (nearly a year later!) I noticed that my driver's side brake pads were wearing unevenly. Each pad had wear on the opposite side (top-bottom). When I tried removing the slides, I discovered that the top slide was very difficult to remove and insert. When I tried re-inserting it, the entire seal fell apart. I checked out the other wheel (something I should have done a year ago) and found out the truth. I also examined the fit by placing both slides in each hole (heh).

Luckily, the local parts store had a boot kit on hand. I replaced the seal and put the pins in the right place. But let this be a lesson regarding Shmurphy's Law: if you actively decide against performing your due diligence, you will be wrong.

[attofarad]

I was wrong. It looks like the slide pin with the rubber seal goes to the bottom.

From my reading, the pin with the rubber bushing goes on the trailing pin of the caliper. For ours with the calipers mounted on the rear side of the rotor, the trailing pin is on top. The purpose of the bushing is to eliminate noise from the caliper pins.

The pins are usually sold as a pair, but RockAuto also sells the upper and lower as separate items. They refer to the one with the bushing as "upper." Not that I would actually trust what a parts description says about such a thing.

So, I'm going with "upper." Also, I'm using silicone paste to lube the pins. I previously used CRC Brake and Caliper Grease, but the rubber bushing swelled and made the pin stick, which made the inner pads wear faster.

Previously I've never done any periodic maintenance to the brakes -- I just replaced them when the pads or rotors were shot. I now plan to re-lube the caliper pins every 10 or 15 thousand miles, so that I get full wear from the pads.

[AlanAZ]

I recently used Permatex Silicone Ceramic Brake lube (about half a small tube) on a neighbors vehicle who's calipers had zero maintenance other than the pads replaced, and the pins were sticking. Cleaned the inside of the pin shafts with Q-tips dipped into brake cleaner, and the pins themselves, that lube works well (orange color is a bit different), a bit more viscous that what I've used before, and looks like it will last longer. I also used it between the pad backing plates and the caliper, brakes were silent. Previous pads had nothing between them, I had to use a cold chisel to separate one backing plate.

https://www.permatex.com/products/lubri ... lubricant/