Correct, as long as it doesn't leak you should be fine.

Took a look behind one front wheel today and I don't see any way to get the upper ball joint nut off without taking the caliper off, can't see any way a socket is gonna fit on there with the brake line in the way.

Also noticed that Toyota doesn't have the flexible brake line going straight to the caliper, rather they have the flex line connecting to a regular brake line which then doubles back and goes into the caliper. Never seen that before, but I don't have all that much experience with Toyota's. What is the reason they did it like that?

So I assume to take the caliper off, you need to unbolt and remove that little plate where the flex and regular brake lines connect, you know that plate that holds the support for the connection? Is that right or is there an easier way?

Thanks.

You can get a boxed end wrench to break it loose, and a short socket w/a swivel extension on it to tighten it down when reinstalling. It takes a little work/patience and is a bit of a PITA, but it can be done w/o removing the caliper.

Thanks Snowtoy, I was going to use a box wrench, but I didn't have one big enough, only sockets. It looked like it was about a 1" nut, or whatever the metric equivakent is.

Wouldn't it be easier to just pop the caliper off? Just seems like having it out of the way would make it easier. But then again, I've never taken the calipers off of one of these, is that a PITA also?

What is the deal with the hard brake line running to the caliper, rather than just having the flex line going straight to it? I've never seen that before.

Do I have to take that plate off where the two lines connect in order to remove the caliper?

Thanks for your help Snowtoy.

Yes, if this is going to be your first time doing this, it will be easier for you to remove the caliper, and it will save you from swearing at why Toyota put the connection right there. There are just two bolts that hold the caliper on, and they come from the back side.

As to why they have a solid/flexible set-up i am not sure, but like with just about everything Toyota does I am sure it had to do a dependability issue. Maybe a soft line was more prone to damage/heat that close to the caliper.


No I don't think so, it should all come off as a complete unit. Make sure to have some rope or wire handy to tie-up the caliper, don't let it hang free on the rubber line.

Thanks again Snow Toy. I figured if I didn't know the trick yet for getting to that nut, then taking the caliper off would be easier. Although I did already curse Toyota for putting that connection there, ha ha, and also for using that solid brake line, I have never seen a caliper that didn't have a flex line going right to it, but whatever.

It looks like, on mine at least, that the plate that holds the connection between the flex and solid line, is bolted to the steering knuckle, right behind the rotor, just above the axle, so it looks like once I get the caliper off, I will need to unbolt that plate in order to move the caliper anywhere, or else that plate will hold that connection, right in the place I'm trying to move it from.

Does that make any sense?

mmcpeck, What did you end up doing? I am right at that point now. I got the nut off the upper with a box wrench, but there is no room to get a ball joint press tool on it or even space to swing a hammer! Looks like unless I take out the big bolt that holds the steering knuckle on, that bracket is in the way. Was trying not to fight with the tie rod end (don't want to ruin the boot and have to replace) or undo the axle to do this job. I thought I read it was possible to do both uppers and lowers without pulling everything apart?
Also no straight shot to the upper control arm with a jack (even a small bottle jack w/pipe) to push it up to make space...
Do you know what keeps the lower control arm from going down more than it does? I have the shock off and the stabilizer bar endpins all loosed.
Any HELP guys?