Went to the salvage-yard today and someone pulled out a brake-actuator...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by priuslyfe, Jun 2, 2026 at 12:24 PM.

  1. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    without taking off the inverter or brake lines and stuff.

    They simply took off the 12mm bracket bolts and SAWED around the inverter, cut the brake-lines going into the actuator and made room towards the firewall and frame. I can't figure out how they got it out? I mean there is a counterweight to stabilize the brake-actuator on the bottom of the bracket as well. nothing else is touched. its like they pulled it upwards & out somehow but there doesn't seem to be enough space but somehow they did it....engine looked like this BUT the windshield-wiper cowel was removed as well. ONLY the area behind the inverter was touched.

    HOW DID HE DO THAT!?

    [​IMG]



    should have taken a pic but I was pretty amazed he turned at least a 1-2 hour job into 10minutes.

    Also if the brake-fluid holder is full and no parts are pulled in an engine does that mean that the brake-actuator isn't damaged/dried out? Basically what to look for other than that. Also looking at cars that were clearly in an accident thus possibly preserving the engine components.
     
    #1 priuslyfe, Jun 2, 2026 at 12:24 PM
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2026 at 12:45 PM
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    What'd they do to cut the brake lines?

    Toyota's own instructions in TSBs for handling an actuator (no fabric gloves even, lest they shed tiny fibers into the fluid ports) would give me a high index of suspicion over any actuator pulled out by a salvage-yard crew, and the possibility of saw chips might push me into "thanks, maybe I'll shop someplace else" territory.
     
    #2 ChapmanF, Jun 2, 2026 at 1:06 PM
  3. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    they must've used a sawzall/reciprocating-saw. all the fat orange wires and brake-lines are also roughly cut as well. I was thinking about trying it myself just for answering my own question.

    my guess is he pulled it upwards and kept manipulating until it came through that small gap between teh inverter and frame of the windshield.
     
    #3 priuslyfe, Jun 2, 2026 at 1:48 PM
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Yeah, hard pass on using that actuator for anything.
     
    #4 ChapmanF, Jun 2, 2026 at 3:06 PM
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I just use my Dykes side cutters cut line it holds the line closed nicely. Sawzall no belong here . That's for cutting frames etc .
     
    #5 Tombukt2, Jun 2, 2026 at 8:11 PM
  6. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    just for clarification. I was speculating on how he pulled the actuator out not if/what? there isn't (doesn't seem to be at least) enough room not to mention the weight and awkward form of the actuator/bracket. I was impressed.

    I'll be going back soon. I'll take a picture of the engine if my question wasn't clear enough to be understood.
     
    #6 priuslyfe, Jun 3, 2026 at 9:23 AM
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I'm glad your question was motivated by curiosity and not by need for an actuator.

    If you had been there because you needed an actuator and had seen them do that, it would have been like the time years ago when I went to a Mazda dealership trying to replace a little spark-plug wire clip that had broken off in my car, and the guy said "they're no longer available in the catalog, but wait, I think we have one of those cars out back", so we looked and there was the exact part I needed, only he didn't get how to release the claw holding it on, so he grabbed a big screwdriver and before I could stop him he broke it off for me.
     
    #7 ChapmanF, Jun 3, 2026 at 9:39 AM
  8. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    So you're saying he took a Diablo blade and poked a hole from the engine bay side of the acuator . How'd they lift it out ?
     
    #8 Tombukt2, Jun 3, 2026 at 12:34 PM
  9. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    yes.

    unless he did an absolutely meticulous job of putting everything back together (with accumulated dust) he took the actuator out from behind the inverter without messing with anything except cutting out direct obstructions (brake lines, orange wires, etc.)
     
    #9 priuslyfe, Jun 3, 2026 at 12:53 PM
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