Brakes Is my caliper piston moving enough?

opihinalu

Active Member
Feb 10, 2021
180
19
28
Florida
Hey all.
I am currently trying to get my caliper back on after a suspension overhaul. It looks retracted, though it the pads are still rubbing on the rotor. When I press the brakes, it moves very little. Is this normal? Am I being an idiot and missing something obvious? My car is an 86 5.0 AOD. Here is a video. I press the brake pedal twice in this video all the way down.


View: https://youtube.com/shorts/fzCOIInbty8?feature=share
 
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Normally they move a lot more than that, they can even come all the way out with no pad and rotor to stop it. UNLESS you have a lot of air in the lines. Did you open the system and let any air in? If so I would put it on with pads and rotor and bleed the brake then check it again.
 
Normally they move a lot more than that, they can even come all the way out with no pad and rotor to stop it. UNLESS you have a lot of air in the lines. Did you open the system and let any air in? If so I would put it on with pads and rotor and bleed the brake then check it again.
I will try though I did bleed the brakes not too long ago and I thought I had everything out. Thanks for The advice
 
I agree with @dgollem . I’m surprised that piston didn’t come popping out. I believe it should have if everything was correct.
There must not be much pressure in those lines at all right now.
 
I agree with @dgollem . I’m surprised that piston didn’t come popping out. I believe it should have if everything was correct.
There must not be much pressure in those lines at all right now.
I have been driving for the last couple months and the brakes have felt good for a 40 year old car. I’m gonna check the other caliper in a minute we will see what that guy does
 
All I know is that when I rebuilt my calipers, it took very little air pressure to get those pistons to pop completely out when I had them on the bench.
I would imagine that the pedal and fluid pressure should be much more than to just move it that little bit.
 
It shoudl come out more. You don't need the car on, but a few pumps of the pedal should easily start moving that piston out to the point it probably pops out in 3-4 strokes.

It also doesn't look like it's fully seated.

Fox calipers are cheap. I'd just replace that if you question it at all.
 
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You have to pop the piston out to do that. At that point, you might as well install a new seal and boot.

Those calipers are $20 for a reman plus core. It's not worth the time.
 
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You have to pop the piston out to do that. At that point, you might as well install a new seal and boot.

Those calipers are $20 for a reman plus core. It's not worth the time.
Maybe I should just do the Cadillac brembos upgrade at this point. Anyone have any experience with this??

Also any suggestions for rear brakes if I decide going this route?
 
You have to pop the piston out to do that. At that point, you might as well install a new seal and boot.

Those calipers are $20 for a reman plus core. It's not worth the time.
Maybe I should just do the Cadillac brembos upgrade at this point. Anyone have any experience with this??

Also any suggestions for rear brakes if I decide going this route?
 
Maybe I should just do the Cadillac brembos upgrade at this point. Anyone have any experience with this??

Also any suggestions for rear brakes if I decide going this route?


I mean I wasn’t trying to talk you out of fixing a caliper and going with a full brembo 5-lug swap.

ATS brembos and a rear cobra/Taurus setup is what I’d do, but it’s a big project
 
Thought I read you rebuilt them, oh well, mount the caliper loosely with pads installed open the bleeder with someone pushing on the peddle, if it has a strong flow of fluid replace the caliper, if not replace the brake hose.
Or just do the 5lug swap.
 
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Thought I read you rebuilt them, oh well, mount the caliper loosely with pads installed open the bleeder with someone pushing on the peddle, if it has a strong flow of fluid replace the caliper, if not replace the brake hose.
Or just do the 5lug swap.
Good call general, it could just be a collapsed brake line. Replacing all 3 of my rubber lines was one of the first things I did when I bought my car.

OP, as noted prior it should move a whole lot more than that, with no resistance in place, one pump of the brake pedal should move the piston most of the way out.
 
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