1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

rear caliper slide pin bolt question

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Eddie25, Jan 11, 2020.

  1. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2018
    315
    121
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I had a majorly seized caliper slide pin bolt on my rear brake caliper. Finally loosened it this morning with an impact.

    Are the rear slide bolts supposed to have rubber grommets on the end? It appears aftermarket boot kits come with 'other' little rubber pieces, but there was no rubber on mine, nor does it seem like there was any stuck in the caliper.
     
  2. Ed Beaty

    Ed Beaty Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2018
    334
    309
    0
    Location:
    Salt Lake City
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    It's been a while since I've done my rear sliding pins, but a quick review of the NutzAboutBolts video on the subject shows that yes, there are little rubber grommets are the far end (opposite the bolt end) of the sliding pins.
     
    Mendel Leisk and dig4dirt like this.
  3. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2010
    3,961
    2,609
    0
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Yes, and they aren’t simply grommets. It’s more like a hard plastic sleeve, as I recall. Pretty sure you want to replace those bolts with OEM
     
    dig4dirt likes this.
  4. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2012
    1,150
    741
    0
    Location:
    Lancaster Co PA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Yes, you should use them on your new pins.

    As shown in this photo on the ends

    rearcaliperpin.jpg
     
  5. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2016
    11,251
    15,474
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area, California
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    When I worked on our old 2010 it was missing the rubber bits.

    I've also worked on other owners Prii and found the same to be true.

    I'd get an OEM bolt to replace the rusty one.
     
    scona and dig4dirt like this.
  6. pingd

    pingd Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2018
    97
    60
    0
    Location:
    Twin Cities, MN
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The little rubber rings at the ends of mine were all completely missing when I lubed the slide pins at 156k.
    Only 1 of the boots were in bad shape.
     
    dig4dirt likes this.
  7. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2018
    315
    121
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Classic 'post before double checking' move.

    Turns out it was in the caliper. (It appears to be massively swollen compared to the other one).

    Unfortunately absolutely no one has a slide pin in stock including the dealer.

    One thing is still really confusing me...

    Are the slide boots different sizes? The pins are both identical right? One of my boots is bigger than the other, but I can't remember which is which.
     
  8. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2012
    1,150
    741
    0
    Location:
    Lancaster Co PA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    rears should all be the same, but the fronts are different pins, so the boots are maybe different.

    maybe one is from the front?
     
  9. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2018
    315
    121
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Arg!

    Got the one side all sorted out. Got a new boot set with grommets, reused the pin. Everything seems OK until I can get a new pin.

    Other side....

    Same story, seized caliper pin. Get out the impact... Break the bolt off in the caliper. MY GOD... Frustrating.

    Need a new caliper bracket now and have screwed myself over for the weekend.
     
  10. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2012
    1,150
    741
    0
    Location:
    Lancaster Co PA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    uggg :sick:

    I think we have all been there.

    Not sure if you have any local places to get one, or if any parts cars are around.
     
    Montgomery likes this.
  11. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2018
    315
    121
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Trying to drill it out, but it's not going great, gonna let it soak in PB for a while.

    Napa has slider bolts, so if I can get this thing out I may be in business Monday, seems unlikely.

    Looking like my best bet might be a whole reman-caliper unit and just use the bracket, or bracket only from dealer. Both around $135ish.

    If I use the whole reman-caliper and get a core back it cuts the price in half, but do you get a core back if a bolt is broken off in it?
     
  12. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2018
    315
    121
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Got it!

    Unused Harbor Freight drill bit set and about an hour later. Pretty much had to completely drill it out, then the last little bit pulled out.

    Hopefully should have some replacement slide pins Monday.

    This has to be a common problem. Happened on both mine, and I noticed it happened in one of the youtube brake videos. My theory is that the rubber swells on one of the slide pins for some reason and then stops sliding which leads to rusting. My brakes had no problems and basically no wear... Only reason I was working on them is that the rear pads were squealing and this car had an unknown to me brake service history.
     
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,475
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Some silicon brake lubes are not rubber compatible, cause rubber to swell. I've used Sil-Glyde Brake Lubricant a couple of times now, for the front and rear pins, works and no problems. There's also a Toyota grease: it's a little elusive, but check with local dealership.

    Misalignment of the rear brake caliper piston is another bugbear: spoke pattern on the piston face HAS to be X oriented, and WELL seated thus. Do your best, take a short test drive, apply/release parking brake, raise rear and verify wheels are relatively free spinning.
     
  14. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2018
    315
    121
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Thanks. I've been researching for the past week so I'm fairly aware of how the brake job should go. I also read up on using the correct lube.

    As an aside to anyone who hasn't done this (something I wish I had known)... It was super easy to return the piston into the caliper with needle nose pliers, save your money and skip the tool. One side I lubed with wd40 silicone, so the boot wouldn't bind.
     
    dig4dirt likes this.
  15. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2012
    1,150
    741
    0
    Location:
    Lancaster Co PA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    As far as the rusting, I think very common in salted road areas.

    Just about 5 years in PA and my rear were the ones in the pic above.

    I think I caught it in time.
    For the previous 5 years I was going to dealer for service, state inspections,
    and just this past summer decided to do my own oil changes etc.

    From reading here on PC, I knew it was time for a brake inspection and ohh boy
    any more time and it would have had issues.

    So glad to hear that you got it out!
     
    Montgomery likes this.
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,475
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Toyota USA says tri-yearly or 30K miles. Toyota Canada says bi-yearly or 32K kms IIRC, but I've been going by the US schedule, especially considering our ridiculously low miles. I think the main thing is to do it, regularly , not wait till it's too late.
     
    Montgomery and scona like this.
  17. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2018
    315
    121
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Got this taken care of today, everything seems to work.

    Check those slide pins before they seize, and if you're high mileage without a brake job, have new ones on hand.

    About the front brakes... Do they have similar problems with stuck pins?
     
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,475
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I think if they're neglected long enough, and/or someone lubed with bad stuff, say anti-seize. I believe there's no rubber collars on the front pins? That's a plus, because some lubes will swell rubber, one Permatex lube IIRC.

    The fronts don't have the parking brake complication, so for that reason are harder to screw up, less likely to be running hot for a protracted time, which maybe means the pin are less prone to dry up: hot brakes, constantly, maybe bakes the lube on the pins?
     
    dig4dirt likes this.
  19. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2018
    315
    121
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I guess I should at the very least check them out. I think one pin of each side has a rubber slide grommet as opposed to both in the rear. I'll have some new pins and a boot kit on hand when I do check them out.
     
    dig4dirt likes this.
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,475
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I think you're right; this Repair Manual picture seems to suggest something on the lower (front brake) pin:

    upload_2020-1-13_20-34-19.png

    I guess when you can't remember, it's just about time to revisit them, lol.
     

    Attached Files: