How to Remove the Brake Calipers on a 1994 Mazda B2300

Starting in 1994, Mazda turned to Ford to manufacture its B-series of pickups. Prior to this model year, Mazda manufactured the B-series trucks itself. Ford based the B-series truck off its own Ranger pickup; hence, the striking similarities between the two pickups. The 1994 B2300 came fitted with front ventilated disc brakes and rear drum brakes. Replacing the 1994 B2300s calipers is more complex than for most vehicles of its era, as the B2300 has small compression pins securing the caliper instead of bolts.

Instructions

Removal

1

Open the B2300s master cylinder reservoir lid and siphon out about half of the brake fluid with a clean turkey baster. Transfer this fluid to a small container for later disposal.

2

Loosen the front lug nuts with a ratchet and socket. Raise the front of the Mazda with a floor jack and slide jack stands under the frame rails. Lower the truck onto the jack stands. Remove the front lug nuts and pull the wheels from the vehicle.

3

Wrap the middle of the front brake hose in with a clean, lint-free cloth to protect it. Clamp a set of locking pliers on the cloth to seal off the brake hose. This prevents excessive brake fluid loss and limits the amount of air entering the brake system.

4

Position a drain pan under the caliper. Remove the banjo bolt securing the brake hose to the caliper with a ratchet and socket. Remove the brake hose from the caliper and discard the two brass washers do not reuse these washers.

5

Set an 8-inch C-clamp over the brake caliper, so the fixed side of the caliper touches the rear of the caliper and the screw part touches the outer brake pad. Tighten the C-clamp until it stops tightening this compresses the calipers internal piston. Loosen the C-clamp and remove it from the caliper.

6

Tap the outer part of the upper caliper pin with a hammer until the pins tab touches the caliper. Look on the inner part of the caliper pin and notice there is now a gap between the rear of the caliper bracket and the pins inner tabs.

7

Insert the blade of a flat-head screwdriver in the gap created in Step 4. Squeeze the outer end of the caliper pin with pliers, and pry the caliper pin with the flat-head screwdriver until the outer tabs on the caliper pin are inside the groove in the caliper.

8

Slide a 7/16-inch-diameter punch into the groove of the caliper touching the outer end of the caliper pin and tap the punch with a hammer until the pin falls from the inner part of the caliper.

9

Repeat Steps 6 through 8 on the lower caliper pin to remove it.

10

Pull the caliper up and off the brake system.

11

Repeat Steps 3 through 10 to remove the caliper on the other side of the B2300.

Installation

12

Set the new brake caliper on the brake system.

13

Position a new caliper pin in the inner part of the calipers lower groove, with the tapered end facing the outer part of the caliper and the tabs inner tabs facing the caliper bracket.

14

Press the caliper pin into the groove as far as possible by hand. Tap the caliper pin into the caliper groove until its inner tabs contact the rear of the caliper.

15

Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to install the caliper pin in the upper caliper groove.

16

Set new brass washers included with the new calipers on both sides of the metal connector on the end of the brake hose. Insert a new banjo bolt through the end of the hose to hold the washers in place. Hand-tighten a new banjo bolt included with the new calipers into the rear of the caliper. Tighten the banjo bolt from 22 to 29 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

17

Repeat Steps 1 through 5 to install the caliper on the other side of the B2300.

18

Release the locking pliers and unwrap the cloth from both brake hoses. Immediately proceed to the Bleeding the Brakes section.

Bleeding the Brakes

19

Fill the master cylinder reservoir to its Max line with fresh DOT3 brake fluid and close the master cylinders lid.

20

Look on the rear of the left-front caliper and find the brake bleeder valve the 1/4-inch valve on the top of the caliper. Press a 1/4-inch-dimeter rubber hose onto the bleeder valve and set the other end of the hose in a clean container.

21

Fill the clean container with fresh DOT3 brake fluid until fluid submerges the end of the hose.

22

Instruct your assistant to press and release the brake pedal until it feels firm about five to 10 strokes then hold firm pressure on the pedal.

23

Turn the bleeder valve about a half turn counterclockwise with a combination wrench to open it. Watch the end of the hose submerged in the fluid and watch for bubbles coming from the end of the hose. Close the bleeder valve by turning it clockwise and instruct your assistant to release the brake pedal.

24

Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until no bubbles come from the hose submerged in the DOT3 brake fluid.

25

Repeat Steps 1 through 6 to bleed the right-front caliper.

26

Reinstall the front wheels on the Mazda and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the truck off the jack stands with a floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the truck to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts, in a crisscrossing pattern, to 85 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

27

Refill the master cylinder reservoir to its Max line with fresh DOT3 fluid.

28

Take any old DOT3 brake fluid to an automotive fluid-recycling center. Do not save any old fluid for reuse.