DRW Can't remove rear Brake Caliper top bolt-- not enough clearance with leaf springs

[Lakatos]

My first brake job on the dually--I am trying to remove the top caliper mounting bolt but it eventually hits the leaf springs. How do I get the caliper off? do I have to loosen the ubolt on the axle?

 

[Prairie Dog]

Somebody has removed the spacers that are supposed to be under the leaf pack. I suspect your only avenue is to loosen the axle U bolts and lower the axle away from the springs.
Check out this video at 1.21 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PCPJ_6afI4

 

[Lakatos]

Thanks, got it cleared and removed, next question

Somebody has removed the spacers that are supposed to be under the leaf pack. I suspect your only avenue is to loosen the axle U bolts and lower the axle away from the springs.
Check out this video at 1.21 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PCPJ_6afI4

Thanks for the info. I got the bolt out and the caliper loose.

The shop manual says to compress the piston to remove the caliper. I have never done this before where the caliper had to be compressed while on the rotor. In all my other brake changes he caliper came right off and didn't need compressing. In this case, I loosened the bleeder screw and compressed as much as I could by squeezing it by hand. it is loose but still wont come off.

Question--how do you compress the pistons enough to get the caliper off the rotor?

 

[Lakatos]

I see lots of discussion about using a screwdriver between the pad and the piston, seems like this would get the pistons crooked.

 

[Prairie Dog]

IIRC, I just used a hammer to tap it off the rotor.

 

[EDankievitch]

There is enough room to use a pinch bar (screwdriver) between the rotor and old break pad to press the pistons back in. If the require a lot of force then you might be looking at replacing the caliper. If things move normal (Not sticking) then you don't have to remove that bolt all the way my memory says that the caliper will pivot out to allow access to the pads.

 

[Lakatos]

Got it off thanks for the help.

 

[Lakatos]

please disregard, I have not yet figured out how to delete posts

 

[jelag]

Remember to open the bleeder... push all that old fluid out of the system... always install fresh fluid.. and either have someone help or use a vacuum bleeder and flush out all the old fluid.. When I change pads I expect to use over a quart of fluid when I change pads on 4 wheels...

 

[Lakatos]

Remember to open the bleeder... push all that old fluid out of the system... always install fresh fluid.. and either have someone help or use a vacuum bleeder and flush out all the old fluid.. When I change pads I expect to use over a quart of fluid when I change pads on 4 wheels...

I did open the bleeder valve to make the compressing easier. Also, I just picked up a motive power bleeder and plan to try it out today. I have two qts of fluid just in case.

 

[Lakatos]

IIRC, I just used a hammer to tap it off the rotor.

I tried tapping out but the pistons got stuck on the rivets that hold the pads to the mount.

 

[Lakatos]

Wanted to share my experience for the next newbie. I was successful in compressing the pistons on the rotor by using a larger clamp. I put one end of the clamp on the caliper in the middle of the pistons (inboard side)and the other side on the caliper mounting bracket. Draining the old brake fluid out. It worked like a champ.

Now on to the motive power bleeder--like others experience, when I put the cap on my reservoir it leaked (luckily I used it dry first instead of leaking fluid all over the place) no matter what I did, I could not get it to seal (5psi max). After several trial and error (ie, bungie cords, etc to hold it in place) I tried to build up the thickness of the bushing in the motive cap using black electrical tape. I laid the bushing on the bench, and put about 4 layers of tape. I then trimmed the excess tape around the bushing so it fit back in the cap. I installed the bushing tape side up so the bushing would touch the reservoir. I was able to get at least up to 15psi which worked for me.

A guy at work recommended that I use the motive dry and just refill the reservoir directly with fluid. This was a good idea since I didn't have to clean the motive and the reservoir holds nearly half a qt of fluid from the add line to full. Very good suggestion for sure.