# Seized Caliper Pins



## jgeorg (Jul 7, 2008)

Did a brake job on the rears of 2000 Jetta gl. The caliper pins are seized on both sides and the brakes dragging. The caliper carrier bolts are also rusted on and have bent a 8mm allen socket trying to remove them. Even tried a cheat bar but nothing budging. Any tricks/suggestions/tools to get me out this jam are greatly appreciated!


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## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

PB Blaster is your friend!...spray that stuff on all around bolt threads and let sit..spray again...let sit...a day or so....it will work magic on all but the most rusted on parts...for those...torch is your friend!...This is why it is a must to clean the sliding pins and regrease well (synthetic caliper grease) at every pad change....the rears get overlooked on this since you don't have to pull the pins to change pads like you do in front.


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## jgeorg (Jul 7, 2008)

Thanks spitpilot. PB blaster it is! Do you think I should try to clean up the carriers and install a new set of pins or replace the carriers as well with a used set from the bone yard or new. I'm to keep costs down where I can.


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## GTijoejoe (Oct 6, 2001)

If your slide pins are siezed.... most likely you need a new caliper brkt....... 
At that point take the entire caliper off from the brkt.... 

In my experience with siezed pins, they don't come out.


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## skip57 (Nov 7, 2008)

Before you go for the torch try a BFH w/PB Blaster pound on it 2 or 3 good hits


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## elrich_d (Aug 6, 2008)

hopefully it isn't rusted too bad. i've done brakes at the shop where we've have to heat it up two or three times till its red hot to get it out, but theres others that dont take much heat at all. If you get it out, spray some oil or tranny fluid inside where the pins go, and clean inside with a round file. Shave the walls (rust). Blow it out and do it again a couple times. Put alot of grease to help afters


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## jgeorg (Jul 7, 2008)

With PB blaster, pipe, and torque my son and I couldn't get these to budge for fear of rounding or snapping the bolts off. So I took it to a local vw mechanic. Two hours later after heat, some bruised knuckles and a helper he got them off but not before snapping off 1 of the 4. He claims this is the worst carrier bolts he's gone up against. Sometimes you gotta let the pros do what they do best. Rear calipers work like new with used carrier installed with new properly greased pins and rubber boots.


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## RenoJetta (Aug 11, 2009)

I just had the same thing happen to me over the weekend. I ended up just ordering a new braket and some new pins. My grand total was less than 40 bucks. Its a specialty part so it has to be ordered. The new pins slide so much better than the other ones, so I decieded to just replace them all. Greased em realy good so I KNOW they wont sieze again .


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## EuroSportChicago (Jun 9, 2010)

GTijoejoe said:


> If your slide pins are siezed.... most likely you need a new caliper brkt.......
> At that point take the entire caliper off from the brkt....
> 
> In my experience with siezed pins, they don't come out.


If you get one pin off you can slide it off. Then you have to put it in a vice and muscle it off. 

But obviously there is a problem if its stuck on; when re-installed it might possibly shimmy a little bit.


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