How to lube caliper slide pins on a 2004 Honda Element

[@raycruz4499]

I did HVAC for a living and PM (Preventive Maintenance) was drilled into head and was a big part of my job, I took what I learned into my cars and PM'd everything especially my brakes I did those twice a year (front brakes and rear) 1 hour per weekend. My schedule was front brakes, 3 months later do the back brakes, repeat. Use top quality brake pads (Akebono) if it fits your budget and replace your pads every 2-3 years now that I'm retired I do PM's more frequently for the heck of it.

[@donjohnson3701]

Thanks! Watching videos such as yours has given me the knowledge to tackle the brakes on my cars. I find that I can purchase premium components and do a complete job including pads and rotors for less than half the cost of a mechanic just doing a “pad slap”.

[@gingercat555]

I know what you mean about DIY, as every time you take your car to a garage you are a walking $$$/£££ sign on legs, I also do all I can myself due to very tight money situation. Like your Father my Father was a good all round mechanical / eletro-mechanical engineer who I watched as a young teenager and learnt all i could from him, he worked on our first old car and kept it going for years he even built an electric lawn mower from parts we had in our shed, worked great for many years he made and repaired many other items over so many years. So I get where your coming from, you are NO fool with a bunch of tools, you have really good knowledge. This same problem is occurring on my car where one of the front pads is not pulling away from the disc intermittently so you have taught me how to sort this problem out. Great video, straight to the point, well videoed, thanks from England U.K.

[@johanahorning7647]

Just finished my first brake job frozen caliper pin and all. Not bad for a girl.(nearly 50) thanks for your help.

[@pussinboots1145]

Not bad for a girl?really?

[@williampennjr.4448]

yeah my caliper was frozen too. I ended up taking off the entire assembly. It was a pain in the neck. How did you do it?

[@benten6301]

William Penn jr. I am doing it right now frozen bottom slide pin, 2010 Odyssey. I can’t figure out it is not staying in but out after

[@JUKE179r]

Good one!!!

[@riceburner4747]

Marry me! I'm impressed! 😂😂🤣🤣

[@juiceybananas5489]

I didnt know how important greasing these slider pins was till today. Thank you for your info on greaseing a Honda Element slider pins.

[@blaknoizee]

Even though I already know what to do, this video is nicely done and can be viewed as "normal" to many folks. That anti-seize issue is very common. Great work.

[@drjimjam1112]

Never had a problem with anti seize gumming up in my life. Would suggest it be applied in a very thin layer.

[@xxjacxxxx6454]

Never use your hand as a hammer avoid injury and just use a hammer That said, great video! Such an important step missed by most folks just doing brakes, thanks much for the instruction

[@fredwendorf1074]

I was ready to do the back brakes on my daughters Honda Pilot when I ran into your video. I had already watched several videos which were also helpful. Your video added to my knowledge and everything went smooth because of the time I took to watch several videos. The Pilot calipers have on the top end caliper a rubber "grommet" type thing at the one end. On the rear right wheel this "grommet" was missing. This was causing the sliding caliper to get into a bind at time making the whole wheel to get hot. The reason the grommet was missing is because most brake grease causes the grommet to swell and once you take it off you can't get it back in. Instead of buying a 5 dollar rubber kit this person left the grommet off causing an overheated wheel.

[@Kowyn]

I'm so glad you found my video helpful Fred. Really like when I hear that the videos I post are useful to folks.

[@loveyou-qk4bm]

3 years past sense this film and i can tell you .you the same as me...i do everything at home by the way i got every tool for the jobs...but to do the job you just done will cost around 100 pounds.with that money if was me i will buy 1 tool at the time for easer job done in future time...thats what ive done and thats why i got every tool i need...garages to expensive .good job keep well with this corona virus .stay safe with your family

[@ikust007]

Well explained. Rarely seen. I agree with you; it is a very important step, never done by standard mechanics. Bravo and thank you.

[@agberthillary]

I am doing brake job first time, I can't pull out one slide pin out of 4. I learned from you. Thanks. Great video.

