Brake Fluid Flush/Change and Missing Rear Caliper Bolts

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jbanks

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I had a scare on the highway yesterday....in bumper to bumper traffic...

You know the drill....unexpected sudden stop...the pedal is at the floor but the ABS hasn't kicked in. Luckily I had a nice following distance.

Went to Oreilly's this morning and got "Dorman Help! - Speed Bleeder
Part # 12701 " . They say it only works for the FRONT but I was looking around and many others said they work for the front and rear. So...I took a chance and got them for the rear too, and they worked fine.

Here's the description from Oreilly's: "Easy, straightforward and fast. Engineered with a built-in check valve that eliminates the need for specialized equipment, Dorman's Brake Bleeder Screw lightens the task of releasing air and fluid from the brake system. What's more, thread sealant is already applied, fortifying the screw against corrosion and securing it in place. "

I have a Mityvac and that is how I usually bleed braked but I thought I would give these a try. Well with the $20 if you ask me.

I wanted to get the Valvoline Dot3/4 Synthetic but they didn't have any. So...I just got a gallon of the Oreilly's Dot 3 for $20.00

Used the MityVac to suck as much fluid out of the master cylinder as I could and refilled it with fresh fluid. The crap that was in there was very green/brown.

Started at the rear of the truck on the passenger side(furthest from the master cylinder) to see if the Speed Bleeder would fit and it seemed to be the same size as the one that was in there. I tightened it and checked for leaks. There were none, so I loosened it back up and proceeded to pump the pedal until the fluid ran clear. Tightened it up and move to the other rear wheel.

When I got over there and was replacing the bleeder screw I noticed the caliper and disc were loose. Upon further investigation I discovered the caliper bolts were MISSING. I don't think it would have come off...but who knows...

Finished replacing the bleed screws with Speed Bleeders and flushing the fluid.

I had someone go get some new caliper bolts for $3.29. Installed and torqued to 22 ft-lbs.

Doesn't seem like enough torque? Can anyone confirm the is the right setting?

Brakes will now engage the ABS but the pedal still isn't as firm as I would like.
 
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FordandPolaris

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Mine is also not very firm. I almost wonder if it was something with the 97-98 model years. My mom's 00 has a much firmer brake pedal than mine. Then again, it could just be the brake booster or master cylinder is going bad in both of our trucks haha
 

mindgame

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>>Doesn't seem like enough torque? Can anyone confirm the is the right setting?

It probably is.. But make sure to put some loctite.. Better safe than sorry.. :head3:
 
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jbanks

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Yah...I put some blue thread locker on on them. I saw lots of horror stories about Exploders and rangers losing caliper bolts.

Look At this LINK

Most bad things I saw online were from FRONT calipers.... I yanked around on the caliper that was missing bolts. Because of the clips on the pad, I don't think they would have come free and caused a problem.
 
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