Liberty brake caliper slider pins

jzjohnz

New member
Hello everyone and Merry Christmas to all.

Did a front brake job on my 2006 Liberty, using semi-metallic pads, a few months ago & was very thorough about it by including cleaning the caliper slider pins & the holes at the same time. At that time, I didn't have any silicone lube for them so I used some Amsoil synthetic bearing grease that I've had for a long time & that seemed to work out very well.

About a month or so later, I decided to replace the new semi-metallic pads, that I had installed earlier, with ceramic ones since I had read that ceramics are easier on the new rotors, that I had also installed. While I had everything broken down for the 2nd time, I went ahead & cleaned the slider pins again so I could lube them with the correct silicone lube that I had bought in the meantime. Left front job went well but the right front slider pin with the rubber bushing would not come out at all. It would spin ok but would not budge for removal. Finally got it out by beating it out with a hammer & a wrench. Turns out the rubber bushing had slid off enough to wedge itself between the pin and the cylinder so I decided not to replace it (rubber bushing) with a new one that I had purchased & just left it completely out. Reason was because I had tested the new rubber bushing on the pin & in the pin hole, with the new silicone lube, & it was resisting more than I cared to trust leaving it in there.

My question is does it hurt anything, or cause a problem, by not leaving those rubber bushings in place? Also, does it matter where the two pins, on each caliper, are located in relation to the rotation of the rotor? Does it matter which is one is leading? It's been over a month now running without the rubber bushing in that one right front wheel & I haven't noticed any difference with braking as both front wheels are braking just fine since then. I do plan on removing the wheels at some time in the future to see for myself if there are any irregularities on the new brake pads because of the problems I was having.
 

Yes the bushing placement matters. Usually one pin is slightly narrower or grooved. And the bushing itself is a bushing to center the pin and absorb some vibration. Would take the caliper back apart. Clean the holes well running s wire brush up them put the pins in the correct positions and grease.

Also there is special grease for the pins that will not degrade the bushing and dust covers. Sil-glide grease is silicone based and does not expand and degrade the rubber..


Never look down on anyone unless you are helping them up - Jesse Jackson
 
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Thanks for the reply JP. Been almost a year since my post and your reply and I'm still operating the right brake caliper without the rubber bushing. Also, I have since checked both sides of the front brakes (right and left wheel) and both seem to be doing well enough with no sign of problem with running without the rubber bushing in the right side brake pin. I do plan to follow your advice, however, and clean out the pin hole with a wire brush and try adding a new rubber bushing and will let you know how that works out.

Thanks again.....
 
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