Always flush the brakes to get rid of the old fluid, and bleed all of the lines to get rid of any trapped air that could cause a soft pedal. Other items that may be needed when replacing calipers include new brake hoses (replace if leaking, cracked, brittle or worn), and certainly brake fluid. Mismatches side-to-side may cause uneven braking. Calipers are found on each wheel and work to squeeze the brake pads against the rotors in an effort to slow the spin of the wheel and get the vehicle to reduce. But if only one caliper needs to be replaced because of a leak or problem, the replacement caliper should have the same type of piston (steel or phenolic) as the one on the opposite side, as well as the same type of friction material (nonasbestos organic or semi-metallic). If you find uneven pad wear between the inner and outer disc brake pads, it’s a sure indication the caliper (or caliper piston) is sticking.Ĭalipers should usually be replaced in pairs, especially on high-mileage vehicles. The uneven braking that results may produce a hard pull toward the “good” side when the brakes are applied, and/or a steering pull toward the “bad” side when the brakes are released. When a piston sticks, one of two things can happen: the brake may not apply or it may not release. But both fixed and floating calipers alike can sometimes “freeze up” or lock if a piston becomes jammed or stuck in its bore due to corrosion or swelling. Fixed calipers don’t suffer from this type of problem because the position of the caliper is fixed and the caliper does not move. The piston can now be pressed in completely. Slide the dust seal over the piston and into its groove in the caliper. Slide the seal into its groove in the bore and replace the piston until about half an inch sticks out. This may cause increased wear on the outer pad as well as a steering pull to one side because of the constant drag. Lubricate the caliper bore, seal, and piston well with brake fluid. A “sticky” or “frozen” caliper may also cause the brakes to drag if the caliper does not slide so the outer pad can kick away from the rotor. If the slides or bushings on a floating caliper are rusty, worn or damaged, the caliper may not move freely causing the pads to wear unevenly.
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