Burnt Brake Piston Boots

[go-stang5.0]

HEy guyz I'm running pbr cobra calipers up front and when I went to Gingerman Roadcourse in Michigan last October I set my street brake pads on fire. Anyways I got around to taking the brakes off today (for pad replacement) and I noticed that there was a material burned off the dust boots. One piston on each side had a boot burned. Anyways, the calipers only have like 20k miles so I dont really need a rebuild...I was just wondering if it was ok to run the calipers with the boots burned. I know its not the greatest thing to do but I am planning on a rebuild next year so. I was just wondering if I would be ok till then. After all there just "dust boots". Gimme your opinions...thanks guyz.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

See if you can pick up a caliper rebuild kit anyway. I'd be more than willing to bet that the structural integrity of the pistons may be compromised, after having gotten hot enough to catch the brake pads and dust boot on fire. Plus, without the boots being intact, you could potentially contaminate the inside of the caliper and brake fluid with anything that's small enough to fit inside, including water.

 

[go-stang5.0]

I ordered a rebuild kit today when I went to get my rotors cut. The pistons seem fine, there are no singe marks on them or anything (just a bit dirty from not having a boot on them). Also the system is not leaking so the seal has not failed. I think the pistons are fine...This morning I called BAER and they recommended that I rebuild the caliper and the guy at the auto parts store said the same thing...So I guess I will do that tonight. I dont have a compressor so I was planning on blocking 3 of four pistons and pumping the brake pedal to pop out the unblocked one and replaing the seal and boot there and then moving on to the next one....and doing the whole system that way. I know it will be messy and I will have to bleed the system but is there any reason I should not do it this way?

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Nah, that way should work just fine. I did that when my rears were frozen in the bore, even though they're only single piston calipers. I just hit the bore with some emery cloth and clean brake fluid, popped the piston back in, and it's been good for over a year since.

 

[Labora]

If you did this yourself how in the hell do you get the dustboots on correctly without ripping them? I've messed up 2 of them just trying to do it.


(Bump to old thread cus this is the closest topic I could find)

 

[Labora]

Ok got them on finally, my suggestion for future readers. Put the boot on the piston then slide it to the bottom, then work the bottom of the boot into the ridge. If it is too wet (you are supposed to add brake fluid to the rings per ford service book) they will not stick.

Fought it for 3 hours yesterday while they where too wet only to get them to pop in first time today because they where dry.

 

[go-stang5.0]

Wow...this takes me back. Yea if you push the piston in all the way it gets a bit easier. I used toothpicks to help the boots along, but I have since come across dental picks. You can get them from many road racing type websites (as odd as that sounds). THey make for very handy dust boot installation for future refrence. I still destroy dust boots every track day so i gave up on it. I run without them and just rebuild the calipers once a year. I also bleed the calipers before every track day and flush the entire brake system every year. Its a lot easier with dental piks....trust me.