Greased the slider pins and painted the wheel caps

[normski2]

Busy day today. I knew i had some caliper slide pins to get checked and the weather has been just great today.

First up was the wifes MX5. This has a very similar type of slide pin set up to the Lexus and they too require a bit of TLC from time to time. Did all 4 and had a quick test drive. To be fair they were in good order and moving freely but i cleaned and regreased the lot. And yes I was using the correct grease.

Next up my Lexus. I always dig out my copy of noobies guide for the fronts and rears. In truth I could have done it from memory as it all comes back once you get started. Found the lower guide pin on the rear drivers side was a tight little so and so. A bit of jiggling and gentle persuasion and it came apart. It looks like the rubber boot was not sitting quite right and had allowed water in. Needed a good bit of wet and dry to get the surfaces smooth, then re-grease and reassemble. Swapped the car round to do the nearside and this all went really well Until I got to the upper slide bolt on the nearside rear caliper. Its useable and working but I'd like to source a replacement. Part of the thread has sheared off in the carrier side, which was bloody annoying. Seems bloody hard to find though. Only source at the moment is good old USA if I go new route or seeing a scrappy will separate a part for me....kind of think they might not be too helpful on that route. We'll see. Anyone got any surplus bolts?

Its this that I'm after ...the bolt on the right. Anyone ever need to source one in the UK??

                                                                                                

Anyhow, its all back together and functioning but I know I need to get it sorted in the near future.

While I had all the wheels off I pushed out the centre caps and removed the chrome Lexus logo(2nd time I'd done this). They were silver as the wheels when I had them refurbed last year. I preferred the idea of them being black. So, I cleaned them and cut them back with fine wet and dry (1200) and degreased and left them to dry for a few minutes. Then sprayed them 3 times with 15 mins between coats and left them to dry in the garage. After 30 mins I put them in the sun and left them whilst carrying on with the slide pins. Next i bonded the logos back on (only on the pin part) and then added a blob of hot melt glue to be extra secure.

    

                                       

This is how they look now. I'm pleased with the result .... it's exactly what I wanted to achieve. Next thing will be a full set of new shiny wheel nuts and a chromed set of locking nuts.

 

[steveledzep]

Excellent work Normski.  Particularly like the wheel centres. 

[is200 Newbie]

Nice job on the wheel centres

What were to prices looking like for the pins (new) from the US?

[normski2]

£19 for that pair in the pic.

A lot for about 90p's worth

[johnatg]

Hi Normski

I've got one of those slider bolts that you can have - if it's not too late!

Send me a PM with your address.

It's not quite as pristine as the RockAuto (?) pic but it's perfectly serviceable.

[normski2]

That is a very kind offer John ... I am somewhat gobsmacked by your generosity.This forum does have some rather splendidly helpful people aboard.

I was amazed to find a local scrappy this morning (not 10 mins away) who told me he had a knackered caliper bracket with both bolts in place. Said I could have the bolt if I wanted it, just remove it myself..................... for nowt. Wow and double wow ... what a stonkingly good chap!!!!! The tricky part now will be getting the part-sheared off end out of my carrier on the car. That's next Saturday's job sorted then.

Thanks again for the offer John, you are a true gent.

[johnatg]

No probs, Normski - pleased you got sorted! Maybe you should just have taken the whole mounting bracket from the scrappy!

[normski2]

Strangely, the scrapyard chap said the carrier was a buckled and useless to anyone, but the bolts looked OK. Probably mal treated at removal ... I'll take a good look at that bolt!!

I'll find out tonight on the way home 

Now I'm considering taking a bit more time over this and cleaning and painting the calipers a complimentary colour. Seems silly not to as I'll have the lot split apart to do the work ... so may as well do the 4. Thinking Red or Green at the moment, maybe even Blue. Having a white car makes pretty much any colour work. The missus has Red calipers on her ( Silver) MX5 and they do look quite fetching. Maybe that will push me towards Green or Blue ... don't want to end too 'Howard and Hilda' now do we? 

[normski2]

Bolt was fine ... all good now.

Hard to believe that carrier could have been bent (very slight) ....must have been removed by one of the robots from Robot Wars!!

The sheared end came out OK too. I'd dosed it with WD40 and wrapped the end up with cling film. Drilled a small pilot hole then started with a slightly too big a next size .....it jammed nicely and came out with selecting reverse on my Battery drill. Happy days. I thought it going to be a right pig.

Had a quick test drive .... and working fine.

Next job is painting the calipers ... may start at the weekend if the weather's good.

[is200 Newbie]

36 minutes ago, normski2 said:

Bolt was fine ... all good now.

Hard to believe that carrier could have been bent (very slight) ....must have been removed by one of the robots from Robot Wars!!

The sheared end came out OK too. I'd dosed it with WD40 and wrapped the end up with cling film. Drilled a small pilot hole then started with a slightly too big a next size .....it jammed nicely and came out with selecting reverse on my battery drill. Happy days. I thought it going to be a right pig.

Had a quick test drive .... and working fine.

Next job is painting the calipers ... may start at the weekend if the weather's good.

Nice one - one to remember ...

I have painted my calipers black with a small Lexus logo applied to the fronts (rears are too small to stick a logo on) - not too "garey" but stands out when you know its there - calipers are dirty at the moment but when clean its very discrete but I think it looks ok.

As they are black then they clean up well, and don't show up any chips or stains from grease etc..

[normski2]

Well, I've come to a decision regarding the calipers.

Having looked at many white cars with painted calipers via good old google images ..... I'm going with a light, fairly bright looking green in a smooth hammerite paint. I've dabbled with adding a small amount of white to a proper green (not the dark green that is available now)  smooth hammerite (that I had already) and it looks good on a trial I've done.

I'm undecided on adding decals as there is not a great deal of suitable flats to use.

Pics to follow ...