Caliper dust boots - need help

[defcon65]

Got the calipers rebuilt, can't seem to snap in the dust boots - what's the trick? This is the part that attaches to the caliper with the copper colored retaining rings. Should I use some lube or press them in with a block and C-clamp? Confused, won't seem to go...

Thanks for any replies.

Regards,

[boyt911sc]

Joe,

Push the pistons back in place. C-clamp and a piece of wooden block will do the trick. Apply lubricant to the new seal to facilitate sliding the piston. Hope this helps.

Tony

[gchappel]

I have an 85 as well and had problems with the rear seal. Here is a copy of a post from 2002- it made it easy. I can't believe it was 5 years ago I did that- seems like one.


I will tell you what worked for me, and it was actually pretty easy. The problem with the rear dustcover is that you can't get a good hold on it all the way around, you can get most of it over the lip. but when you push down on the last part- some other part of the ring lifts up. Here is the trick. Take some 5/16" or so wooden dowel rod- or use a pencil. You are going to use these to hold the dust cover in place- that is they span from the metal ring in the dustcover to the other side of the caliper. You want them tight- so cut them a little long and sand them individually down to length. Push one end of the dustring down over the lip and hold it in place with the dowel. Lets call that 0 degrees. Do the same thing at 90 and 270 degrees- that is push the ring down over the lip, and hold it in place with the dowel. Now all you have to do is push the last part of the ring over the lip- and you are all done. I tried for 2 evenings to just push these things on- once I found the trick I did both rear calipers in about 10 minutes. The fronts went on pretty easy.
Good luck
Gary

[MattAlpha]

This took me two days and a lot of frustration to figure out. I used the two 3" and a two small pieces of wood technique. Very important that the wood does not contact the piston for the compression to work properly.

After I compressed the dust boot's clamp ring into place I used the flat part of a push it down the rest of the way (if it wasn't already). Be gentle with it, but once the flat part is making contact (through the rubber, you will feel) push it down a little hard. It took me several tries with each dust boot to get the proper orientation with the wood and C-clamp. You'll be able to do it.

Here's a picture












Hope this helps,
Matt

[jevvy]

Like others I struggled for ages with these but they snap on in a second if you have the right diameter pressing on tool, I used the lid off some of this:



Took me 2 days to do the first one(until I raided the pantry for suitable lid) then 20 seconds to do the last 3.