2004 TOYOTA AVALON HOW TO CHANGE REAR BRAKE PADS & ROTORS - AND STUCK CALIPER SLIDE PIN!

amzn.to/2MXH4Tv Brake Pads & Rotors used in the video
amzn.to/2LwvVGg Sil-Glyde
amzn.to/2N0emBp Caliper Compression Tool
amzn.to/2PRIyRy Mountain Flex-Head with offset
amzn.to/2N1zIP4 PB Blaster Penetrating Catalyst
amzn.to/2PTcrkg 3/8" drive 18" long handle ratchet
amzn.to/2mMPOAc Dan the Fix it Man's Amazon storefront
Just a quick video showing how I changed the rear brake pads & rotors on a 2004 Toyota Avalon. I ran into an issue with the lower caliper slide pin. It was very stuck and wouldn't budge. Sorry for the long video on this one, but I wanted to show what I ran into this time, and how I fixed it. (And how lucky I was)
Tools needed:
14mm socket and/or wrench
breaker bar
Also, a long handle 14mm flex head wrench with offset was very helpful because I think the rear strut bolts were put in backwards.
Small screwdriver and/or pry bar
C-Clamp or Caliper Compression Tool
Sil-Glyde or other Brake Grease
Thanks for watching!
Please Subscribe!
-Dan the Fix it Man
Song used in the video:
"I Still Want You" by Everet Almond
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

[@colinmarsh6472]

I used your video and bought all the parts you said. Tools and parts cost me around 135 bucks. I had to buy a socket set. They would have charged me at least 1000 to change my rear rotors and brake pads. You saved my family a small fortune thank you. My slide pins were not stuck. The only issue I had was putting my calipers back on the first time. It was too tight a fit kept pulling my brake pad pins off. I just stuck it against the rotor and used my beater straight screwdriver to pry the caliper more open and it slid right on. Your videos are awesome thank you so much for this. I need to download all your early 2000 Avalon videos.

[@DantheFixitMan]

Colin, So glad to hear you got it fixed, and happy that you saved some money as well. Thank you for the nice comment. Take care, -Dan the Fix it Man

[@landshass2849]

My favorite moment at 9:00 the idea of fitting the rubber boots to the studs in order not to loose direction, never thought of it.

[@DantheFixitMan]

It seemed like the perfect spot to put them... Thx!

[@semaf83]

I appreciate these quality Avalon videos, thank you for the help!

[@thatfeeble-mindedboy]

… One more idea here, if you could chuck those slide pins gently into your drill so you could spin them at a medium speed, between a toothbrush, a brass bristle brush, maybe a Scotch-Brite pad, and then finally through a piece of thousand grit sandpaper pinched around it, you can make them look almost new without changing the actual diameter. Spinning something threaded against a brass bristle brush is a great way to clean the threads.

[@ado-yz9rb]

Thank you so much thats exactly what happened to my bottom pin ....it would just spin and i thought it was stripped because it would just spin so i was about to let a mechanic do it thought i was doing something wrong.... be back on it tomorrow !!!!

[@jindo333333]

Thank you for the great video.

[@tnralberta]

Good video quick thing I do with the slide pin holes is spray brake cleaner and use a drill with plastic bristles mix it up cleans the walls versus a paper towel which packs it to the wall.

[@drakestone-smolinski1415]

Great explanation

[@thatfeeble-mindedboy]

A brass barrel brush and cotton nap “barrel mop” like comes in a gun cleaning kit in about .30 caliber or 9 mm up to maybe 45 caliber (I’m just guessing) chucked into a low speed drill should let you get the insides of those slide guides to a mirror finish. They also have those slotted things that you use to hold cleaning patches, and running patches through there with your favorite grease or sil-glyde lube would finish the job. You could even use diatomaceous earth, or Comet or something like it if you really needed to finish with some kind of mild abrasive and metal polish combo applied with the mop attachment .. (Just go easy on your drill speed… All of that is going to get hot pretty quick). You can find all of this type stuff in The sporting goods department at Walmart, both in the form of kits or combinations, as well as single piece ala carte. I know for a fact they regularly carry those brass bristle brushes in calibers all the way down to .177, all the way up to 12 gauge shotgun and everything in between, so you should be able to find one that makes a snug (not tight!) fit. Hell, you might even find some kind of high tech high temperature graphite-based lubricant to use when you re-assemble everything.

[@carlosnvegas2426]

Thanks Dan! We’re gonna do this job for a lady down on her luck.

[@DantheFixitMan]

That’s so nice of you! Please let me know if you run into any problems or if you have any questions. -Dan the Fix it Man

[@adam_g.]

