Dust boot issues - needs replacing?
 

So I'm finally getting the last couple pieces back on the car, and putting the new brake pads in. Prior to resetting the pistons, I usually wipe any dirt off the piston before it gets pushed back in. (maybe thats overkill, but it gives me peace of mind). Anyway, I got to the last calliper and saw this (bottom one):

http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...27-brake-1.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...28-brake-2.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...29-brake-3.jpg

Just the one boot, just the one little side there, but it is clearly pushed out a little bit. Is this something I need to investigate further/replace or is it not a big deal?? The callipers were rebuilt just two years ago, and this is the first pad change since then. I don't know what would have happened to cause this, but it seems unreasonable that these seals would need replacing or callipers would need rebuilding on a yearly or even every other yearly basis.

I don't wanna throw in the last set of pads and do a bleed if the calliper needs to come apart anyways :shakes head:

Those aren't bad. Trust me.

I would put old pad back on and push brake piston back out. A trick a mechanic taught me was to put a little bit of brake fluid on the seal of the piston so it compresses nicely.

Push out? As in apply the brakes so it protrudes further? I haven't pushed those ones back in at all yet, wanted to confirm it was still good to go first.

thats nothing. check mine out. all 4 on each front piston are now melted. heres a pic when it was just two per brake

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...71483766_n.jpg

what are those things, haven't seen it in a long time

You can just give the brake a small tap to push the piston out a little bit...it's also a shortcut I learned. It is still good to go bro.

Awesome, thanks for the replies guys. I'll lube up the piston then reset it :tup:


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If you use air pressure to push the piston out. BE VERY VERY CAREFUL. Because you can/will cause lots of damage. I like to shoot the pistons across the garage just for fun. :D

Lol good to know, thanks. When I say reset, I just mean I'll clean/lube the part that is exposed then just push it back in with the old pad, and install the new ones. Based on the responses here, I'm gonna leave the dust boot as is. Maybe do a rebuild next season depending how they look.

Well, pushed them back in, it's still troubling me that the dust boot is so close to the pad shim. I can see it melting in the very near future :ugh2:

In the worst case scenario that the dust boot either melts or pops out (I dunno how the latter would happen but I'm not sure why it was protruding more than usual to begin with), will that affect the braking at all? I need to be 100% confident that the brakes will work when I need them to, for obvious reasons lol.

Here is what it looks like right now with everything back together:

http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...373-boot-1.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...374-boot-2.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...375-boot-3.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...376-boot-4.jpg

Looking at the dissesambly in the FSM, it looks to me like even without the dust boot the brakes should work, but I just want to be sure. Track guys, when you have destroyed your dust boots/melted them at the track, did it affect braking?

It's just a dust boot to help keep the pistons clean. Has nothing to do with how the brakes function*. I'd run it like that (it looks like it will still do its job), inspect it often, and replace when/if it gets worse.

* Worse case scenario, it might keep the piston from retracting but you should have enough pressure to extend the piston. Ie, you will still have brakes but that piston may not release once extended.

I beg to differ in the performance of the break. Once you start getting dust and dirt on the piston you are going to be out a new caliper. You will score the Piston and get debris in your brake system. I would push the piston out, pull the boot over the piston and re-seat the boot. Also how are you compressing the pistons? It could be your technique that is causing it to fold incorrectly.