This article will go over the cause and solution for slide rail repair.
Slide Rail Repair - Cause
The slide rails wear down due to the tremendous forces during braking and lack of lubrication. The constant force of the brake pads being pushed into the slide rails combined with the constant back and forth movement causes "dimples" to wear in the most used areas.
Slide Rail Repair - Solution
In theory, the only fix to this problem is to replace the part with the worn slide rails. Depending on the application this will either be the caliper mounting bracket or the entire steering knuckle. Neither of these repairs is practical.
The slide rails can be repaired following the steps below:
1. Clean the slide rail surfaces down to bare metal taking care not to remove good material. (see below)
2. Using a MIG welder fill the worn spots making sure to use the necessary settings to get good penetration. Try to avoid building the area up too high. The more buildup the more work.
3. Using an angle grinder with an abrasive sanding disc rough in the repaired area. Use the surrounding surfaces as a reference.
4. When close, use a Scotch-Brite disc to perform the finish work. The area can be checked using a straight edge.
5. Check the final repair by sliding the pad the full length of the slide rails while checking for binding.
Bonus Tip:
Using this process will save your customer money, provide a legitimate profit for the shop, and restore the knuckle to like new condition.
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