Freelander 1 caliper guide pin

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.

luxinterior67

Member
Posts
47
Location
uddingston, lanarkshire
The braking performance of my 200 l series f1 seemed pretty poor, had a look and both left and right lower guide pins stuck. I freed up the drivers side with copious plus gas , twisting with mole grips then a big hammer and chisel. The other side is stuck and cant shift it. I've tried freeze spray and then a bit of heating with a blow torch. The question is will a blow torch get it hot enough to help. How long should I keep the heat on it. Any help would be appreciated as I've run out of ideas. Ta
 
The lower guide pins have a rubber sleeve which is probably riding up the pin and jamming it as you pull. No amount of tapping will get it out as the rubber absorbs the shock. As for heat, it might help a little but unless you put in enough to melt the rubber inside (not recommended) it won't work.

Instead, pull the caliper bracket off and clamp the pin in a vice. Then use two big prybars to lever the bracket off the pin. Steady pressure is the key here, not brief shocks.

Get into the habit of popping out the pins at least every six months, wiping them clean and applying a little red rubber or silicone grease. Also, inspect the gaiters for splits, clean up generally and dab a little copper grease on the pad 'ears'. Not enough people do this - we've just bought an '04 FL and, even though it's been serviced all its life by LR specialists, the caliper guide pins were in a very poor state.
 
What's happening with the caliper bracket bolts - are they rounded?

You haven't bought Britpart slides and gaiters, have you? From experience, the rubber-sleeved one won't fit unless you take the sleeve down on a grinder, and the gaiters will last, at most, six months. Seriously, you would be better off getting some replacements from a scrapyard.
 
Last edited:
If you have an old set of imperial sockets, you might be able to hammer on one that's just too small. Heat may help too, but watch the CV boot. Otherwise, buy these:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/irwin-bolt-grip-nut-remover-set-5-pcs/96028?kpid=96028&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product Listing Ads-_-Sales Tracking-_-sales tracking url&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping - Auto and Cleaning-_-Shopping - Auto and Cleaning&gclid=CJrulcT_iMsCFWYOwwodojAMPg

My set has got me out of many a fix. Worth its weight in gold.

For now, you may be able to get a set of mole grips on the seized slide and use it as a prying point to get the pin out. Then use a 10mm drill bit to clean the bore out by hand.
 
Last edited:
I've just had to give my brakes an overhaul over past few weeks, which was initially caused by those lower guide pins getting stuck. Drivers side was causing the front RHS wheel to overheat. They were a bugger to get out, but did release eventually.

My set of Irwin bolts came to the rescue a couple of times, locking onto bolts that had rusted to hell and we're just rounding as I tried to undo them. The caliper bolts were a particular problem that they solved. :). So well worth investing in a set. ... They have helped me out a few times so far on my 13 year old hippo.
 
They have helped me out a few times so far on my 13 year old hippo.
Should say : They have helped me out a few times so far on my hippo that's spent 13 winters on the UK's salt laden roads.
My Freelander's spent 18 summers and winters where it only ever sees salt when launching my boat and gets a good wash down afterwards. I recently replaced the brake disks and everything came apart with ease and no damage, hardly any signs of rust. The only bolt I've ever had trouble with is the IRD fill plug - and that's 'cos its made of jelly.
 
Should say : They have helped me out a few times so far on my hippo that's spent 13 winters on the UK's salt laden roads.
My Freelander's spent 18 summers and winters where it only ever sees salt when launching my boat and gets a good wash down afterwards. I recently replaced the brake disks and everything came apart with ease and no damage, hardly any signs of rust. The only bolt I've ever had trouble with is the IRD fill plug - and that's 'cos its made of jelly.
No road salt in NZ? Book me on the next boat!
 
For shifting really solid bolts, a 6 sided socket grips better than a bihex.
That coupled with a long lever will get most bolts undone.
 
+2 on the 6 sided sockets, will not use anything else. My 3/8 set of teng are over 20 years old, never rounded a nut or broke a socket, at £55 today a bargain as I paid 65 so long ago.
Another handy tip is to buy some Irwin Vise grips, all other types are seriously inferior including mole grips
 
My budget when I started out on my project Freelander stretched to a new set of six sided Sealey sockets, I reckoned they were a better bet than my dads 30 yr old bi-hex Kamasa socket set. The Sealeys have worked fine so far until I got to the caliper bolts.
 
I have some 6 sided impact sockets and a draper 600 mm breaker bar.
I cannot reccomend enough a good breaker bar, they are £15 off ebay.
Sockets you could buy as and when in singles. If your doing more jobs on your hippo, get a breaker bar, you will be glad you did
 
Yup, got a sealey breaker bar as well. I'm amazed how many new tools I've bought so far. The most useful so far has been the external torx socket set. Used them to get the prop off the Hippo, then reused it last week on the Saab gearbox turret.
 
I use metreinch sockets they grip on the flats and also fit as the name suggests metric and imperial , long breaker bar yes a god send
 
Ok, I'm convinced now, a set of hex sockets is next on the list to purchase :)

Already have a 600mm breaker bar that has come in handy a few times already.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top