[@Akira-nw4jl]

I have learned throughout life that if something is important to you then take the time to learn something about it. even if you don't fix it yourself at least learn how it basically works. I am sadly surprised that most men I know don't have the least bit of interest to do basic maintenance on their cars. I don't necessarily enjoy doing my own maintenance and repairs but I find it so important I just do it especially if you buy a used car.

[@jbean530]

I made this same mistake. Luckily, I found this out before I took the car back down. It takes forever to clean inside the pin compartment. Thank you for explaining. From an old lady working on my brakes.

[@mattfoley6082]

Good for you for putting corrections in description. Shows you actually give a damn. I asked my local Autozone for silicone brake lube and they looked at me like I spoke Chinese. Came home and found it on their website. WTF? Anyway, my 2003 Element just failed inspection because they said caliper was seized. Dealer wanted almost $300 to replace caliper. Told him no thanks. Brought it home and looked at it. Nope, caliper is fine, it's the slider pin that seized. Rusted. Rubber boot is ruined. Heated with a propane torch. Took 5 minutes of turning with a wrench and pin finally came out. Instead of getting gouged for $300 by dealer I only need to buy new boots, lube and brake cleaner for $20.

[@Kowyn]

Was the guy on the other side young? Usually I head for the oldest looking guy/gal they know what's up. Younger ones can't do anything unless it's a button or says so on the computer.

[@mattfoley6082]

No, both people were middle-aged and have worked there for years.

[@UCfan]

Thank you, I've always struggled with removing the back rotors, so I appreciate you telling us how to use the bolts to push it towards us.

[@13Scorpio]

Just wanted to say thank you for this video. My dad's car had a frozen up slide pin and I got it fixed after watching what you did here!

[@Kowyn]

13Scorpio Glad to be of some help friend. Hearing that it helps people makes it all worth the extra effort.

[@KevinSun242]

I have the same exact issue as you on a CRV that seems to have the same caliper bracket. Thanks for the tip on the drill bit. The rubber boot was so old it was completely split in half down the middle. I put a thin ring of silicone lubricant around the part of the boot that goes into the bracket too, just as an extra barrier against water.

[@Kowyn]

If it's a gen 2 crv I believe they share the same suspension, breaks and engine.

[@williamwindsor1673]

I really appreciate the use of a drill bit to help remove corrosion in the caliper bracket. I'm doing mine now.

[@patriciasefcik7783]

thank you so much i am a 65 year old woman you have helped

[@broncobra]

Thanks. Got new rotors and pads. Would not have known about the pin slides. You absolutely rock! Thank you. By they way, those goofy screws holding the rotors on are just for assembly purposes. Anti-sieze everything. That's all I have to offer. THANK YOU!

[@cex5771]

You did a good enough job, working with one hand.

[@erniejose136]

Thanks for the video. I'm not also a mechanic but love to fix things about car.

[@joelpierce3940]

It’s September in Texas! It’s 105 degrees with 75% humidity. Sweating my A off. I don’t envy your rust!

[@calvinpryor]

Thumbs up for making a video just for the guide pins. My Ford Explorer has been eating front bearings. 17k on one set...33k on the last set...just put in a new set. Now I'm thinking the guide pins were the culprit. Mine were not nearly as bad as yours. They were pretty seized but you could still tell it was grease at one point in time, and no rust. vise grips got it. but I still spent the $18 for new guide pins and boot kits for the front. I'd driven it for 3 yrs and they had never been touched so I just replaced everything. I did keep the old boots, though, just in case. Also worth noting is caliper brackets for the Explorer are about $30. I saw ones for smaller passenger cars for $17. I've seen some pretty epic videos of people using torches and 20-30 tons of pressure and what not to get seized pins out. seems like you have a pretty good set up with a vise and wheels and stuff so it might be worth a go, but if you're doing it shade tree style, I would give up the $30 and probably saved at least one bloody knuckle.

[@Spookieham]

I had to remove a seized pin from my 2001 MX5. The sliding pin goes into blind hole in the caliper so it took lots of penetrating oil, two goes with a blowtorch, multiple days and lots of percussive maintenance with a bfo hammer. I damaged the boot and had to buy a whole caliper seal kit to get it - not cheap. As you said - keep the boots!

