Rear Brake Pads..... Gently Does It!

[Ronin]

Hi it's John again (Ronin's Brother in law).

Dont worry, its not another caliper mis-alignment/ corrosion thread!!!!

 

I WAS going to tackle replacing the rear brake pads today but ran into an obstacle right away as soon as i took the rear wheels off.

The calipers are straight and true... No problems with corrosion between the faces etc.

 

However.... When looking to take out the pad retainingg bolt I noticed that the bolt itself has nothing much to go through!!

In fact, it looks like what would "normally" be two holes that this pin/bolt fits through (I would presume) :o has actually corroded away to two very dodgy corroded valley's... In other words.... What the hell are the pads been held in by??????

I stopped before I went any further... Is this normal?

Does it need new calipers

Any advice would be most welcome

Cheers :huh:

[Johndouglas]

It's a long bolt that goes through the shims and the pads and it's held with a nut on the rear. The bolt also holds the cover plate. Hold the nut and turn the bolt, when the cover plate will just pull away.

[coastline taxis]

Take it that you mean the hole is no longer complete and that the bolt can just be pulled away. The correct way is to put another caliper on. In the past though weve used tough steel make sure you file the area around the hole well so it gets a good key. Next mix the tough steel now put the bolt through the hole then place the tough steel onto the caliper shaping it the best you can to the contours of the caliper keep turning the bolt as you dont want them to set to each other. Once set pull the bolt out a put it all back together When you brake the caliper will keep the pad in place and the bit your fixing is basicly a dust cover just remember that the bolt only tightens to a few pound so there no need for ratchets just a little nip with a couple of spanners

[Ronin]

Take it that you mean the hole is no longer complete and that the bolt can just be pulled away. The correct way is to put another caliper on. In the past though weve used tough steel make sure you file the area around the hole well so it gets a good key. Next mix the tough steel now put the bolt through the hole then place the tough steel onto the caliper shaping it the best you can to the contours of the caliper keep turning the bolt as you dont want them to set to each other. Once set pull the bolt out a put it all back together When you brake the caliper will keep the pad in place and the bit your fixing is basicly a dust cover just remember that the bolt only tightens to a few pound so there no need for ratchets just a little nip with a couple of spanners

 

Cheers Coastie, :huh: Funny you should say that, Ronin suggested Araldite (or something like that anyway) where is the best place to buy this "tough steel" from please?

Are these pad retaining bolts dealer parts only? They are pretty much seized and rounded off on the nut, it looks like an angry monkey has put them on in the past :o I was just going to grind them off and replace the pins if they are cheap enough. I already have the pads at least ;)

[coastline taxis]

Cheers Coastie, ;) Funny you should say that, Ronin suggested Araldite (or something like that anyway) where is the best place to buy this "tough steel" from please?

Are these pad retaining bolts dealer parts only? They are pretty much seized and rounded off on the nut, it looks like an angry monkey has put them on in the past :blink: I was just going to grind them off and replace the pins if they are cheap enough. I already have the pads at least ;)

Any discount store/halford/plumbers etc etc. Its like a putty you tear of and rub the built in hardner into it. it just like plastercine then wet your fingers to smooth it of. and the bolts will really be peanuts from the dealers

[paul.h]

Are these holes another common corrosion point on the calipers like on the backs where they contact the suspension arm ? I have been putting a blob of copper grease in them when fitting the retaining bolt but never thought about corrosion.

[coastline taxis]

Only had the odd few that corrode and putting a bit graese on is a excellent way to stop it. We never do but will be from now on funny never thought of doing it

[Ronin]

Cheers Coasty, That stuff worked a treat.

 

£3.99 from halfords and retaining pins from main dealer £1.86 for a pair!!!! :unsure: Finally a cheap citroen part :lol:

I grinded the old pins off!

 

Anyway, had a word with the friendly Service Manager called Pete at Croxdale Citroen about this corrosion problem.... He said that a handy tip "but he never told me mind"(wink) is to leave the thin metal dust covers off, the tin plating on it reacts with the retaining pin alloy and causes the corrosion!!!!

 

A handy thing to note is to really get a good bit of sanding down going on around the area so that you have a good surface to key the epoxy steel putty too. Mold the putty into a shape somewhere near and then push the pin through and keep twisting it now an then until the putty hardens (about 10 minutes)

As suggested by our Coasty B)

 

I then continued to do the same on the opposite side caliper which gave the first caliper repair time to harden solid. I took the pin back out and took a file to smooth the repair down. Then it was just a case of fitting the pads in as normal...

Job done, cup of tea in hand after an hour.

I put the wheels back on and left the car for a couple of hours and then took it for a spin to gently bed the new pads in.

 

Thanks a million Coasty... Keep up the good work m8 ;)