Temporary fix for sticking brakes?

[karyins]

2004 4wd SR5 V6, both front and rear brake calipers and rotors etc got replaced multiple times over the years. A few months ago in the very cold winter, rear left wheel started to get hot after a few minutes drive so I got the rear left caliper replaced again. A week later, right rear wheel started to get hot too! I didn't want to deal with it in the sub-zero weather so I tried this:

I parked the 4runner and started to pump/release the brake pedal for about 100 times in 5 minutes. And the problem was gone after that.

About a week ago the right rear wheel started to get a little bit hot after some drive so I did it again. And so far so good.

Not sure if this works for others but I'll probably just keep doing this till it fails...

 

[aaronmjr]

I have a rear caliper that is sticky, I'm going to try this.

 

[gaber6]

A hammer also works. I had a Jetta that I got cheap recently and replaced the rear pads and they still stuck occasionally. A few hits with a hammer on the caliper would loosen them for a few days.

 

[karyins]

I have a rear caliper that is sticky, I'm going to try this.

Haha let me know how it goes.

 

[JSM1284]

Sounds like you may need hoses if this is a reoccurring issue and they have not been replaced.

 

[lbhsbz]

I work for a caliper rebuilder...here's how you make 'em live.

Pistons stick because corrosion creeps under the dust boot and starts to rust the bore on the dry side of the seal...pinches the piston, and they stick.

Get some new/rebuilt calipers, or rebuild yours. If the calipers aren't painted/coated...hose 'em down with brake cleaner to get any anti-corrosive oil/dip off of them, then paint them with caliper paint.

Now the important part. Find a small syringe like you'd use to give a baby or a pet liquid medicine with a sort of pointy plastic tip on it. Fill it up full of silicone dielectric grease (the stuff they try to get you buy with spark plugs/wires), pull the boots away from the pistons a bit and fill them with grease. Then work the boots around a bit to make sure everything under the boot is coated in grease...you can't use too much...if it starts oozing out, even better. Then add a bit more for good measure.

If the boot is full of grease, then water and contaminants won't be able to get in there.

 

[Toyojay]

I work for a caliper rebuilder...here's how you make 'em live.

Pistons stick because corrosion creeps under the dust boot and starts to rust the bore on the dry side of the seal...pinches the piston, and they stick.

Get some new/rebuilt calipers, or rebuild yours. If the calipers aren't painted/coated...hose 'em down with brake cleaner to get any anti-corrosive oil/dip off of them, then paint them with caliper paint.

Now the important part. Find a small syringe like you'd use to give a baby or a pet liquid medicine with a sort of pointy plastic tip on it. Fill it up full of silicone dielectric grease (the stuff they try to get you buy with spark plugs/wires), pull the boots away from the pistons a bit and fill them with grease. Then work the boots around a bit to make sure everything under the boot is coated in grease...you can't use too much...if it starts oozing out, even better. Then add a bit more for good measure.

If the boot is full of grease, then water and contaminants won't be able to get in there.

Doesn't the brake fluid disinegrate the dielectric? Haven't heard of greasing caliper pistons before.

 

[AuSeeker]

Doesn't the brake fluid disinegrate the dielectric? Haven't heard of greasing caliper pistons before.

The brake fluid never contacts the grease unless you have a leaking piston seal, A.K.A. a bad caliper, the grease only goes under the dust boot not in the piston bore.

 

[lbhsbz]

The brake fluid never contacts the grease unless you have a leaking piston seal, A.K.A. a bad caliper, the grease only goes under the dust boot not in the piston bore.

Correct...we're simply creating a boundary seal.