Write-Up: Replacing rear rotors and pads. (lots of pics)

See that rubber boot around the piston...HOW do you replace that? It's torn on mine!



here's the part!!! But how to install?
http://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts/MC/2706-07018507.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ff&utm_content=MC&utm_campaign=PartsGeek+Google+Base&utm_term=1992-1993%2C+1995-1999+Buick+Riviera+Caliper+Repair+Kit+Dorman+Rear+92-93%2C+95-99+Buick+Caliper+Repair+Kit+1998+1995

I think the answer is partly given in the photo - "rotate piston with brake piston tool". This will cause the piston to move out of the bore. You need to disconnect the caliper and do this on a bench. Once it's out as far as it will go by rotating, you can grab it with pliers and pull it out.

The other option is to buy a used or rebuilt replacement piston - they aren't that much.

Not wanting to undo the caliper and put on a bench...hoping to not have to bleed.
By taking the piston out, will it bleed brake fluid?? Suppose I could use vice grips (with some padding) to pinch the brake line.... Car is on jackstands, about 1.5' in the air... decent access

Yikes, not wanting to disconnect e-brake cable ...not sure how (but i bet I can find out here!)

Small jobs become big jobs!

Thanks AA!!!

No, don't pinch the line unless you want it to crack! Yes, there's fluid behind the piston. You should take the caliper off to do this right.

If you must leave it connected, you could try applying light brake pedal, watching the piston move out. Be careful doing this.

There is no way in heaven to replace that rubber boot.. It is possible,but believe me you will be cursing everyone and their mother if you try and fix it.if it aint leaking you can drive it some more.just twist it back in with a nice helping of grease and replace it as soon as possible.you will have to bleed the brakes.if youre unfamiliar with this get a buddy to help.

http://www.firstfives.org/faq/brakes/in-progress/CaliperRebuild.html

this guy makes it seem so easy.

man,unless you have a vintage Ferrari it's not worth the hassle.I done and I stll remember it.ugh.

It's going to leak with that rip get a new one!!!

okay,... I see that it's hard (that's what she said!)...hey serious!

I can buy a whole new caliper for $100 from Advance....should I just do that? Easy to replace a caliper (with bleeding)?? Save the hassle

Otherwise I'm thinking taking it to Meineke and saying "here, fix it!"

Heck, eBay has them for &65'ish with shipping.......

$100 bucks? wtf. autozone has em for $63 bucks.

Yeah, i just looked on ebay and saw same price...I will shop around!!!
But, easy enough DIY?

Bleeding brakes looks like:
1: get in car (not running?) push brake pedal till pressure felt
2: other person loosens bleed valve and driver pushes pedal all the way to floor (master cylinder cap off)
3: Tighten and repeat on all 4 wheels adding fluid as you go

Not sure on ebrake cable, (anyone got a link on the how to?)...

But if my good buddy robotennis61 is right...that might be a better way to save the hassle...

I miss my car!

Car-Part.com has used calipers for $55. Might charge shipping, though.

You can bleed 1 of 3 ways:

- pump and bleed (fast, need 2 people)
- Mighty Vac pump (fast, need 1 person)
- gravity bleed (slow, need 1 person)

Be sure the MC reservoir doesn't get too low!

Orielly down the street, $69 mentions $46 core (so I would be charge 100 something, unless i had core)...

if its down the street,take that bitch off and hoof it down there!

robottennis61...
I'm ready (well I'm at work)!

But ebrake cable?? i just picture some flying cable zipping around like a loosened spring! ha!

RockAuto has one for $40 or 42 (depends on side) + shipping, no tax:

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?carcode=1022038&parttype=1704

They are offering a 5% off deal right now, too.

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t8972-rockauto-introduction-discount-code

I usually get my orders in 2-3 days.

cool...well, when I get home I'll just take the caliper off...well maybe tomorrow since I'm sore as hell from lying on my back taking the oil pan off...

Natesriv wrote:

cool...well, when I get home I'll just take the caliper off...well maybe tomorrow since I'm sore as hell from lying on my back taking the oil pan off...

At the Rockauto price it's a good idea to just replace the caliper.

You might find a local store in your area at about the same price as Rockauto **with** your old calipers as cores.

