Bottom guide pin on my front brake caliper is seized. I used PB blaster and beat it with a hammer and chisel but it does not want to budge. What is the best option?

1-Replace the caliper bracket with new or remanufactered?

2-remove and have the hole rebored?

What is this part called anyhow?

Thanks,
Hammerhead

4 to 5 minutes with a propane torch on the guide pin bore did the trick. Thanks for your help.

Hammerhead

You're absolutely right that the bore is going to need to be cleaned. Wad some steel wool around a drill bit, and ream the bore with an electric drill and you can remove most of the rust. Your concern about the dementions of the pin and the bore are warranted too. I've found that when you've had one stick this bad, that you now have a bad fit due to material lost to rust and cleaning. I replaced mine with a new caliper bracket and slide pins. But if I had to do it again, I think I'd just buy a loaded caliper and keep the caliper in my spare parts bin. As I recall, the bracket and pins were almost as much as a whole caliper.


Jeff Pierce
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'93 945 Turbo (201K miles), '93 945 (140K miles/I maintain for a family member), '93 945 Turbo (sold w 145K miles), '92 Mercedes 190E (174K miles), '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow (225K miles), '53 Willys Overland w/ Fisher plow (sold to a loving home)

HEAT! I just had to contend with 4 of them, all seized solid. All I had on hand was a propane torch but that was enough to do it. Peel the rubber boot off first though... Heat the outside of the bracket, up and down the length of the slider bore, for at least a couple minutes if you're using propane, and promptly get a pair of vise-grips on the pin and try to turn it. Once it starts to turn, you'll eventually be able to work it out. A second application of heat might be needed - it was in my case. Oxy-acetylene makes this so much easier...
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Chris, Dartmouth NS Canada 70 M-B 280SE, 83 245DL, 84 244 turbo, 90 780 turbo, 92 VW Golf, 90 740 Rex/Regina

Be careful while you're doing that, especially if you have the rubber brake hoses. Regardless, make sure you flush the fluid afterwards as it probably boiled.

edit: Oops! I feel foolish now. The caliper's already been removed, duh! Carry on, nothing to see here. :)
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Ken
1990 Volvo 740 base sedan (B230F)
My Volvo 'Project'

Should be able to press it out using a log bolt and a big extended socket. Once they stick though they're really in tight.

It'll come out eventually. Might just take a lot of patience and lots of PBlaster, soaked overnight, reapplied repeatedly. Then you use a hammer and wack the pin in and out a few times as much as possible to loosen it up. Eventually it'll probably come out.

However, there's a good chance that once it's out, the pin will be slightly bent. Better have a nice spare set available.
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Ken
1990 Volvo 740 base sedan (B230F)
My Volvo 'Project'

I think guide pin is the right term. Maybe slide pin.

I found I could always get them out by taking a big set of vice grips and snapping the jaws firmly on the square head of the pin from the side. Then, you should be able to twist the pin, perhaps with a little tapping on the wrench with your hammer. Then you should be able to work the pin out using the grips as a handle. The twisting seems to break most of the bond between the pin and it's bore.
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Andy in St. Paul - '91 745 213K mi, '91 745 210K, '90 744 183K, all Rex-Regina - past 240s