How to Clean Caliper Guide Pins?
Guide caliper pins are an essential part of your braking system. Hence, if you notice that your vehicle brakes aren’t working the way they should be, you should know who the culprit is.
Well, it is not much difficult to clean the pins; you need to be both precise and careful when handling these pins. Loosen the caliper guide pins using a ratchet. Then follow it up by removing it.
Keep in mind that to reach the caliper pins, you need to reach the braking system first, and this has to be done by removing the front wheels from your vehicle.
This, however, was just a short briefing. But don’t worry, as we’ll clear out all your doubts as we move on with this writing. So, tag along!
How to Clean Caliper Guide Pins?
The moment of truth is here! We didn’t want you to gnaw through this entire write-up looking for this section absurdly. Hence, we decided to start with the process of cleaning the caliper guide pins. Start by removing the caliper guide pins and inspecting them for any buildup of debris or rust. Once inspected, thoroughly clean the pins using brake cleaner and a wire brush to ensure smooth movement. Additionally, don’t overlook cleaning a caliper guide hole, as any dirt or grime inside can cause the pins to stick, leading to uneven wear or braking issues.
However, you might want to stick in with us even after reading this section, as we will be discussing some exciting facts about caliper guide pins that you should probably know.
Thus, without any unnecessary delay, let’s jump into the steps that teach us how to clean the caliper guide pins properly.
Step 1: Remove the Caliper Guide Pin from the Brake Caliper
To reach the brake caliper itself, you must remove the wheels by unscrewing all the nuts and bolts securing it. Then you might need to remove the brake calipers using a wrench or a ratchet.
After the brake calipers are all out from the mess of the car, you can then move to get the guide pin out by using a ratchet that fits the diameter of the pin. However, if the pin seems jammed, bring us to the next step.
Step 2: Unjam the Guide Pin from the Brake Caliper
Sometimes due to an immense amount of dirt and grease accumulation, the insides of the guide pin hole dry out and become somewhat rusted.
This makes it almost impossible to remove the guide pin using a plain tool such as a ratchet or wrench. However, you might need to be willing to spend a few bucks for such cases.
Get yourself a decent quality penetrating oil and apply some to the empty regions around the pin and the pinhole. Let the oil sit for a few minutes, and then try wheeling the guide pin out using a ratchet.
You are likely to notice that the jammed pin has loosened up a tad bit. You still need to use some force to twist out the pin at last.
Step 3: Clean the Guide Pin Using Wire Brushes and Penetrating Oil
Once the guide pin is out entirely, you need to start brushing the surface dirt off using a wire brush. Use the brush to remove stubborn bits of debris and dirt properly.
You can be rough when using the brush if required, as some dirt won’t go away that easily. Apply some penetrating oil to the pin and continue scrubbing it using the brush.
The caliper guide pin should look as good as new after a few rough scrubs using the penetrating oil and brush since the oil has lubricated any hard stuck dirt, which was then easily removed by the brush.
How Do You Clean Guide Pin Holes?
Once you’re done cleaning the caliper guide pin of your car’s brake system, you still have a lot to touch on. What is in cleaning the guide pins if the place you are going to insert it to isn’t clean at all.
You heard us right! This would result in the pin getting dirty and jammed all over again, and hence, all the effort goes in vain. Thus, you need to ensure that the guide pin hole is clean before reinserting the pin.
Cleaning the guide pin hole isn’t that big of a deal. Using the leftover penetrating oil from cleaning the guide pin, you could do it. Begin by pouring some penetrating oil into the hole and let it sit for a while.
Then use a wire brush connected to a drill gun to insert into the pinhole and start spinning the brush inside the hole. Doing this for a few minutes removes most of the dirt and rust that was built up inside.
Should Caliper Pins Be Lubricated?
There are numerous benefits of lubricating the caliper pins. However, it can be really tedious and boring to look up all the reasons; why you should lubricate the caliper pin.
Hence, we’ve narrowed the path down for you to cut the added headache from your workload. We’ve provided some important benefits of lubricating the caliper pins of your vehicle’s braking system below.
Lubrication Adds Protection from Dirt
You just witnessed how much hassle we needed to go through to get those stubborn bits of dirt off the Caliper pins. What if we told you that you could prevent most of it from happening the next time?
You would be enlightened to hear that lubricating or greasing the caliper pin adds a layer of protection on the surface of the pin that prevents the build-up of dirt.
More likely, the lubrication prevents any dirt and debris from sticking as the oily texture makes the surface feel slippery.
Prevents the Frequent Wearing Out of Brake Pads
If there isn’t any lubrication in the caliper guide pins, the brakes can’t rub against the rotor properly. This results in the wearing of the brake pads more frequently than usual.
Hence, it’s a great idea to add in the required amount of lube so that the brake pads are functioning as efficiently as possible. Hence, more reasons; why you should lubricate the slider pins.
Lubricating the Caliper Pins Protects from Rust
One big reason you see the caliper pins getting jammed in its slot is due to the innumerable amount of dirt accumulated for ages. This further leads to the corrosion of the metal.
Hence, to prevent this corrosion, you must lubricate the caliper pins and the hole itself so that rust cannot form on its surface. This prevents the hassle of unjamming the pin itself.
How Do You Lubricate a Brake Caliper Guide Pin?
You now know that the caliper guide pin subsequently erodes due to the reaction of the metal with oxygen in the air. This corrosion leads to an infamous problem called ‘rust.’
Rusting is quite common in metals that are primarily made of iron. Hence, lubricating the caliper pin after cleaning it prevents it from rusting again. Thus increasing the pin’s longevity.
Once you are done brushing the caliper pins with penetrating oil. Grab a good-quality lubricant paste and apply it all around the pin. Make sure not to leave out any corners during the process.
After applying the lube to the pin, add some of it to the pinhole. Once the pinhole has been lubricated with the grease, you can then insert the guide pin making sure it fits in firmly.
How Do You Unstick a Caliper Slide Pin?
A stuck caliper pin isn’t something new. It’s really common between metal components of the brakes. However, you need to be careful when dealing with stuck slide pins.
If you decide on recklessly pulling the pin out of its slot, you might end up breaking the brake caliper itself. Hence, you should begin by applying some penetrating oil through the sides of the pin.
Be sure to add a lot of penetrating oil and then let it sit for a few minutes. After that, you can use some force to wheel out the pin using a ratchet and grab it tightly.
To avoid further jamming of the caliper slide pin, you should apply some grease paste to lubricate the pin after cleaning it.
Are the Steps to Clean Brake Caliper Guide Pins Different from Cleaning Regular Caliper Guide Pins?
Yes, the steps for cleaning brake caliper guide pins are different from cleaning regular caliper guide pins. When cleaning brake caliper guide pins, it’s important to use a brake cleaner and high-temperature grease to ensure optimal performance and safety of the braking system.
Conclusion
A sound brake system is essential for the safety of the vehicle’s passengers. Hence, a tiny piece of equipment like the guide pin itself can be crucial for the protection of the passengers riding the car.
Thus, routine maintenance of the caliper guide pins is needed for the proper function of the braking system itself. To avoid future wear out of the brake pads, you should never neglect this component.
It’s been a delightful journey guiding you through the ins and outs of caliper guide pins’ importance and cleaning process. Hopefully, you’ll be more caring towards your car’s braking system in the foreseeable future.