[@robertcaperton351]

Yeah Bro, we are watching and are impressed. Professionals try to woo you with big words and technical jargon (2 big words...together!). Keep it up. Thanks. Robert C

[@ottofumbler7267]

Good tutorial. 8:00 talks about taking over an hour to remove a seized pin. Top Tip: if you have an impact wrench, a few short buzzes to get it moving, then a long buzz until it spins freely. The friction causes heat to build up between the pin and the housing, and then you'll easily be able to pull the pin out by hand. Wear gloves and don't burn your fingers. Wait until everything cools before rebuilding. And if it was seized so tight that you had to use an impact wrench at that point, don't worry about ruining the pin... it likely needs replacing if it's that badly seized. Turn an hour long job into one that takes less than a minute... if you have an impact wrench of course.

[@Kowyn]

Thanks for the tip Otto!

[@bazooka7219]

I dont recommend the impact wrench because you can broke the pin (if the ping it's not moving at all), you must heat up the metal around the pin and try to move slowly with a socket and ratchet handler until it moves 360 degrees around and then use impact wrench to spin very fast the pin.

[@AndyUK-Corrival]

Brilliant, exactly the problem I have on my Honda CRV. Garage wanted to replace callipers. You have saved,me big bucks. Thanks Andy UK

[@kend.6592]

Kowyn, excellent video bro🤓. I loved that you pointed out that a 3/8” drill bit will fit perfectly into the caliber slide pin bores. Last Honda mechanic to work on my brakes must have used the wrong “grease” on the pins because they are stuck in some really glue-like gunk! I will now cautiously clean out the bores with a 3/8” bit and use SILICONE lube to solve my sticky problem! Thanks

[@Kowyn]

I bet it was standard bearing grease. Its amazing what a professional will do if they think no one will ever see it.

[@danah358]

Good info on the caliper pins, thx. Add’l items I’ve found typ needed include: - wire brush caliper bracket where clips are put in - put small amount of anti-seize on bracket under where clips go - put small amount of high temp Sil-Glyde or Super Lube (not anti-seize) on ears of pads and a bit on their contact area on clips....and small amount same stuff on face/edges of caliper piston and back of pads(also non-moly high temp tolerant grease could be used here) - small amount of

[@alanfrancis9225]

Great video showing tremendous detail . A bit more information. Some calliper pins on some cars have flattened surfaces (3) for the leading pin ( to let out air) and a rubber thin washer at the end to limit vibration on the trailing calliper pin.

[@CalkoLouie]

Hey Eric I watch a lot of your videos and I am very pleased the way you indicate how important every little thing is love4 it.

[@c.anderson3444]

You hurt my hands watching you. Nice place but I bet mice love it in the fall. Good info and detail.

[@Kowyn]

You might not believe this but in the 12 years I lived there I never had a mouse in the house, I did have a bat one time though.

[@c.anderson3444]

@@Kowyn Lucky. I've had those guys in my condo almost every fall, and if dont catch them right away they stick around. I live near a conservation area alot of dry wood in the fall and a pond.

[@GunitEngage]

Hi, nice fixing. I just did my Mazda 6 in the rear axle. Cooper Lube was used by the professional Mazda Mech. It is all clunked for no good. Even broke off a pin because it was more then seized, it was better than welded. Could not press it out. ATE has a branded stuff lube called Plastilube, that works. Also always sandgrind and lube the caliper and bracket area touching each other. Underneath the metal sliding pads you should also grind und lube. Because when rust occurs it will squezze the fitting, making the brakepads stuck.

[@unilx81]

You can use your jack handle as a breaker bar also you should torque down your caliper bolts. On my 08 mustang it's 85ft lb, 25ft lb for my guide pin bolts.

[@johnhall3251]

Nice job ! It's obviously an important part of the brake process and I'll add it to the rest of what I've learned from yours and other videos ! As the saying goes ( The Devils in the Details ) ! Thanks for the information and keep up the good work!

[@phxrsx]

I live in dry phoenix arizona. Its wild to see your guys' cars look like the titanic.

[@vw_mods_4711]

Decent vid good info! One of mine was seized while I had the calliper bracket out, I wire brushed under the pad wear plates so pads go in easier.

