There is a long story behind this question which I'll type tomorrow if I have time. Thanks for answering!

OH crap, this just reminded me, one of my calipers is leaking...

yes, i've replaced all four with new ones actually


braking feels brand new

i'm in the middle of the 300zx swap cause my stockers have 130k on them and they suck,vibration in the pedal like warped rotors but the rotors are new!

I've replaced my rear drivers one cuz it was pushing the pad against the rotor and rubbing it. Made a horible noise and was never letting it go.

I just replaced my pads and rotors today, so I cant imagine that it is much more work to replace the caliper. just a matter of detaching the brake line and re attaching a new caliper?

^Yup, Then bleeding the lines. Piece of cake.


Assuming you're not upgrading....and even then, it shouldn't be much work.

speed bleeders for LIFE

Never replaced them and I have 196,000 miles.

Ditto: And I'm at 204K. Probably should look into it though.

No, but I need to. My right front piston seal leaks fluid....

I need to replace my right rear caliper, its seized and is already grinding into the rotor. Sounds awful.

One of my rear calipers makes this big clunking sound everytime I go over bumps or uneven surfaces, I mean its LOUD ! This saturday I am going to replace it. I might just replace both, not just one.

My left rear one froze up at 186,000 miles, so I replaced it. The rest are originals.

I'd re-word the poll or something...I don't get what you're going for.

i need to change mine. my front drivers capiler is grinding into my rotor. i have 147,500 on it now.

Long story short...
We are not going to Big "O" Tires EVER AGAIN.
We are avoiding them like they, oh, I dunno...TRIED to force us into buying a totally unnecessary set of rear calipers, to the tune of $458. And forced us to hand over a check for them before they'd pass our safety inspection on the condition that they'd do the work the next day.....like I say, LONG story....but we needed the car registered THAT DAY and needed the inspection.

WE called around the next morning, and the local Nissan dealer's main service guy said he'd never ever in 10 years working on Nissans, replaced a caliper in one.
Had the car looked at, at another place, guy said calipers were TOTALLY FINE.
I was just wondering how common it was to actually replace them on this car, since the Nissan dealer said it wasn't.

i have 107k and my l/r caliper piston blew out. sucks., but it doesn't help that i was getting off the highway at 80 mph.

Just got told this week that my rears were starting to seize up at 116K, have found replacements online for 210/pair

Nope, though I'm now convinced that it's not a big deal. I hope I don't have to on my 00 soon...

My two rear calipers froze.

My car has a little over 137k miles now, bought it used at 105k. I just replaced the rear pads and the wear on both sides are even. I didn't see any signs of leakage from the calipers so I think they are fine. I haven't been in the front ones as the pads look good still. I'll find out when its time to change them.

boingo82,

Just a suggestion, don't even let a tire shop do anything else other than tires. A lot of times, those guys can't even balance tires correctly let alone do a brake job. And I don't mean just Big O Tires. I took my car to a Just Tire center (not the usual shop I go to) to get my tires rebalanced and rotated and the guy that did the work did a lousy job. He said the computer said my tires are balance yet my steering wheel vibrates like a martini shaker. Took it to the usual shop I go to and the balance was off! They fixed it and now it runs smooth as glass.

From what I've learned the caliper might be ok but the related parts could use maintenance - like the piston's and such. That's probably a 50/60K wear item I would think.

replaced one at 150. froze right up.

what did you replace them with? OEM? do you have ABS?

I dunno man, mine leak... bleading was great but i have to top-off every 2months or so

Rear driver's side caliper froze at 110k because the boot on the handbrake lever let dirt & moisture in. I rebuilt the fronts with a seal kit for $20 each, and replaced the rears because the moisture caused corrosion on the piston. The calipers were $190 from Advance Auto parts versus $450 each from Nissan. Also got new pads and had the rotors turned. Brakes like brand new. (Non-ABS)

The caliper is a simple device. If a person doesn't ever have the fluid replaced, the moisture will corrode the calipers from the inside out. That has nothing to do with how good or bad a factory caliper is, rust does not discriminate. Mine are all original at 104k, but for that Nissan guy to say he'd never replaced one in 10 years, maybe he's a C-grade mechanic and they only let him move the cars around and get them pointed head out before the other mechanic comes and drives it into the garage....

i replaced them when i installed my big brak kit.....= ]

I think I have the exact same problem right now...driver's side rear seized...how does the handbrake cover let moisture in that would get all the way back to the rear caliper? Does the parking brake need fixed? I'd appreciate your input. Thanks!

Can anyone please point me to a howto on how to replace a caliper? Thanks!

The wheel off and just take it apart... best i can tell ya its a piece of cake

should be an easy change

I'd say that Nissan mechanic hadn't changed any calipers because they probably charge an arm and a leg to replace even one of them. I just had my calipers changed, 170,000 miles on my max. All of the seals were terrible and on 3 of 4 corners the pads weren't wearing evenly. I suppose spending $500 on brakes over 3 years isn't that bad.

I replaced the front calipers at around 175k miles . Rears are original
at 243k - but I did have to replace a frozen pin a few miles back on the rear.

I had a similar rear caliper problem - or so I was told - ...the e-brake didn't hold at all, and the mechanic said the rear calipers had a problem which he did a crap job of explaining... new rear calipers and discs since you might as well do both at the same time, $240 for each side plus some labor. There was never a problem with braking, just the e-brake, so I am still a little unsure as to the caliper issue... but regardless the e-brake works perfect now and braking feels better overall. Was done at 160k miles.

Just did my brakes on my 97se and all the calipers were fine. In fact, I have 194,000 Kilometers on her right now and I still have the factory pads on the rear! I ordered new rotors as well, and I didn't need them. The orginal factory ones had never been cut. (I'm surprised because I bought the car used)
Just pushed the pistons back in, changed the fluid, replaced the pads and lubed the pistons and all is good. Should be good for at least another 100000kms. btw, I'm driving a 5speed and I'm still on the orginal clutch! I treat her easy and she treats my wallet easy.

reminds me.. i need new pads for the front, a new rotor, and i have a siezed caliper in the rear.. ugh.. im too lazy to fix it.

It's all kinda irrelevant now, of course, as the car in question was totaled just over a year ago.

I froze my right rear caliper as a result of not using the emergency brake for about 5 years. Both should be replaced at the same time as the brakes are hydraulic and braking will be uneven if they aren't both replaced.

As far as how to's, read the stickies and buy a Haynes manual.

There may be a write-up on www.motorvate.ca

just the left rear awhile ago. the dealer told me the 99's was a recall