Sliding pin blues

[Andjons]

Hopefully I am being daft, and missing something obvious. The top (large) sliding pin on the right rear break caliper (on my brembo equipped S4) had seized. I bought a replacement kit from SJ. I managed to loosen the pin so that the large 'barrel' slides back and forth inside the caliper. However, I cannot get the bugger out completely - it slides smoothly until the end of the barrel is just inside the caliper, then it stops and will not budge any further. I can slide it back the other way, but then the other end gets just inside the caliper, and wont go any further. I cannot work out what might be causing it to catch, and it seems that I ought to be able to tap it out the last bit. However, I can tap it quite hard and it just wont budge. I don't want to give it too much of a knock, because I fear it could then get stuck protruding too far out one end, and I wont be able to will get it back in.

Any ideas?

I don't seem to have muich choice but to leave the old pin in for now. It is at least sliding back and forth as far as it needs to. But the next problem I have is that I cannot get the ends of the rubber sleaves to fix inside the caliper - thus when the caliper slides along the pin, the sleave doesn't seal; the barrel is exposed; and the lovely lubricating grease is not sealed in.

Aaaargh!

Edited March 10, 2009 by Andjons

[Jonathan]

Is that the one with the rubber bellows on it ?

Get a cocktail stick or a small scredriver and lift the seal up and completely over so the bellow now pops over the shaft then push the shaft against the end that you have not touched, the shaft will come out.

The reason why it wont come out is the rubber is stopping it.

Good luck getting them back in however, they are PIGS to fit becuase as you push the barrel / shaft back in they pop the bellows out of place !

It takes time and patience to get them back in.

[Andjons]

It is indeed the one with the "rubber bellows" - what I have inaccurately referred to a "rubber sleaves".

I have completely removed all of the rubber from both ends (as they had deteriorated) and the shaft still will not come out. So it is not the rubber which is stopping it.

[Jonathan]

Belt it then - there is nothing else holding it in.

You might wanna see if there is a burr or somethign on the barrel.

Most likely it's flared slightly under the pressure of the bolt holding it in place - nothing else you can do really bar giving it a good twatting.

I would use a brass stick or something though so you dont smash the ends up.

[Andjons]

I think you are probably right about the flaring. Maybe I'll try filing the edges of the 'lip' at either end first, and then, as you say, give it a good twatting.

Ooooh!

I've got loads of work on now, so can't get back out to the car for a day or two. I'll post the next exciting instalment then.

Cheers for your efforts.

Edited March 10, 2009 by Andjons