Front Brake Replacement Trouble

Hey everyone,
I'm in need of some serious help right now. I was changing my rotor and brake pads today on my 08 Tacoma and everything was going super smooth. I ran into a problem on the driver side brake though. The right side pad I was able to remove but I can't get the new one in because of this :One cylinder will not compress to allow me to insert the new pad. The top cylinder has compressed fine, but the bottom one won't budge and I don't know what to do to get it to so I can fit in the new pad. The opposite side cylinders/pad compressed no problem and so did the top on the right side, but the bottom one won't budge.
What recommendations do you have for me because I can't move my truck or anything... and my wife is now kind of upset at me for taking so long to do this when I knew it should have taken me about an hour. Please help.

 

Are you opening the bleed valve on the caliper to allow the fluid you are pushing back into the system to escape?

 

I was not. Most DIY's I read said I didn't need to bleed anything for changing pads. After a little more research, I think I may have a stuck piston. I've seen several issues like this from google searching, and most say that you have to rebuild the caliper, which I'm hoping is not the case... I put the old pad back in and I think I'm going to take it to a shop to see if there's something more going on. From what I've read, it's quite common for the piston to seize on the Tacoma's... Is this true?

 

How are you compressing the pistons? Equal pressure is needed on both at the same time.

 

typically you want to have someone put pressure on the pedal to close the master cylinder, then open the bleeder port while you push in the pistons, this gets rid of all the nasty ass water / sediment laden brake fluid down at the calipers... which is not something you want being pushed back into the abs unit etc.

Then once the pistons are pushed back in, have the person push the brake pedal slowly down and close off the bleeder screw before fluid stops flowing, this will ensure no air is in the system, as well as get "new" fluid down to the calipers

BUT op it sounds like you have a stuck piston. Did you try moving it with a big C clamp?

 

I know a guy that it happened to. Maybe not commonplace, but it happens.

Throw the old pads back in on that side for now, and either get a new caliper or have a shop do it.

 

I was doing a method I saw on youtube of using the old pads and screwdrivers to compress them. Worked great on all of them except one.

 

I did try a c clamp. Was worthless. Didn't work

 

yeah if a c clamp couldnt move it then its stuck. probably gonna need to be popped out resurfaced and caliper honed

 

Think I'm gonna buy new calipers..

 

can try to get piston moving outwards a little then try and push it back in again,wheel off,old pad in have someone push pedal down,you watching for piston movement,if it moves out,try and push it back in.last ditch effort before buying new caliper.

 

On another note, is this bad?
This is the lower arm on the driver side

 

boot torn on the LBJ.... dirt gets in and is gonna eat that bitch alive.

Replace w/ OEM LBJ

 

That sounds like fun. I don't like finding so many things to replace

 

I use giant Channel Lock pliers to compress the pistons.
One trick I use is with the caliper installed, inner pad installed then compress the two outer pistons together. It tightens up on the opposite side, which is fine since that pad is installed already.

 

Giant channel locks, either the pad or a block of wood. Apply brute force on channel locks after cracking the bleeder screw open. After both pistons have moved in, have a buddy apply light pressure to cycle the pistons back out some, apply some more force to move the pistons back in, close the bleeder screw, lube up any slider pins if there are any. I know these are fixed calipers but I mention the theory out of good faith. And continue reassembly as necessary. Top off any fluid lost in the process.

 

At this point I would get a new caliper, or have that one rebuilt. The cylinder and piston are probably already scored and needs to be resurfaced.

 

Appreciate the ideas guys. I am going to get some new calipers because my pistons do look scored.
How do you guys put the block of wood and channel locks on? Do you have a picture?

 

You can also use a "C" clamp and a peice of wood to compress the pistons.

 

I don't think we have the same calipers.. That doesn't look anything like mine.