StangRay

Good morning yall! So while driving I had my front right brake caliper's retaining pin snap the retaining pin, and brake pad moved up and out of the caliper allowing the pistons to fully come out of the caliper.

Brake fluid spewed everywhere, and I was able to roll to a stop safely.... whew.

I have since bought two new front calipers with brake pads and replaced them. I bled the front brakes with the car off, and got a nice hard pedal. As I turned the car on, the brakes then go to the floor with minimal stopping power. Turn the car off, pump the brakes I get a hard pedal back... sorta.

Any thoughts? Or do I just need to re-bleed my brakes?

Do I need to bleed the rear brakes as well? (I don't think I need to because of the dual chambers feeding from the MC)....?

Thanks you guys

CaseyJones

You apparently picked up a lot of air in the front brake circuit. Bleed it. You may need to bleed the master cylinder since you seemed to have drained the front brake system with the issues you described. I'd try to bleed the calipers well first.

StangRay

The Master Cylinder was not dry thankfully, because I checked because I didn't want to have to bench bleed it.

When I do bleed the brakes, should I do it with the Master Cylinder cover on or off, or does it matter? With it off, fluid jumps up and out, so I just put a clean rag over the top of it to watch the fluid levels as I'm bleeding the hoses....

widowmaker221

Put master cylinder cap on when pumping brake pedal . Just check it often for level.

lvmyvt76

you are bleeding all 4, right?? 2 bleeders on each of the rear calipers. bleeding in the correct sequence?

StangRay

I did not bleed the rear brakes.... I know dumb question time/statement, but I thought that the two brake systems(front/back) were independent of eachother with their own reservoir in the Master cylinder....?

I know to bleed fatherest away from the MC, so order would be right rear, left rear, right front, left front. I do remember there being two bleeders in the back, but I haven't ever bled them.

drwet

I wouldn't think you would have to bleed the rear. If anyone says otherwise, I would like to hear their logic.

MelWff

If when they failed, the pedal went to the floor, the seals on the piston in the master cylinder may have been damaged do to corrosion in the bore of the master.

my 76 ray

No need to bleed the rears because they are two separate systems. It's a safety feature so you don't lose all braking.

my 76 ray

You probably still have air in the system. My neighbor had a problem bleeding his brakes one time and he asked me to come over to help after he spent all day bleeding and couldn't get a firm pedal. When I got there I took one look and he had the calipers on the wrong sides of the car. They will bolt in that way but it puts the bleeder screws on the bottom and the air is at the top. Make sure the bleeder screws are at the top.

kcb37

I would agree with all of it.
Make sure the calipers are on the right side. Like said bleeder always goes on the high side.
MC could have torn seals from the pedal going full travel.
Bleed them and bleed them.
Something that has worked well on my truck is to bleed them, drive it. Even if it's to the end on the driveway and back a couple times. (not a long driveway 40'/50' something like that.)
That will push air down to the caliper, bleed again.

StangRay

Alright guys! Thank you for the tips, I will bleed them again when it stops snowing here, hopefully for the last time this winter!

How would I check the seals of the MC piston? Or visually know that the seals are shot?

StangRay

I also almost put the calipers on backwards, but the caliper brake line is super akward when they are wrong so that made installing them pretty easy and straight forward.

thegazman

StangRay... Did you ever figure out why the pin snapped? Was it rusty?

StangRay

I did not... It wasn't the retaining pin that snapped it was the flimsy cotter pin. The drivers side one was intact but super small gauge. The replacements were heavy duty pins.

So once the cotter pin wiggled free or snapped the retaining shaft/pin slid free...

lvmyvt76

which way were they slid in from? Outward or inward way??

StangRay

The pin on the calipers that failed slid in from outward going inward.

MelWff

Cover all painted surfaces near the master. With the cover off step on the brake pedal and you should see two small spouts of brake fluid, front and rear of master.

StangRay

It does that! Whew. I didn't know if I had to bleed the brakes with out without the cover so I just did it without and covered it with a rag after it kept spurting all over.

7t9l82

put a rag under the master loosen the front line on the master and give the pedal a small push , that will clear the air out. take the top off the master and open both front bleeders leave them open till they run clear and your done. this bleeding far to close stuff really isn't necessary.