[@Don-zg6xp]

Thank you for this video ! I couldn't figure out how to get my pins out till now .

[@Kowyn]

Glad it helped!

[@carlyletom301]

You stated a lot of safety concerns and it was well taken. However, I personally do not like putting a jack under the car, on bare soil. I always try to put plywood or a piece of board under the jack, even if I do my repair on a pavement . That's just me.

[@SciFly7]

Yes that's a good idea especially if not on pavement, but not sure plywood would be my first choice, but rather a harder wood.

[@racheat]

Nice video! Just want to add that the two tapped holes (11 & 5 o'clock) are for the jack screws to walk off the rotor. The other small Phillips head screw and opposing missing one are just factory screws that hold the rotor in place while the brake are done....those two aren't even necessary as the wheel will sandwich the rotor between it and the hub.

[@ollimakkonen6481]

Good and informative video. However, just for the record, the taper screws are there to initially locate the rotor disc, once the wheel rim is installed they basically do nothing. They have nothing to do with the pulling screw threads which are the 2 X 8 mm 1.25 pitch tapped holes in the rotor disc front face. Incidentally, when using these pulling screws, it pays to make sure that only lubricated and pretty darn strong bolts are screwed into them. Like grade 10 or similar. Cheers from Indonesia and thanks for posting this video.

[@Mr89siR]

Thanks! I thought I had to buy new calipers but you just saved me 💰💰💰

[@easternbushytail]

Thanks for posting, finally a fully comprehensive video. I will use your tips for sure.

[@joshrandal6982]

Thank you for the lesson. My advice to you. If you have arthritis in any part of your body at 29, you are going to be in trouble at my age, 71. First, you can forget 13 degree weather. Even if you can stand the pain kiss hand work goodbye. I’m not taking the meds yet and I don’t want to. Nasty bit of work they are. Eat right and avoid foods that exacerbate arthritis. Absolutely avoid running. If you are light and small frame it’s ok. But even then the place to start is your core. I broke this rule, ran to lose weight, very little core work. I have artificial knees and should get a hip soon. Move to the desert to stay off the grid like you are now. It’s warm. It will free up your joints and slow down the arthritis. From watching you work I’m sure you will still have the Element✌️

[@dg115]

Changing out my rotor's/discs and pads on my Honda CRV 2004 today and this video helped me do a proper job. Using ferodo pads honda rotor's thanks 🇬🇧

[@JiggyC]

Great video bro. Thanks for making it. Will be doing this weekend to try and fix my seized caliper.

[@luban4u]

Dude such a perfect explanation great. Thank you so much. Even tough I'm not a fully english speker i do learn and understand very well.

[@Kowyn]

Glad to be if some help friend :)

[@stillwill1808]

At leest you kan right it like a boss. Keep praktis it wurked fore me much gooder.

[@jeromeburrasca6710]

Bro, $5 for a rubber mallet at Walmart. I know a mechanic that got blood poisoning from all the years working with chemicals with no gloves on. Always work safely bud. ;)

[@forwork321]

Great video…I have a Land Rover with a hanging front brake…. Pretty sure the caliper bolts are sticking. This was a great video as prep for my doing the job.

[@_DC5DEE]

Great Video! Love how you touch the topic of safety and wearing safety gear when working on vehicles! I hope you're not still abusing your hands though

[@1188clean]

ive had corroded slide pins on a car and man that was scary because i was going fast and the car wanted to stop but my pins were corroded that it just bent the brake pad.cleaned them up and bought new pads they work great now.

[@kc8653]

Breaker bar works wonders. Hell even a small pipe to go over the wrench lol

[@oKeNSchWarZo]

I use a rubber mallet if there isn't enough room for a breaker bar. Might get away with it on the front tires since those can be turned exposing more room by having the caliper facing out of the wheel well more.

[@stillwill1808]

@@oKeNSchWarZoGood way to strip your ratchet gears. If there is room enough to swing a mallet should be plenty of room for a breaker bar. Correct tool for the job saves your ratchet and arthritic hands.

