Working on Brakes, Blew Caliper Piston!!

[MrQ]

I seriously screwed up on my explorer.

I set aside today to replace the brake pads, wheel bearings, and machine the rotors, unfortunately in the process of testing my out my work on the left side, I blew out the caliper piston on the right side.

My brother was on the brakes and my dad was adding fluid at the same time and the right piston blew out of the caliper and landed on the concrete floor.

Now I have to bleed the brake system and try determine if the caliper still works (I was able to, hopefully, properly replace the piston and seal)

HELP PLEASE!! I HAVE TO GET THIS FIXED BEFORE I GO TO WORK TOMORROW!!

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I think you can clean the bore, check the seals and put it back in- I'd use a rebuild kit from a parts store. Or, slap it back together and get a rebuilt caliper from the parts store.

 

[blkhwkns]

at this point your best bet would be a replacement caliper, if not a new one at least replace the seal and clean it very well before reassembly. I must say i would not recommend rebuilding it yourself, it's not always so easy. advise you read online is mostly general, unique problems do happen and experience levels do vary, so a replacement is a much better idea than someone typing a how to on a caliper rebuild. ( My opinion). another thing, try to gravity bleed first, with both sides installed loosen the bleed screws and take off the resovior cap add fluid and let gravity do it's magic. Once fluid is comeing out of a bleed screw close it and once both are extruding fluid most of the air will be out and this is a good place to start pumping and bleeding the brake system. Since the piston took flight it would proubly be best to bleed all 4 wheels. Starting from the furthest from the master cylendar (Right rear) and work your way in. Passnger rear, driver rear, passanger front, driver front. This way the system is properly bleed.

 

[Cobraguy]

Check the piston for damage. Check the seal for damage. If you don't know what you are looking for, do as suggested and get a reman caliper. Many caliper piston seals are designed with a bevel to slightly pull the pad away from the rotor since there are no return springs. Install it wrong and you have a pad that drags too much. But I suspect you can clean everything up with brake cleaner, relube the seal with brake fluid, and carefully put it back together and be just fine.

By the way...I truly believe that anything with 100K on it should receive all new hoses and calipers.

 

[greese06]

Fast Fix

Go to an Autozone or Advanced Auto right away. Call ahead to make sure they have the cheapest caliper in stock, they run about 46 dollars with tax.
Just unbolt the line, bolt it on the new caliper, losen the bleeder and bleed them properly. I just replaced one on a freinds explorer.
Its pretty easy and quick.
Hope this helps

 

[solitary ogre]

if you replace or rebuilt one side it could end up pulling to that side when braking. that could be dangerous.
it could also cause uneven brake pad wear between left and right sides.
now that one side is apart it would be best to rebuild or replace both sides so braking remains even.
better to be safe than sorry.

 

[blkhwkns]

if you replace or rebuilt one side it could end up pulling to that side when braking. that could be dangerous.
it could also cause uneven brake pad wear between left and right sides.
now that one side is apart it would be best to rebuild or replace both sides so braking remains even.
better to be safe than sorry.

i agree 100%

 

[FexplorerV8]

just replace the caliper, unlike what some people are saying it will NOT make the car pull to the side because one side is new and the other is not.

 

[Four0Sport]

if anything a collapsed hose will cause the vehicle to pull more so than a caliper, that has been my experience anyway. a 'sticky' caliper is more often than not just a collapsed hose. which is why it is a good idea to replace the hoses on the truck.

you would be surprised how much better your truck feels during braking with new hoses and a good brake fluid flush.

oh, btw, i hope youre not pumping the brakes while your bleeding. i borrowed one of those handheld vaccum pumps to bleed my brakes and it was amazing! i will never bleed a vehicle w/out one. now if i could only find one at work that hasnt been rented out so i can buy it.

 

[jbracefan1977]

if anything a collapsed hose will cause the vehicle to pull more so than a caliper, that has been my experience anyway. a 'sticky' caliper is more often than not just a collapsed hose. which is why it is a good idea to replace the hoses on the truck.

you would be surprised how much better your truck feels during braking with new hoses and a good brake fluid flush.

oh, btw, i hope youre not pumping the brakes while your bleeding. i borrowed one of those handheld vaccum pumps to bleed my brakes and it was amazing! i will never bleed a vehicle w/out one. now if i could only find one at work that hasnt been rented out so i can buy it.

I agree with Four0Sport here.

 

[DeRocha]

HELP PLEASE!! I HAVE TO GET THIS FIXED BEFORE I GO TO WORK TOMORROW!!

So what going on? Its been a week and you haven't posted back

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

I think he got everything put back together.

Were you able to reassemble the caliper or did you buy new ones?

 

[MrQ]

Oh man! I forgot to post back! My bad.

That night I worked really hard on trying to loosen that caliper bleed valve. Pretty near broke it off trying to get it open. Both my dad and I used locking pliers, regular pliers, and (a personal favorite) a hammer after we stripped it.

Well anyways, I ran over to O-Reilly the next morning with my dad to get a new caliper. Picked up a reman for about 20 w/ a core exchange. I bled that caliper and tried to bleed the other. Fat chance. That valve on the left caliper was seized as well.

Fortunately everything turned out well and my brakes have never worked better. Thanks for your help!!

On a side note I blew out about a pint of brake fluid over my dad's garage floor, so now it has a nice dark, gray spot.

Ahh...in a garage floor, such stains hold so many memories.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

Oh man! I forgot to post back! My bad.

That night I worked really hard on trying to loosen that caliper bleed valve. Pretty near broke it off trying to get it open. Both my dad and I used locking pliers, regular pliers, and (a personal favorite) a hammer after we stripped it.

Well anyways, I ran over to O-Reilly the next morning with my dad to get a new caliper. Picked up a reman for about 20 w/ a core exchange. I bled that caliper and tried to bleed the other. Fat chance. That valve on the left caliper was seized as well.

Fortunately everything turned out well and my brakes have never worked better. Thanks for your help!!

On a side note I blew out about a pint of brake fluid over my dad's garage floor, so now it has a nice dark, gray spot.

Ahh...in a garage floor, such stains hold so many memories.

yup... know exactly what your talking about. I can point out a big stain on my dad's garage floor from the time I changed my differential oil. Even if my parents sell the house, I can come back 30 years later and tell my kids while pointing to the garage floor "look, that's where I changed the differential oil in my explorer"

lol