Front Drivers Brake Caliper

Hi All

I am a relative newbie here so sorry for the numbnuts question!

Was changing front brake pads at weekend and the drivers side caliper piston would not budge back into the body so i could not then replace the caliper with new pads installed. So i am looking at a new/replacement caliper. My question is do the calipers differ from model to model? So i have a 5 door TD4 and i wondered if, for example, a caliper from 1.8 petrol of the same year would fit?

I have looked for part no's online and can't really find a definitive answer!! Any help appreciated.

Thanks

Andy

I jsut brought a new seal kit for mine. £9.99 alot cheaper than a new caliper.

Take caliper off but still leave connected to hydraulics. Take pads off. Pump the brakes slowly untill piston pops out of the caliper. Put a brake pipe clamp on. Remove piston from caliper. Remove seals. put new seals in. clean piston and pop it back in. grease sliders and re-assemble brakes. Bleed air out the brakes. Bish bosh bash. Well in princable anyways...

Give your LR dealers parts dept a ring they are usually helpful especially if they think they will be getting a sale. Just say you're looking to buy a caliper for a TD4 and also a 1.8 and ask if they are the same, make sure he also gives you the part numbers.

same caliper for td4, 1.8 and v6 just remember that they chganged at 2001 to vented discs so calipers are different for earlier solid discs.
freelander spares on ebay are doing new ones for 70 quid........

Repaired both of mine for less than £70 for both sides. If you are confident in your ability seal kits (£10) new sliders (£12) and pistons (£9 each) are easily available.

the earlier ones are also smaller hope this helps

Just got a re-con brake calliper on my TD4 for £69

Where do you buy new pistons from, I'm quite happy to rebuild my calipers, but could only find seal kits available, but I need pistons too.

Why do you need new piston there should be nothing wrong unless you have hammered it and a real good way of pushing the piston back is first take the top of the master cylinder, put a rag around it to catch any overflow as brake fluid ruins paintwork wash it of immediately. Then back to the piston get a G clamp and either a flate piece of metal or preferably a flat piece of wood put the wood on the piston side and then the G clam and tighten slowly and you are done , once all back together do not for get to press you brake pedel before you go any where.some people recomend undoing the bleed nipple to push the piston back but I have never had any problems doing it my way.

Can't find the reciept for my stuff, but think I got them from here Brakes | Freelander | British Parts UK

Mine needed pistons as the originals were badly corroded, any pitting or deep score marks means you are best replacing them. My calipers were really bad but it has done 214k, but new seals, pistons and slider kit sorted it all and a lot cheaper than two calipers. That said you need to be confident/ competent enough to do it- not hard but brakes are kind of important!

Even as an experienced mechanic myself piston and seal kits can sometimes prove a bugga to fit..........
My advice, Exchange yours for a re-con unit.

FREEL4NDY said:

Even as an experienced mechanic myself piston and seal kits can sometimes prove a bugga to fit..........
My advice, Exchange yours for a re-con unit.

Click to expand...

Must agree. With exchange units from a reputable supplier you can't go wrong, even fitting new pistons and seals into a worn bore can present problems and where brakes are concerned not worth the risk.

The bore is perfect, but the seals are shot and the piston's are corroded and pitted! I know all about rebuilding calipers etc, its common practice in motorsport!

Stretch_TD4 said:

The bore is perfect, but the seals are shot and the piston's are corroded and pitted! I know all about rebuilding calipers etc, its common practice in motorsport!

Click to expand...

Pleased for you.

Can anyone advise me how to change the seals on the brake pistons of a freelander td4 2001.
Thanks in anticipation

Hello,

This is how I do it...

I would overhaul both calipers...

I've just done both front calipers on my V6. It's worth changing the slide pin rubbers if there is any sign of the rubber failing (cracking). Some overhaul kits come with these.

You'll need at least the following: Land Rover Freelander 1 Front Caliper Repair Kit 01-06 All Models SEE100300 | eBay

This one is for an '01 onwards...

You'll also need brake fluid, a hose clamp (unless you are overhauling everything in the brakes..), a bleeding kit (I use an Easybleed) and possibly new bleed nipples. I personally would also change the flexible pipe sealing washers. I used these: 10 X 10MM COPPER SEALING WASHER WASHERS O.D 15mm KW110 | eBay

If you are looking to renew all of the brake fluid then expect to find the rear bleed nipples to be rusted in solid. If you are doing "everything" and can actually remove the existing ones then I would replace them with new longer ones.. (makes life a lot easier when bleeding).

Anyway, back to the front calipers.

Remove the wheel and the pads. If reusing the existing ones, mark them so you can replace them the same way round.

A little assistance is useful next.. Pump the pedel to push the piston out as far as possible.. I can't remember if this will pop the piston right out as I had removed the disks from mine.. If the piston pops out, clamp off the flexible hose to minimise fluid loss.

Now undo the brake hose union, the caliper bolts and also the slider pins (the smaller bolt head size). Remove unit from car and place on bench.

Clean the crud off... Remove the piston and the dust seal. If the piston is still tight (it probably will be) then **gently** work it out. you can use two screwdrivers in the dust seal slot.. Be very careful.. you don't want to damage the piston.

You could also apply a little pressure with something pushed through the brake union hole... I use a plastic rod. You don't want to damage the thread, union mating surface or the caliper bore. Be careful and take your time.

Now remove the fluid seal. A small hook tool or jewellers screwdriver is fine. Just be gentle. Now clean the bore and examine it closely for any damage. You will probably find it is perfectly OK. Now clean the piston. Slight corrosion can be removed with something like duraglit. Get every trace of crud off.

Clean **everything**, check and check again the the internals are spotless.

Smear the bore with a little clean (new) brake fluid. Smear the new fluid seal as well and place it in its recess in the bore. Check that it is not twisted. Smear the piston with a little brake fluid and place it on the bench with the groove uppermost (like a cup).

Push the dust seal onto the piston and slide it down towards the bottom of the piston. Don't worry about locating it in the piston groove yet...

Pick up the piston and slide the rubber seal further down towards the bottom of the piston. You want the outer lip to be lower than the bottom of the piston.

Hold the caliper in one hand, the piston in the other and bring the piston towards the bore... hold it just above the bore so that outer lip on the dust seal is close to the groove above the bore. Tilt the piston slightly so that a portion of the lip enters the groove.. now while slowly rotating the piston, return it to the upright position.

With a little luck, the outer lip will "pull into" the groove. You will probably have to attempt this several times until you get the "knack". You **WILL** end up swearing at it but you will get there in the end. Now **gently** push the piston into the bore. You will feel resistance but don't force it. If it goes off centre and jams, remove it and start again. Push the piston fully into the bore. The dust seal inner lip should now locate into the groove in the piston.

You are now ready to refit. I use a little copper grease behind the pads and on the pad sliders. The overhaul kit will probably have some silicon grease with it. Lubricate the slider pins with this. I think that the longer pin (with the plastic anti-rattle bit) goes in the lower caliper hole...

If you want any help with the brake bleeding procedure then just ask here...

Hope this helps..

Bodge99

great write up there.

Thanks.

Hello,

Thanks for that..

I've learned a great deal from this forum.. many thanks to everyone here.

If I can "give something back" to the forum that will help someone else then I'm a very happy bunny indeed.

Regards to all.

Bodge99.