[@MrRockydee07]

Great video , I put some of that lude also on the boots outside ...serme to help with the drying out cracking ....👍

[@garyroy3503]

Not a good idea CK, a sticky product like Silicone will attract dirt that will be ground into the rubber as the boot flexes. Put our Ceramlub on the inside and then wipe a small amount on the outside using a clean cloth, it is specifically made for this purpose and is not sticky. www.Ceramlub.com

[@George-fh9zm]

16:58 That's how it was with my uncle and myself. I would always go and watch him work on cars and that's how I learned. Today, there aren't too many young people that want to be a part of working on a car. It's a real shame.

[@Kowyn]

I guess we have gotten to a point as a society where things are disposable and nobody cares to understand how things work, all that matter's is that they do work, when they stop you throw it away and get another. I don't like that school of thought myself.

[@kickinrocks6055]

When breaking off tough bolts, hold the wrench with one hand, and smack your hand with your other hand. It doesnt hurt, like just hitting the wrench with your palm.

[@jonfowler99]

A Volvo I worked on had a binding slide pin. It turned out that the oxidation behind the slide pin's boot had gotten to the point that the inside diameter of the boot had gotten too small. I pulled out the boot and used a rotary rasp to clean out the feed-through hole in the caliper. After that it worked fine.

[@ignaciopinedaherrera4271]

excelente información amigo gracias... desde el estado de mexico...!

[@ahmadkamali8547]

Exlent n professional job.. All the best dear Pls remember to drain n change ur entire brake fluid with new one from sealed bottle..because the old fluid quickly absorbs humidi n boils when yu put brak.. Good luck .

[@rodneysmith247]

Nice to know how brakes work and brake failure. 👍

[@wickedcl0wn420]

I recently bought a caliper bracket, guide pins and boot set (yes they still sell boots) Ended up costing as much as a new caliper. Didnt check til I was done. xD

[@Jahalang82]

You ought to invest in a long handled flex head ratchet or slide a pipe over what you have to give you more leaverage; it would have saved your hand in the beginning. Those rubber boots and slide pins are readily available at just about any local autoparts store just incase a pin is too heavily pitted or you have a torn boot; they are typically made by by Carlson and can be had for under $10 USD.

[@speakingtonganwiththetutuu8421]

I have same problem thank you I’m not a Mechanic but I’ll try

[@davegosselin9327]

I see now best to use silicone lube, good video and very informative. Thank you

[@benjiG19]

Nice video! Good tips. Long live the E!

[@princess89pinky]

Thanks for the vid! Honesty and good info and funny 🤣 "that ones missing I don't know why" 🤣🤣🤣 gota do my pins on my Corolla

[@AA-os1sg]

Pro job good job ya knucle head very humble! Subscribed!

[@scottclaason2422]

this video is a great help to me

[@Jddvs]

Good video and narration.

[@tabasamashfaq1680]

Such a good video and very informative. Hope your health gets better but stay safe 😊

[@JodBronson]

5 Finger Hammer gonna hurt later !!! LOL

[@The3rdCoat]

You need a breaker bar. I don't think you should use anti seize on the bracket bolts either, but maybe some Loctite to make sure they don't vibrate loose.

[@The3rdCoat]

@Stephen James the guide pins need to slide freely. The bolts must not.

[@reddemon52]

Thanks for video my celica has the same problem. One of my boots tore going to junkyard to get another. I will be greasing up those pins tomorrow mine are stuck one of them I hear the noise

[@AndyBrasfield]

Just what I needed to know. Thanks!

[@riceburner4747]

Ur rachet is so short. Save ur hands & go to home depot or lowes & get a pipe about 12" in length. Bring ur rachet to make sure it fits over ur rachet. EXCELLENT job on pin work!!

[@anthonyguess5528]

You forgot to lube the edges of the brake pads so those slide

[@martynh6262]

Great video. Ive been watching a number of videos to understand the problems with my brakes and to build up the courage to have a go at fixing them. But I'm surprised you haven't greased the actual pad and slides ...?

