I have a '94 V6 4runner and am having problems with the front brakes. The lower retaining pin for the pads on the caliper is seized, and I can not get it out. The is hardly any room to get a good blow to it in hopes of breaking it loose. Any suggestions?

The pins I am referring to are circled in yellow (ignore the red, I stole the picture from another thread)

 

Try with a long punch and a heavy mallet (you don't have to hit as hard with a heavy mallet as with a normal hammer, so you get better control).

If they are really stuck, then the end will likely just mushroom, so you'll have to cut the pin to get it out.

I used a dremel with a cutting disk on it, and cut the pin in two spots, between the pad and the caliper body (basically, cut the pins where you see the anti-squeal shims on your photo above). You should then be able to easily knock out the pieces with a punch and mallet.

If your calipers look like the ones in the picture above, you should also think about rebuilding them while you have everything apart.

 

Sometimes you have to remove the caliper from the truck so you can hit the pin well enough with the caliper resting on a solid surface.

 

I have had this problem many times. You will have to take it off the truck for sure. Even then you may have to cut the pin with a grinder and try and bang it out with a punch. Or just go get a rebuilt caliper as some of the pistons are probebly seized anyway.

 

When I did mine, I cut the pins with the dremel while the calipers where still on the truck. It might have been a bit easier on the bench, but it was still quite do-able on the truck. As soon as the pins were cut, the small pieces were quite easy to punch out.

 

Was able to get it done last night by cutting the pin in half. The back half came out with a little hesitation. Then i ran the upper pin which i was able to get out through the back hole and knock out the front half. I took a while and a good beating to get it out finally, but was able to do it while everything was still on the 4runner. After that I think i wrapped the brake job up in about a minute. Its crazy to think how easy a brake job in this thing should be when compared to other cars, and then how much trouble it ended up being.

 

Make sure you grease up the new pins with synthetic brake grease. You can buy the grease in "single use" sizes (like McDonald's catsup).

Keep the grease of the contact surface of the pads and rotors .

 

Yeah, same problem here, and I'm considering drilling those pins to pieces and just replacing them with new ones. Mallet and punch (and my swing) aren't doing it one bit. Funny how most pictures and instructions simply say to pull the pins out and show a person's fingers pulling the pins...wish it was THAT easy.

 

I had no problem with the caliper but I can't get the rotors off so I can turn them. Is there a trick to this?

 

You're posting in the wrong thread for your problem... the front brakes on your '98 are way different than the front brakes on a 2nd gen 4Runner. I posted an answer for you in your other thread.

 

I've reserved all my frustration for those darn pins now that I was able to obtain good condition used OEM calipers from a reputable junkyard for way less than remanufactured or dealer charge, that is, if you're willing to rebuild them (or in my case, learn how to). Was that fun. Seriously, it was.

Now, I can't wait to hammer away on those pins on my originals the way they were meant to be

 

It is that easy if you keep the pins lubed.