A couple of weeks ago, my passenger side rear caliper seized up. I managed to twist it back in and get it functioning correctly, but only after it ruined my pads and rotor. The dust boot was also destroyed so I went ahead and purchased a reman. one from Advanced Auto parts and bought some brembo rotors and axxis pads. Today I installed the new caliper and bled it. Everything went great and it turned out to a much simpler job than I thought it would be. So i go the drivers side to put the new rotor and pads on just to keep things balanced and it turns out the damn caliper on that side is ****ed too. It ****ed so damn bad that I can't even twist the piston in like i could with the one that siezed up two weeks ago. The boot was completely destroyed and when I twist the piston, it will turn (very hard to do, had to use vise drips and a rubber mallet to get it to budge at first) but it won't go in. It just spins in place. I've already ordered a new caliper for this side and I'm sure the install will go as smooth as the other side did, but i just wanted to rant.

Here's a pic of the newly ****ed caliper. Well at least I know I'll have almost the best braking possible after all of this. **** sucks though.

 

I'm begining to think this happened because the rear brake pads had like 80K miles on them. I called my mom earlier today and she says she doesn't remember ever having the rear brakes done. Only the front ones. THe pads were super thin and the inner ones were wearing unevenly. So could thin pads cause this to happen and is this a semi-regular occurence with Max's or does this almost never happen? thanks

 

rear pads usually run about 100,000 miles before replacing them if car is driven normally.

 

Same thing happened to my 97 with about 100K on it. Had new pads, but I think the Wisconsin winters just took their toll on the calipers.

 

probably, you guys get snow there right? plus if it it really cold(ice cold) that might freeze the caliper.

 

Oh yeah, we get snow. What's probably the worst for everything is the d@mn salt they put on the roads.

 

ohh, salt. not good. glad i don't see that on the road here in cali. I only see drive pavment or wet. nothing else. If it is really cold, some ice forms on my cra but not a lot and the ice is not thick. you guys should try to keep your maximas garaged.

 

oh ok, that makes perfect since then. The Max is a Michigan car and has seen nothing but snow every winter until this one since I just brought it down to ATL. So I bet thats what did the rear calipers in. thanks

 

Bmr4life, thanks for the pic.
God the caliper piston is all the way out! Like if someone was depressing many times the brake pedal with the pads and rotor out of the way. If the piston does not retract in while turning it, it might have been pushed out passed the screwing threads inside of the caliper. In my other post I described how the inside mechanisn work.

 

Yeah, my 98 has 85k and I haven't done the rears. Shame the rears cost more than the fronts. You guys ever get any snow in Montréal?? *lol*

 

250 cm (100 inches) every year between Nov and March.
Road salt does a lot more damage to cars than snow though. And cold temperature, like the few weeks it gets
0 deg F . Bad for cold engine starts , rubber components, fluids, etc.

 

rear pads are a couple of dollars more. anybody could afford them. plus check then and if they need to be replaced, do it because it will save you money.