Seized rear brake caliper
 

I'm just coming up to 58K on my 95SE, 5-speed. I recently had the brakes bled as I thought it would be a good idea given I still have the OEM brake pads in the car. The vehicle has about 80% plus highway miles on it and the brake pads have about 40% left to the wear bar.

However, the right rear brake caliper is stuck. The mechanic peered inside the rubber boot seal and said there was rust inside. He recommended two rebuilt brake calipers and new brake pads on both sides. The rotors are in good shape.

I can buy a boot seal kit for the calipers and replace them. Can the pistons be freed up by removing them and lubricating the guides and piston and putting the piston back in? Or should I just bite the bullet and buy a rebuilt right caliper. The left one is good to go and I don't see the need to install a rebuilt one, or should they automatically be replaced at the same time.

I have a friend who has done many brake jobs and he could give me a hand, but he is out of town for a few days and I'm looking for some feedback.

The car is very clean and rust free. The mechanic sprayed some silicone into the opening behind the boot seal. I don't know if that will free the piston up, but the wheel is not turning freely presently. I don't think the piston is rusted
out.

Thanks

If you can get those two guide pins out (pistons), regrease them and see if you can freely move it back and forth. But seized means just that, staying still, no moving ect...

I had my left rear caliper freeze up around 185,000 miles. I replaced the caliper assemby and returned the old one as a core swap. The whole thing is doable in your own garage in an hour and a half tops. If you're even more ambitious, you can rebuild the caliper yourself, but that's more involved and only slightly cheaper...I found it worth the few extra dollars to just do the whole caliper.

You do not need to replace both calipers at the same time, as they're not wearable parts like pads are. If you do replace the other one, you're wasting money - and this mechanic sounds like he's trying to rip you off. If you're going to replace the pads, too (probably a good idea) you should always replace the pads on both sides at the same time.

Good luck!

I may just replace the right caliper and both sets of rear pads. I can get a rebuilt caliper and pads locally at a decent price. I'm still thinking that with only 58K on the car and the fact that the brake pads still have 40% remaining on them, that there must be a way to unseize the caliper. The car doesn't see ice and snow and I don't believe the piston is rusted out. I think it just needs to be freed up somehow.

+1 to a siezed rear also, BUT i was driving with it for 1 week!! didnt know.....
i heard a slight sound from the rear everynow and then during that week just didnt know what it was, got my oil changed only to find out my rear drivers side caliper was just barely grabbing the rotor. 300 dollars later rebuilt calipur and 2 brand new rotors. i wont complain though, 101000 miles, 2nd problem with the car.. i deal.

holy crap $300 for one caliper?

I can get a rebuilt brake caliper for Cdn$125 and a set of Raybestos brake pads for under Cdn$60 and avoid the labor charge. Are Raybestos pads any good? Or should I just stick with Nissan OEM pads?

That price is way high. I think it cost me something like $50 after the core swap. If I hadn't done the core swap it would have been like $120.

There is a reason why they say do both at the same time. When one goes out, its only time before the other will go aswell. It just saves time to do them both.

my back left is seized and my mechanic said "would u like me to unseize it for u"
i said how much, he said 40$ canadian
i said another time

Since your car is low miles and I think you said you had the system bled before, I would be hesitant to conclude that the piston is frozen. I had thought that too about my car at 94k and so did people on the forum, but I just had to put the caliper tool on properly and then the piston went in like butter. I think the pros don't have time to diagnose things, so they will just recommend replacement--for them it equates to time spent/revenue and maximizing that.

I would say just get the proper tool, not the cheap one that fits on a ratchet. Or rent it--at least try to get the piston to retract. The rears are a case where with the right tool it's easy, with needle nose etc. it can be done but you're not applying the force correctly. Here's what the kit looks like, I bought it and was $35 well spent. Good luck.

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/ap7860.html

Frank, good link there with the tool set. I've cut up my hands a couple of times trying to use a needle nose to retract the pistons. It's not too hard on the Max, but they're a little tougher on my mom's Sable (also 4 wheel disc). I may pick one of these sets up.

Thanks, Frank. I had my car rust protected before I took delivery and it's quite clean underneath. I'm thinking that the piston just needs to be freed up and the two places I took it to just couldn't be bothered even trying. The $ signs appear in their eyes - rebuilt calipers, new pads, ca-ching ca-ching goes the cash register and that's all there is to it.

Intuitively, it makes no sense that a car with 58K, mostly highway miles, with 40% left on the pads (to the wearbar) would require a new caliper.

i got two fully rebuilt rear calipers for $150 without a core swap

over last summer one of my rear calipers seized. 2 weeks later the other one seized. Really easy job took liek an hour and a ahlaf for both and cost about 200 bux for 2 loaded calipers.

This is the first I've heard about the ratchet attachment being the inferior tool. Why do you see it that way?

Dave

Had a seized right rear caliper at 55K miles. Just replaced the caliper. Cost me $175.

I just got this tool from Autozone, put down a deposit and they give you a full refund when you return it. I thought my calipers were seized up as well, but then I tried to put the piston back in using that tool and managed to get the piston back in. Brakes still work, rotors stop spinning when I applied the brakes, so I'm guessing it wasn't seized after all, right?

I ended up biting the bullet and bought 2 rebuilt calipers and pads at a wholesale price and got Minit Tune to install them for 1 hour labor, including bleeding the brakes. All in was Cdn$400, or about US$325 at current exchange rates. The rotors were in very good shape and the owner recommended not resurfacing them. He prefers not to turn rear rotors but always turns thicker front rotors. So it appears I'm good to go.

My front brakes still have 50% remaining to the wear bar. The vehicle is just coming up to 58K and is using mainly (80% plus) on the highway. I have a 5-speed transmission.

What I think the word that you guys are going for is ceased, not seized. Ceased means that its stuck and can't move. To seize means to take. Its "ceased" fellas.

Get new calipers. There is a risk on trying to rebuild them on your own, if the inside of the piston surrounding is sratched or rusted out in most cases they can be honed. In other cases they are so bad that the only option you have is replacing it. also you will need a air blower with a few rags on the front side of the calipers to safely push out the piston. Then use a piece of wood to pull out the seal, dont use anything metal it will ruin the piston surrounding. have it lightly honed, then reassemble everything. I do them in school, its nothing that diff. But now-a-days nobody really buys a rebuilt kit, everyone builds rebuilt calipers. You will need to place it, I say replace both and while there get the rotors cut, slap on some new pads and call it a day.

Can someone please post some basics of the repalcement?I have a rear caliper acting up. Even though it will still turn with lots of effort it's dragging really bad, the boot is shot.

Thanks
Todd

1) Remove wheel.
2) Remove the two 17mm bolts holding the caliper to the hub. (They face inward)
3) Remove the brake hose.
4) Remove the caliper.
5) Switch pads/shims to new caliper.
6) Assemble.
7) Bleed brake.

Dave

word....autozone round here has them 80-100 depending on size and its like a 40 dollar core....i am guessing 300 is the Nissan price

Try dictionary.com and you will cease to believe this.

or if u get a loaded calipers switching pads and shims is not needed

I would only buy a loaded caliper if you're replacing both. Otherwise you'll have different types of pads on each wheel and I would prefer them to be the same with similar wear. But I would use the newer shim hardware if you have it.

FWIW, I paid $120 for a loaded caliper at Napa. They didn't have an unloaded caliper quickly available. Anyone need 1 pair of rear pads? The Nissan dealers were quoting over $300.

Dave

that sucks...get the rebuilt calipers