Stupid Brake Caliper Mistake.

[OmarG]

So i was changing out the pads on my 95 ls400. Well i finished the back and thought i installed the front pads too. but i pushed the brake pedal to check the brakes while i still had the car up and then realized i hadn't installed the front pads :cries: :chairshot: . Now i tried pushing back the pistons but the bottom inner pistons on both sides will not budge. Did i ruin my calipers? :cries: How do i bleed the LS?

I tried searching but I'm panicking.

I normally dont make such stupid mistakes. I was rushing because this was my first day off in a while and i wanted to get it done before it rained (its raining right now).

Please help guys. :(

[SRK]

Everyone makes mistakes. The difference is in how you fix the mistake, and you're dealing with brakes, so you have to do it correctly. If it were my car, I'd remove the calipers and pry up the dust boot carefully and lift the piston all the way out. Inspect the piston and wipe it spotlessly clean. If it cleans up well, then wipe the bore of the caliper and see that the seal is still seated in it's groove. The lube the piston and bore with brake fluid and insert the piston squarely into the bore and press it in by hand. You should not have to pry on it, or otherwise beat on the piston to get it to start, or slide, into the bore. Then re-attach the dust boot. Install and bleed.

You might lift the dust boot up a bit and if no fluid is present under it then the piston has not come out all the way. Press the piston squarely back into the bore. You should undo the bleeder to avoid pushing fluid back to the master cylinder. This might be the easy way to correct the problem, but as I said with brakes you must get it right first time.

[python]

DO NOT TURN THE KEY ON! IF U RUN THE ABS HEAD UNIT DRY WITH THE KEY IN THE ON POSITION YOU WILL RUIN IT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...good luck

[RDM]

DO NOT TURN THE KEY ON! IF U RUN THE ABS HEAD UNIT DRY WITH THE KEY IN THE ON POSITION YOU WILL RUIN IT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...good luck

?? The ABS unit is a pump, true, but it only works when the brake pedal is depressed. Just turning the key on won't do a thing.

[VBdenny]

If worse comes to worse, find a Bap Geon near you and buy new calipers. They are around $100 each and are Asian. I've done a couple stupid things myself so don't beat yourself up over it just fix it and chalk it up to a lesson learned.

[curiousB]

I am not clear if the pistons extended so far that it broke the sealing and brake fluid started gushing out. You didn’t mention that so it leads me to believe the pistons still may be sealed to the caliper. If you loosen the holding pins can you wiggle the caliper to get the pistons to square up and push back a little into the caliper? Just enough that you can remove the caliper form the bracket and off the rotor. Then you have more room to work. With the caliper off you can use a clamp and block of wood to press the piston back perpendicular to the pad so the piston returns into the body.

If you can’t do this then you’re better to let the pistons come all the way out, get a caliper rebuild kit, clean it up and press back pistons with new o-rings. Hopefully nothing got scored on the machined faces of the cylinder/wall.

[OmarG]

thanks for all the kind words and advice guys! My mechanic buddy came over and showed me how to take the calipers off, inspect, reinstall, and bleed the system.

I didn't break anything and the car brakes perfectly now.

I bought my buddy dinner and case of red stripe beers. All in all not a very expensive mistake!!

[Quack11]

Red Stripe beer sounds great right about now, glad you are back in business.