I've heard it's better to use an anti seize (copper or similar) rather than silicone based grease for certain pad parts

[@Kamalhussainuae]

Hi bro I need 2004 Toyota Avalon transmission oil filter replacement video

[@DonFordify]

I think I got the Slide Pins mixed up. I may have placed the rubber booted pin in the lower hole? They're different for a reason but I can't tell why. Should I pull it apart to ensure the slotted pin in lower and the rubber pin is on top?

[@DantheFixitMan]

I wouldn’t worry too much about it, I have mixed them up in the past and they’ve still worked fine as long as they’re greased up and can move. From what I can tell in reading online, it seems to be more common for them to be on the bottom…It may have been wrong before I took it apart… ”The Brake Caliper Slide Pin Rubber Is an Anti-Rattle Device. ... The sleeve provides additional friction, which prevents the brake caliper from rattling/chattering within the confines of the caliper bracket.” As long as it doesn’t rattle or make noise, I wouldn’t worry about it. Thanks for watching! -Dan the Fix it Man

[@RESTESSMYSTIC]

Thanx Dan - Wonder about the grease on the rubber.Doesnt the grease effect the rubber. R U usin specail grease?

[@DantheFixitMan]

Yes, That’s a great question. The Sil-Glyde says it is safe to use on rubber. Thanks for watching! -Dan the Fix it Man

[@theboysinthebasement2913]

I put brakes on had trouble bleeding them shop told me they were put on the wrong side is this possible

[@stoneyj1a1]

I love my 03 Avalon but the brakes are the worst on this car. Always spongy, low pedal, shuddering and creaking and sticking. I've owned my 03 for 4 years now, 80K miles and I've changed 1 caliper, both pads twice in front, both pads once in back, 2 rear caliper brackets and several caliper pins that got stuck. I've done my own brakes for almost 2 decades on 4 different cars and never had so many brake problems with a car. Other than that the car is still awesome with 237K miles on it.

[@stefaniadiamondcut]

I agree mine is always a brake problem decided to fix myself

[@Dan123TheStarman]

Hi Dan, I'm Dan, TheStarman. My brother offered to do the brakes on my 2004 Avalon, but it turned into a nightmare (and being way too hot today and no lunch made things worse for me) because we couldn't get the rotor off the rear passenger side (rusted to the wheel so much, looked like it was welded to it) AND there's no hole in the shield behind it like on driver's side! Only after giving up and putting it all back together again, did we see your video about the threaded holes to try using some bolts to pry it off! (I've got a can of Blaster, and should have brought it with me to his place!) HOWEVER, the worst part (especially with no example to look at on the other side of the car) was not being able to get the (new) brake _shoes_ (which needed replacing... DO YOU HAVE A SEPARATE VIDEO ON THOSE??) back on the car!!!! The crazy spring mechanism on the rear most side that's supposed to go through a slot in the shoe was impossible to work with! Is is supposed to have a u bend like: ---i_i--- in it only on that side???? So we took all the parts off (springs, old shoes, everything; had to leave one long spring there, tied back inside rotor) and put all the old stuff, pads and rotor back on, so I could go home! The FRONT wheels were a fantastic dream compared to the SHOES in the rear. I already paid for 4 shoes, but if I can get the rotor off the other wheel, I'm starting to think about not having any shoes at all on this car! COMMENTS?

[@DantheFixitMan]

So sorry for the trouble you're having, and unfortunately, I don't have a video showing how to change the parking brake shoes on this vehicle. Maybe if you can get the other rotor/drum off, you will have an idea of how it goes back on. Best of luck to you. -Dan the Fix it Man

[@stackinchedda8538]

Is this the same for 2001 Toyota Avalon XL??

[@DantheFixitMan]

It should be the same, yes.

[@Kilgorebass7]

Rubber slide pin goes on bottom.

[@DantheFixitMan]

That might be part of the reason it was stuck like that. Thanks for the heads up on the slide pin with the rubber going on the bottom. That should help others that run into this issue as well. Take care, -Dan the Fix it Man

[@Kilgorebass7]

@@DantheFixitMan The rubber slide pin is for noise control, keeps the caliper from rattling. They are notorious for rubber swelling and sticking. Because of this, some people remove them with no extra noise noticed. Probably not critical where they are, but on my Avalon, rear had rubber pins on bottom, front has rubber pins on top from factory, shrug...

[@Kamalhussainuae]

Please bro

[@ojofelixnm3608]

Wrong grease for pad shims.

[@markskubal844]

Just change the whole caliper is easier and now when it fails you will damage all your new parts.