Caliper slide pins

[Dave]

Attached is a picture of my front caliper pins as they came out of the calipers. I hadn't realised before that the two pins of one caliper are not the same.

 

One of the pins, R2 in pic, has a rubber collar round it near the tip and this is missing on L2. It will have been like that for at least the last 7 years (the time I've had the car).

 

Why are the pins different? They appear to be identical but for the groove and collar and the parts of the caliper that they slide into look the same, as far as I can see.

 

I've seen some sets purporting to be for the Alphard which appear to have two identical (collar-less) pins.

 

I want to finish the caliper service and get them back on the car asap and am wondering how to proceed:

 

1. Use my existing pins as they are

2. Get a new set with collars

3. Get a set without collars if there's a shorter wait.

 

Any thoughts, particularly on the purpose of the rubber collar pin and the wisdom of using such a pin without the collar would be much appreciated.

 

Many thanks,

Dave

 

[BigNev]

Hi Dave!

I don't know why they are different, but it is usual for sliding calipers.

My guess as to why the L2 rubber is missing would be it was distorted or otherwise damaged, somehow, so would bind if it was fitted.

I have had this happen to me on our Subaru. I left it out and it was fine, but I'm sure it is there for a purpose!

So, and I must qualify that I am not a professional, especially as this is brakes, on my own vehicle -

I would put it back together in the way it has been for the previous 7 years, using the correct caliper slide pin grease  - NOT COPPERSLIP - it will probably bind up, yes that was the Subaru too. Yes, we always used it, but something has moved on and it is no longer the stuff for the job. 

Then locate the correct part on Amayama and swap it when it comes.

 

I recently did this for our Vellfire calipers, they came as a pack of the piston seals, sliding pin boots, bleed nipple caps, banjo bolt washers, and the little rubbers for the pins I actually wanted, for £12!! I bought new slider pins too as they were only £2.40 each!

Arrived in 10 days!

Cheers,

Nev

Edited Tuesday at 10:14 PM by BigNev

[Chris.ac]

Here's a video by carcarenut (Toyota specialist on YouTube) that explains the entire brake maintenance. 

 

Pins are around the 16min mark. 

You'll notice the pins are like you show. 

One has the rubber collar.

 

He has many videos, and it's extremely knowledgeable on Toyota and lexus

[Chris.ac]

1 hour ago, BigNev said:

Hi Dave!

I don't know why they are different, but it is usual for sliding calipers.

My guess as to why the L2 rubber is missing would be it was distorted or otherwise damaged, somehow, so would bind if it was fitted.

I have had this happen to me on our Subaru. I left it out and it was fine, but I'm sure it is there for a purpose!

So, and I must qualify that I am not a professional, especially as this is brakes, on my own vehicle -

I would put it back together in the way it has been for the previous 7 years, using the correct caliper slide pin grease  - NOT COPPERSLIP - it will probably bind up, yes that was the Subaru too. Yes, we always used it, but something has moved on and it is no longer the stuff for the job. 

Then locate the correct part on Amayama and swap it when it comes.

 

I recently did this for our Vellfire calipers, they came as a pack of the piston seals, sliding pin boots, bleed nipple caps, banjo bolt washers, and the little rubbers for the pins I actually wanted, for £12!! I bought new slider pins too as they were only £2.40 each!

Arrived in 10 days!

Cheers,

Nev

You have a link for the service pack?

[BigNev]

Hi Chris

I can show you what I bought, but it may be different to yours, I don't know!

But we know a man who can, hey!

I haven't used the piston seals, they were very lovely and free moving by hand, so I left well enough alone!

 

Also, interestingly, the pad shims are shown as 2 pieces per pad.

 

Edited Wednesday at 08:18 AM by BigNev
I put the wrong screenshot of the parts diagram!

[BigNev]

Hmm, not totally sure this is the right one, but it gives the idea.

[Dave]

 

That looks (actual pic of service kit above) like my service kit (from ebay) I was thinking to myself, but for the pin collars.  It'd be a shame to have to buy all that just to get one collar...

 

Then I thought I should take a closer look at my kit, as yet unopened, and sure enough, two pin collars!

 

So - thanks for all your help which led me to discovering that I already have a new pair of collars. In my quest for said collars I've also  discovered stuff about the pins that I wouldn't otherwise have been aware of so it's been a valuable exercise (for me at least) all round. 

 

 

[BigNev]

🤣

Absolutely jolly marvellous mate!!

It's a result!

Sharing experience and knowledge is a rewarding thing in my book!