during my 2nd to last rear brake pad change, i messed up the piston boot (the outer rubber piece, not the inner piston seal) when i was srewing in the piston. since then i have just cleaned out the area with brake cleaner each time i have the wheel off, and the piston still works ok and as of my last time i rotated the tired is able to be screwed into the bore with some resistance. (i checked to make sure it wasn't seizing up).

i would like to replace the torn boot, and it looks like i can get a rebuild kit and just replace the boot without doing anything more than turning the piston out a bit farther and cleaning out the remaing bits of the old boot. at least the manual makes it look like that, and i just wanted to get some opinions from folks who had done some caliper servicing. if i can avoid the whole caliper rebuild or buying a rebuilt one as a whole, that seems like the best approach.

any insight?

 

I've never rebuilt a caliper myself. The difference in price between a rebuild kit and complete rebuilt caliper is around $20?

If you can just replace the boot, by all means do it. If you must buy the entire rebuild kit - then I would just replace the rear calipers.

 

Why is it bad if you tear the boot? It doesn't leak. I just tore mine this weekend, but its only a tiny tear. Should I worry?

 

If it's not leaking, I wouldn't worry.

 

i was originally just planning on cleaning it every 5-10k miles to get any grit out of the seal area, and waiting for it to leak or bind up before i did anything...maybe thats the best plan.

 

you will have to screw the caliper all the way out to get a new boot in there.
you can get a rebuild kit from rockauto for like $15. Does both rear calipers. It isn't too bad of a job as long as you are patient with small extremly frustrating things, it takes a while to get that boot to stay in the groove of the caliper. I did rough DIy on this here.

 

I've rebuilt calipers before and swear by it. As long as you have a clean work space and some mechanical ability. I found rebuild kits for my rear calipers @ www.ThePartsBin.com for 6.95 per side all they are is o-rings and seals. Don't try to just replace the seal with the caliper still on the car unless your pressed for time or straight up lazy. Another added bonus is getting the calipers completely off the car and cleaning them then they can be painted and put back together. Rebuilding calipers can net you big $avings and you know that much more about your car. DIY.

 

That's probably what I would do.

Then just get a remanufactured caliper for like $60.- and replace once the old one fails.

Nothing against rebuilding yourself, but for me if I factor in the $10.- to buy rebuild kit, a couple extra tedious hours, and my ability to butcher the job, I would spend the extra $50 for pre-assembled.

 

I'm just stubborn and don't feel like screwing with rebuilding them. I just buy the re-man's. If you can get everything for under $30, just rebuild them yourself.

 

yeah if you just looking at time time vs. money just buy a rebuilt one. If you enjoy working on cars and have the time and tools, its a pretty rewarding DIY.