Badly seized brembo pins - What are my options...

[BEEFTEC]

Well today I spent 3 hours on my second attempt at removing my brake pins and still no luck. If anything i've made the pins worse.

Bare in mind my calipers are in especially bad/neglected condition. Probably the worst most will have seen (not my doing - only had the car a couple of months) see below:



Steps i've taken so far:

Gave the calipers a thorough clean up as best I can using a wire brush and most of a tin of brake cleaner, paid particular attention to the back of the pads/around the pins area of the caliper. They've cleaned up really well, most brake dust is gone and the visible parts of the pins are back to bright shiny steel.

I've then given the pins a large dose of plus gas (best penetrating oil you can get) all over and as much as I could around where the pins are held in the back of the caliper. I tapped the pins slightly in/out whilst applying more plus gas, then left them to sit with the oil for around 30 mins. Came back and applied more plus gas, again while tapping the pins to help the plus gas get in to do its work.

I've then spent 2 hours hammering the pins and got absolutely nowhere. I'm getting a lot of force on these pins now, to the point where both the head of the pin and the good quality punch i'm using are getting damaged.

The top the of the bottom pin on one of the calipers has disintegrated and is now flush with the caliper and possibly 'mushroomed' slightly which may be stopping it coming out any further I suspect:





What are my options now? I've read about cutting the pins out, I imagine then the outer half of the pin can get reasonably easily removed, but I will still be left with the inner half and the inner pad stuck in the caliper with no way of getting a punch at it straight.

I'm beginning to think that taking the calipers off the car and taking them somewhere to have them machined out may be the most viable option...

 

[jakehewitt]

I had this problem when doing mine mate, only on the passenger side mind. Spent a whole day hammering/cutting/swearing. Regretted cutting as I couldn't get to the back half with a good punch, ended up using a drill and causing more troubles for myself. Ended up pinning in the pads temporarily and taking it to a garage, dont remember what it cost but by the end of the day I didn't care whatsoever!

 

[smithandroper]

Try pouring boiling water over them it sounds daft but just try it and give them a tap out with a knocking stick.
It's something to do with the way the pins expand with the heat of the water !

 

[Mentalpen]

Try a good pair of mole grips on the rear of the pin and hit them with a hammer downwards to free them a little.

 

[Foxspeed]

the first hit/smack with the hammer is I find always the most critical one....ie a PROPER SMACK!!!!

and another tip - put on full lock and give them a smack inwards BEFORE hitting on the outer part of the pin

 

[Womble]

Caliper off, cut the pins through the middle where the disc would be, then centre pop the inside pin and drill the middle out 4or 5mm, then it should tap out. The secret is proper tools, and make sure you hit it hard and once.

 

[Rogue]

How about heating the pins and knocking them out?

 

[Phil_RS]

This might sound stupid, but go for a fast round and get them hot, if the water trick alone doesn't work.
And get yourself proper drift tools.

 

[BEEFTEC]

Thanks guys,

I find that the first few smacks are really difficult to get a lot of force on because the actual flat point of contact on the end of the pin is only 3mm diameter at the most. I do have a set of good quality punches, but they seem to just flatten the head of the pin like whats happened to the top one. So I first used some M8 threaded bar which I had, drilled a centre hole in the middle to located the pin so there was no slippage and then I could get a lot of force on the first few hits - But all it did was bend the bar!

I don't think theres much hope of knocking these pins out to be honest, but i'll try some heat before I go cutting/drilling the pins. I have a blowtorch which may work, i've used the technique before on seized nuts of heating the item with the torch then quenching it rapidly with some 'shock and unlock' freezing spray to break the seal of corrosion so i'll try that too.

I think if I remove the caliper from the car and get it on a bench or in a vice I may be able to get more force on them but we'll see.

 

[lemonnobby]

I find if nothing works. best think to do is in the vice. i find the suspension gives a little
so not much force on it