brake caliper sliding pins maintenance

lube them. not really a big thing.
for instructions you might want to check out the 'nutzaboutbolts' videos on YouTube.

BION
StarCaller

 

I just serviced the brakes on my 2010 Prius. The area that I live in is very wet and hard on brakes in general. Presently the mileage is at 54,000 , and there was still plenty of lubricant on the Caliper pins. If your rotors are still smooth and the pads o.k. I would not be overly concerned.

 

Advice? Follow the maintenance schedule? Here's the typical maintenance (from US Warranty and Maintenance Booklet):



The above is to be done every 5000 miles or 6 months. Basically a quick look over while the tires are being rotated.

But then, at very 30,000 miles or 3 years, they say this (page 41 in the 2010 booklet):



And down the page, footnote #3:




So, subtle as hell, but every 30,000 miles or 3 years, you're supposed to do a complete brake inspection, which entails lifting off the calipers, pulling off the pads, lubing the pins, checking the disc thickness and run out, cleaning the pads/shims, relubing and reassembling.

Basically the same old story, as it's always been, except both owners and dealerships seem to be missing this. Sometime back I converted the US service-by-service schedule to a chart:



The attachment explains in more detail what's involved, plus a long-winded description of complete disassembly of the caliper, which is not required.

 

how much do they want to lube your pins?

 

Lubing the caliper pins is part of Toyota's lame answer to the problem of rattling calipers. While it might minimize the rattling condition, it certainly is no cure. There is a specific TSB that covers this procedure.

 

Lubing the pins is just part of the routine brake inspection, that Toyota USA specs at 3 year or 30K mile interval.

Owners surpassing that interval by 2~3 times, never had anyone seriously look at their brakes, and thinking "the Prius brakes last forever"? Dealerships slipping into doing nothing but a casual look-over during tire rotation, because brake maintenance is a labour only, low mark-up item? Owners that can't manage to even pull off a wheel and look at the brakes??

I've got not patience.

 

If you have an independent mechanic you trust, he or she can do this just as well as the dealership mechanic. You're correct that the pins should be lubricated more frequently than the pad change interval. Along with lubricating the pins, the mechanic will probably remove the brake pads, clean them, and re-lubricate their backing plates and the shims. Your car is five years old and that lubricant is all long gone.

This is all super-basic work; it's the same as every other car. Any mechanic who can't do this isn't a mechanic. As your mechanic told you, this is just the free part of a brake pad change. It's a brake pad change without changing the pads.

 

Over the years, the labour charged we paid for a 4 corner brake job without pad replacement was around $400. Again, that's maybe every 3 years. If pads or shoes are required, about an extra $100 per set, front or rear. With front disc /rear drum brakes, the drums rarely (if ever) need replacement shoes.

If some place is telling you they'll do it for free, they are cutting corners.

 

I said it's the free part of a brake pad change.

How much would you charge? I think $400 is a lot of money for this work. With professional equipment, I don't think this takes an hour.

 

I'm inclined to agree, maybe $400 would be with front pad replacement, more like $250 without.

The work is not trivial though, have you done this?

Even the opening salvo, pulling off (and finally reinstalling) 4 wheels: that's a workout for DIY. And that's my yardstick: sure the pros have all the power tools, 'lifts, and nice heated work bays. But all that stuff costs. I consider the alternative of DIY when trying to rationalize cost.

 

I'd happily do it for $250. In a shop with a lift and pneumatic impact wrench, you can pull all four wheels in under five minutes.

 

It'd take me 20 minutes from a cold start, just to have all four wheels off:
1. Drag out all the safety stands.
2. Put four chocks on rear wheels.
3. Half-loosen 20 lug nuts.
4. Raise front, position safety stands, settle and check.
5. Drag jack around to back, raise back, and so on.
6. Spin off 20 lug nuts and remove the four wheels. If any stick, get out the sledge hammer, put 4x4 at bottom back of tire, hit with hammer.

The pay offs though: take my sweet time, do it right, convenient, and costs nothing.

 

Twenty minutes of work shouldn't cost $400. Let's say it's 20 minutes on and 20 off, and then it's 15 minutes a wheel to clean and grease the shims and pins. About two hours total. $200/hr is a lot of money. And if you're a pro garage, it takes a less time.

Anyway, you and I do this work ourselves because we want it done right. It's not just about saving money.

 

I apply a thin layer of anti-seize when the tires are rotated. Wheels always fall right off when demounting.

 

Yeah it's actually a Civic I'm doing that usually sticks. But not bad, one hammer tap and its loose.

Steel rims, no problems. And if anything they're lighter.

 

There's more to a brake inspection than the pins.