Calipers frozen? Won't spread or contract.

[ProwlerGT]

I am sorry if this was covered before, but I'm in an insane rush to get this done and to the shop by today's end so I can have the car back Friday so I can leave on my trip on Saturday.

I have remanned calipers, freshly painted, etc.. and looking nice. All new hardware (sliding bolts and rubber etc..). I have put all calipers together. The rears seem fine, but the two front calipers will not "budge" on the sliding bolts in order for me to fit them right over the discs. What am I missing here? What am I doing wrong? I have yet to put them on the vehicle. All my tries have been by hand? Is this a good thing that they don't move to my own force? Will they slide back and forth once on?

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Does the sliding back and forth on the slide bolts need AIR because of a suction effect created when they slide? I ask because I've taken special care to RTV ALL the seals for the accordian rubber boots. Did I screw myself by doing so? FYI - There is no RTV in the sliding bolt shaft. I did grease the bolts in the shalf though. Was I not supposed to? I thought I was, but someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I need to know quick cause the brakes are the only thing stopping me right now from letting the car off the jacks after 4 months. I'm hoping its just as easy as putting them on and everything will be fine, but I'm a lil afraid if I put them on and the calipers make the pads hug the disc all the time that I'm going to have issues with that.

EDIT: The pistons are in fact full retracted and if you suggest putting a C-Clamp on the whole caliper to get it to fit on the disc my question still stands that isn't the caliper going to constantly squeeze the disc once I would release the C-Clamp?

[ProwlerGT]

Bump - Lol - Help !

[keithmac]

Any paint on the inside of the slider holes that`s stoping them moving? I`ve never had rtv near a brake caliper or boots before.. could it be air pressure stopping them from moving because you`ve sealed them up? (had similar ocasionally on m/c`s with grease acting as a seal an the air acting as a cushion), Any pics?

[ProwlerGT]

Yeah, I think the air pressure has a lil to do with it. Still though this seems to be a lack of experience issue. I took the slider bolts off and pushed them in and out a bit like something else we all know (ahemmm) and then they started moving better. I guess they just needed to lubricate all inside the slider bolt bore/hole. I also made sure to thread the bolts 95% of the way in the caliper while I then pushed the caliper bracket on there. This meant that I'd be pushing inward fighting as much air volume (bolt against bore) as I could. Leaving the bracket extended as far out as possible I then snapped the bolt boots in their place and then I tightened up the slider bolts. They now work much better. One is still not as good as I'd like it to be, but its much better.

NO PAINT INSIDE or ON anything it shouldn't be. I made sure to tape everything off well.

[keithmac]

Nice to see you`ve got it sorted, one way to check for a binding brake is to feel the disk after a run and make sure they`re the same temp, just make sure you don`t burn your fingers!, doubt you`ll have any problems though with freshly rebuilt calipers.