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Damage front caliper piston boots needs to be replaced
00 RX300AWD front caliper piston boots was damaged while perform brake service. Does anyone knows how to replaced it? I did some research online, some said it need to bleed brake fluid after replacing boots. Some just list pry out existing boots and install new kits.
Their is a C wire ring comes with the caliper repair kits. Does anyone knows how to replace the boots using this kits?
You should have no need to bleed ... as long as you dont get into the hydraulic part.
The clip/ring is the piece that holds the rubber boot (as a clamp). The process should be self evident when you pull on the old rubber boot. You install the the new boot and then put the ring on. Note you need to put the ring on as you would put on the ring on a finger and not from the side as a cir-clip. If you try to open the ring and slide it on from the side (like circlip) the ends will puncture the boot.
Tips/tricks:
Once the old boot is off, clean the push rod thoroughly.
I used to use brake-fluid to lube the rubber-boot to help it glide on easier. Since then I have learn that soap solution (dish washing) is more neutral.
I have the same job to do. Any thoughts on Lexus OEM vs. aftermarket boot kits? Photos might be nice. (I did the brake pads myself and the pinched boot was my fault.) Thanks.
Changing boot is not a difficult thing (1/10) in difficulty.
It is easier if the piston is pushed out ... rubber boot is expanded. The safest way is to put the old pads and reassemble the brakes. A little more aggressive way is to use a a C clamp.
Replaced front discs the other day and I noticed that on driver side the dust boot on the caliper piston was torn, hanging there in half sort of. I pulled it off so now the piston is really exposed. However, on Lexus part structure blueprints I can't find an OEM# for the dust boot. Is there even an official replacement part? Could anyone point me in the right direction, I'd rather not replace the entire caliper although it has probably sit there since factory this 2001 4WD RX300.
Seems the official part is # 04479-33130 which is a concoction including both the sliding pin dust boots, as well as the piston dust boot with retainer rings.
Rumor has it that I don't need to bleed the brakes to replace it. I'm really hoping this is true. All four of my brake calipers looks like they've been at the bottom of the ocean along with Titanic; so heavily corroded that I'm 100% sure that the bleeding nut will snap in a blink if I try to loosen it. Yeah, I know it's a matter of safety and that I should really replace all calipers under these mad circumstances. I will, too. Soon enough.
When I developed a faulty caliper I simply replaced them (both on same axle) with reman units from RockAuto. Neither hard nor expensive, but you do have to send them the old ones in exchange for refund of the core deposit.
If you accidentally knock your piston out of caliper and need to re-insert it (or are rebuilding it with new rubber parts), here is the trick to getting the dust boot onto the piston.
If you need to bleed the brakes, I use a blow torch to carefully loosen the screw. I did see a tip where after blowtorching area, put an icecube on the bleeder screw and immediately remove. Hope this helps somebody.
So years back I was working on my car and cut the CV boot with a saw. I bought a product called shoe goo and scuffed the rubber CV boot around the cut, wiped it clean with acetone and applied the shoe goo liberally and left it dry for 2 days before driving it. To this day, the cut is still sealed and no grease has escaped. The caliper piston boot doesnt get nearly the flex of a CV joint nor does it hold back any brake fluid. Its just a dust boot. Give it a try and keep an eye on it for any leaking fluid for a while.