Rear brake caliper slider pins loose?

[mklinker]

I had to replace my rear brakes because one pad looked like it was down to the metal and sounded horrible.

When I got the wheels off, I realized this:
On the left rear caliper, the bottom caliper slider pin did not have a bolt in it... the caliper was being supported by just the top pin.
On the right rear caliper, the bottom caliper slider pin had its bolt halfway backed out, rusted in place, so the pin was loose.

I cleaned up both pins, got a new bolt, and loctite'ed them in.

Whats going on here? Did the last technician to put new rear brakes on (previous owner) just blatantly screw up? Do LR4 brake slider pins magically shake their bolts out? Both "top" slider pins were still tight.

Gives me the creeps that I have been driving on compromised rear brakes...

 

[howardduff]

I have changed the brakes on both my LR3 and LR4. The bolts have blue Loctite on them from the factory. I have not loctited them when changing the brakes but have not had any come out. Probably not tightened when the brakes were replaced. I also file the ears on the brake shoes so that they run smoothly in the calipers. This has worked for me. The OEM rear brakes on my LR3 had to be replaced early due to one shoe not releasing.

 

[Quijote]

A brake servicing kit usually comes with replacement screws with thread locking paste pre-applied. If being re-used (not recommended), one ought to apply new thread locking compound. That said, I've re-used bolts with no new Loctite while helping others with their brakes and have never heard of a bolt working its way loose and falling out (not to say it cannot happen). My bet is that the last person forgot to put in the bolt. A small clue could be had from seeing how dirty the threads are. If they are really gross and caked with brake dust, odds are the bolt has been missing for a long time.