Help with caliper piston dust bellows

rjdelapp · 01-14-2012, 08:26 PM

I have a 97 F53 chassis and the caliper pistons had the dust bellows melted from overheating. I removed and disassembled the caliper and put back together with new seal for piston. Now my problem is I can't get the new bellows seal back in place. I have the pistons retracted all the way and can get the seal on the piston but not in the caliper groove. Does anyone know the procedure. I have rebuilt numerous automotive calipers in my life but no F53 calipers. I feel real stupid fighting this and believe there has got to be a better way. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Jim

Fiesta48 · 01-15-2012, 06:42 AM

I also have rebuilt many car and motorcycle calipers. Sometimes to only way to get the boot on is to remove the caliper from the rotor, use the pressure from the brake master cylinder to push out the piston completely, install the boot on the caliper side, carefully reinstall the piston, install the boot on the piston before you retract it fully into the caliper. This is a 2 man job due to the weight of RV calipers and someone the push on the brake pedal. Then rebleed the brake system.

Or try just siliconing the outer boot edge to the caliper after cleaning it well???

The boot is just there to keep water and dirt off the outer edge of the piston.

I made ball joint covers for my F53 out of inner tubes and clamps after the originals dry rotted.

rjdelapp · 01-15-2012, 10:38 AM

Found the solution. I slid the bellows seal over the bottom of the piston (tight fit) and hold the piston over the caliper hole while I put the bellows seal into the caliper groove. When it is in caliper groove I then push the piston into the caliper which keeps the rubber in place in caliper groove. I think I just needed to sleep on it. Thanks

Jim