What you can do - leave the brakes on, go get the replacements at a NAPA or some such, then take the replacements home and install them - then take the old ones back and get your core $$.

Robo's right on this one the rears are a pain because they screw into the internal adjusters. You can do it but it will take a while to do the first one and get the hang of it. I am not sure the service manual instructions are complete for this job (replace rear cal boots).

Albertj

Well, I think I'll go home take caliper off, take to Advanced (they were listing without core charge, so it's more like 60'ish) and get a new one.

i've got my Civic Si to drive, so the Riv is no hurry to get fixed in that respect.

BUT, anyone have info on ebrake cable??

Thanks Albertj for replying too...the Guru!

I had to replace 3 rear calipers from Autozone until I got one that didn't lock up a day later. I strongly recommend against their brand.

The e-brake cable - I used a combination of regular pliers to have a good grab the end and squeezing it around the bracket to get the spring back. It took a lot of force and cursing to get it in place. But for some reason only the pass. side was that difficult. The drivers side ebrake cable slid on the first try.

on the ebrake, looking at it. I suppose it's best to undo the brake line, undo caliper from body, and then turn the caliper so the cable is not under the hinge its in, then grunt like hell and pull it apart...

I think it's easier to do with the caliper bolted in place. The cable bracket should be unbolted from the caliper, then just grab the big cable end and turn it to get it out. Putting it back is the part that's a struggle, but again, easier with the caliper bolted in place.

Trying tonight...hopefully my oil pan comes in today as well...I'm wanting to try out all the new stuff I put on her this last week:

Radiator
Thermostat
front swaybar bushings (end links about two weeks ago)
Rear swaybar links
new caliper
new rotors
new rear pads

That should buy me another 75K of trouble free motoring...hopefully (well maybe not the pads)

Well, the rear brakes are done.

I ended up just using the rebuild kit I bought for $12. It wasn't hard at all...
I removed the bolt on the caliper pin to open it up, then unscrewd the piston and it just popped out. Pulled out the rubber boot (what was left of it) and the rubber o-ring in the insde.

Did the reverse on reassembly. I found that if you put the piston back in, about 1/2 down and then put the upper boot portion around the piston, then with it still up use a small screwdriver (I used a jeweler's screwdriver) to push the lower portion of the boot into it's spot in the caliper (don't forget the 0-ring which is deeper in the caliper first!!)
Then lower the piston, and put the metal o-ring part around the groove of the boot, then push it down with the screwdriver so that it will press against the boot and the inner caliper wall. From all I could see, it was in there.

The hardest part was putting the e-brake cable back on, but it's like you guys said, just pull it and force it into its groove.

I then bled all the calipers with a nifty one man bleeder tool I bought from advanced auto for $7...

Went for a test drive...no problems..all is well.
here's what started it all (well, I had ripped some off by now, but there was a small hole before)

Took it off and put on vice, opened it up by removing the caliper slider bolt...thingy

A better view...no I didn't drink all that beer RIGHT THEN

Piston out, the innards appear to be mostly a long precision screw with some parts held in place at the bottom

The rebuild kit & piston, that thicker o-ring goes down first, then put piston back in and apply the boot, then the metal ring

The underside of the piston...

All reassembled. From what I can see, the trick is that metal ring. I had some jeweler's screwdrivers, so I could push it down, it sure seems to be in place.


The ITTY BITTY amount of room I had to work in. Car barely fits garage!

I didn't put any grease under the boot..underneath the boot it appeared shiny and covered in what I think is brake fluid. Do I need to put grease under there? It's easy to take the caliper off and pull the boot away from the top part of the piston to squirt some in.....

UPDATE
Been driving all weekend, problem free!

I did notice on my use of the new suspension end links and bushings...it rides just a little firmer, a little bouncier....

I need help trying to change my rear brake calipers on my 95 riviera if any could please help. I have removed the main bolt bolt but how do i get the calipers off the bracket.

Which bolt is the main bolt? I mean, there are two bolts that hold the stationary side of the caliper to the bracket and another pair of bolts holding the bracket to the spindle. Getting the caliper off means taking off the bracket from the spindle, you might want to loosen the caliper to bracket bolts first. You will need to remove those, clean out and re-lube the brackets so the pins will slide right.

Did you get replacement calipers that included brackets?

Did you get replacement pads and rotors?