Installing brake caliper bolt bushings 99 Montana won't go in-what gives

I did remove the old boots including the metal ring that was holding them into the caliper bracket. I removed the old bushings using needle nose pliers and thoroughly cleaned out the drilled home in the bracket with brake cleaner. I then installed the new boots which have the metal ring which press fits into the caliper bracket. I now have the old and new rubber bushings about 1 1/2 inches long and was trying to install them by sliding them over the narrow end of the caliper bolt after putting caliper grease inside the boot and on the bushing which is on the end of the caliper bolt. Should I try seating ONLY THE BUSHINGS NOT ON THE CALIPER BOLT with something like a phillips head screwdriver or maybe a thin rod which is about the same thickness as the bushings BEFORE inserting the caliper bolt? Then inserting the caliper bolt which will slightly expand the bushings as it slides into the end of the bushing? With the bushings mounted on the caliper bolt they will not push into the caliper bracket..

The new boots are pressed on. Now I am trying to seat the 1 1/4" cylindrical rubber bushing that sits at the bottom of the recess in the caliper bracket and receives the narrow needle like end of the caliper bolt. Do I try seating the seating the bushing with a rod which is bigger than the hole which is in the center to receive the caliper bolt end? If I out it in the caliper bolt end it seems to be expanded and won't bottom in the caliper bolt bracket.

SOLUTION: I used a medium Phillips head screwdriver to push the bushing thru the boot and bottomed it in the caliper bracket. I first used a small stick to insert some caliper grease into the bracket by sticking it into the boot and pushing it all the way into the bracket. The caliper bolt was now able to go all the way into the bracket as it just partially entered the boot. Upon disassembling the second caliper i removed the old boots with a hammer and large screwdriver and punched out the retaining circular ring till it was crushed. The bushings were deteriorated and would not come out using needle nose pliers. I threaded a large self tapping coarse thread metal screw into each bushing and then pulled them out by using vise grips locked on the end of the metal screw. I cleaned out the drilled hole in the caliper bracket with brake cleaner. I will now INSERT the new BUSHINGS along with some grease BEFORE installing the press fit boots. Every new job is a challenge until you find the right way to do it.

Post Script: SOLUTION: I used a medium Phillips head screwdriver to push the bushing thru the boot and bottomed it in the caliper bracket. I first used a small stick to insert some caliper grease into the bracket by sticking it into the boot and pushing it all the way into the bracket. The caliper bolt was now able to go all the way into the bracket as it just partially entered the boot. Upon disassembling the second caliper i removed the old boots with a hammer and large screwdriver and punched out the retaining circular ring till it was crushed. The bushings were deteriorated and would not come out using needle nose pliers. I threaded a large self tapping coarse thread metal screw into each bushing and then pulled them out by using vise grips locked on the end of the metal screw. I cleaned out the drilled hole in the caliper bracket with brake cleaner. I will now INSERT the new BUSHINGS along with some grease BEFORE installing the press fit boots. Post Script: The bushings STILL did not allow the bolt to go in far enough. I pushed one caliper bolt in far enough to jam in the bushing. When I twisted it out it came out stuck halfway up the thicker part of the caliper pin. I figured that I might have too much grease in the hole and that was not allowing the bushing to bottom. I used a coffee stirrer to bottom out and removed a very small amount of grease. Reinserted the bushing and went back to my medium size phillips screw driver. There is a fine line between pushing the bushing in with the phillips screwdriver and forcing the screwdriver inside the bushing just like the caliper had done. I finally got it in far enough so that I could try the caliper pin again. The caliper pin now went in to where the threads would catch on the piston part of the caliper which is on top of the bracket. 10 minutes later and the job was done. Whoever designed this Rube Goldberg puzzle should be shot. Two days to do what should have been a 2 or 3 hour job.

I got the hardware kit at AZ. They had a new bracket which did not have any bushings or boots only the hole where they should go for about $21. Did not see the $14.99 item for a Montana. Thanks for your help.

Had the same problem with a 2000 Pontiac Bonneville. The new pin boots did not want to go in. Followed bighank's advice and cleaned and lubed the inside of caliper bracket. I lubed the pin boot, then used the back end of a bolt that was just smaller than the bracket hole and used a hammer to tap it until it seated in the bottom.

It won't go in because you had grease in the hole and you were trying to drive the bushing and pin in. There is no place for the grease to go. You were compressing the grease in the hole.