[@leonardodavinci303]

Just a couple thoughts. Use some BrakeKleen spray when using the 3/8s drill bit trick. Gets it much cleaner inside. Second, take a a small nail or other pointy tool and scrape out the rim notch where the rubber boot fits in a slot. If you don't do that then debris can reenter the slide and you wonder why you have to redo the job. Lastly, jacking a car up without a safety block/ jack standof some kind is not a good idea (esecially on bare ground).

[@ThePiattat88]

They do sell guide/slide pins & boots separately on Amazon... just FYI. about 20 bucks for 2 wheels' worth of new pins & boots... worth it to make sure you dont have to continually deal with these kinds of problems...

[@LLCoolPass]

I basically only wash this to see if you use the right stuff but I was pleasantly surprised to see you had silicone paste so many mechanics everyday all-around don't use it they use that oil-based also known as organic super synthetic blah blah blah brake Lube grease what you can't use on pins

[@rottmanthan]

i had to clean and lube those pins on the rear of my jeep because the rubber boots were bad, so of course i changed them. fronts still good. (got boots from from ebay)

[@geoffball6884]

Thanks! Well done and very helpful. Only suggestion: have someone else film it, so you can use two hands.

[@MackNNations]

Last step should be to pump the brake pedal a few times to be sure the caliper piston is back in place and working. Test the brakes before driving the vehicle out on the road.

[@mareerogers7663]

I had to hammer mine it took one half hours that's roughing it up , cleaned with water and metho mixed no wait no anti seize

[@loscarnm]

Don't Hamer with your hand, you Will end yo with carpel tunnel syndrom. Beside that detail your vídeo Isabel great. Thanks for posting it.

[@johnfilmore7638]

That's what god gave us cheap $3 deadblow hammers for.

[@justusrhines9031]

I use a breaker bar for caliper bolts. Sometimes its a little tricky to get to them but much better than smashing my hand against a ratchet

[@mackieb6989]

Right on thanks for sharing 👍

[@joshuafigueroa6]

Man.. great job on your brakes

[@bfarm44]

Boots and pins sold separately on Amazon bigger issue is orientation. One has a flat side and one has a plunger type rubber. The ones you pulled out are not oem. Oem do not have a nut shaped end on them they are half round and flat.

[@michaelserrano7097]

Best break video!

[@ptrsqionut]

Use a bolt the size of pins and wd-40 to clean inside the pins hole,works better than a drill

[@-FALKOR]

You sound like Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon.

[@MrShock98]

Could sticky slide pins cause pads on one side of rotor to wear twice as much as other side? Did my first brake job today and found one pad worn out, half brake pad life left on other... And no I didn’t do check my slide pins. Guess I will doing my second brake job tomorrow.... Thanks for a response

[@Kowyn]

Yes seized pins could cause that.

[@pamallen1415]

@@Kowyn i noticed a few people mention piston boots were what releases the brakes after they were applyed, myself i was told years ago the there is a small bit of run out in the brake discs this in turn moves the pads away when your foot is taken off the brake.also the most important thing to remember is to torque your wheel nuts to factory specs and recheck that spec after 50 km the wheel will have loosened off i have warped the rotors three times on a honda accord by not performing the above procedure.

[@REM44MAG]

Probably should have put lubricant on the support plates as well.

[@manooti]

i always had problems with rubbers too

[@DJJAW11]

... Also if new pads,pistons, may have to go back (piston tool kit etc). Before,clamp/pinch the brake hose,to stop bits,that maybe in system, going back into the abs.

[@dennisrandall9698]

Lube all contacts. Anywhere the brake pad makes contact with the rotor bracket. The brake pads also slide on the brackets and can get hung up there as well.

[@fabrivila2774]

Thank you very much. In my country they do not sell this type of lubricant. Would it be okay if I put grease on CV Axels? Thanks for answering

[@orlandodizo5097]

Can you wash the rubber bushing of a slider pin of the caliper with a brake washer?

[@gregorym9591]

You didn't lube the shims that hold the pads in place. ???????????

[@eraldorh]

They dont need lube, they were designed to work without it. If they are a problem just replace them they cost nothing.

[@sbond1963]

Get rid of that philips head screw in the rotor. Rusts then you can't get it off without drilling the head off. And it prevents you from correcting lateral runout.