Hey guys, I posted something about frozen calipers awhile back, but I just want some tips to check out myself if my rear calipers are indeed frozen, as my mechnics claim. The entire job will cost a pretty penny, so I'd like to see any evidence from other .orger's past experience that is currently occuring with my calipers.

So basically, are there any noises I should listen for, anything I should see within the caliper, whats the deal?

Right now, when I press the brakes, there is a hissing noise until the time I let off the brake pedals, is this caliper related? Also my rear rotors are shot aswell.

Thanks guys, just trying to make sure what the problem is before I change something that might not be broken.

 

if ur rotors r shot u should just buy new rotors pads and caliper bolts. i changed my brakes all around in august; 05 rotors and calipers in front and upgraded to slotted rotors all around. when i put my rear brakes back together they were very tough to squeeze back on. when i drove around the block my rotors in the back were very discolored, because the caliper was sticking and not releasing my rotor. i could have checked it out myself but i decided to take it in, in the end it was just a caliper bolt needed to be replaced so i told him to replace them both. no problems after that, so if ur mechanically inclined, i suggest u change out the caliper bolts. hope my meaningless ramblings help, even if just a little.

 

Just remove the pads, remove the cover on the fluid resivior and try to screw them in. If they turn they are not frozen. I had a set freeze up on another car and they were impossible to turn.

 

theMAX,

can you explain to me in a little more detail (where those certain parts are located) how to do this diagnostics?

 

First jack up the car and attempt to rotate the tire by hand, is it really hard to turn?? If so theres a problem. Next remove the rear wheel and caliper mounting bolts, then slide the caliper off of the rotor (Never allow the caliper to dangle from the rubber brake hose). After removing the pads from the caliper, use the special rear disk brake tool which you can 'borrow' from autozone or vise grips, turn the piston left or right to push it in or out. The piston is the circular shaped peice that is in the middle of the caliper, it pushes against one pad to apply braking force, it has a "cross" cut into it which allows for the tool to grab it, sort of like a giant phillips head. If the piston will not rotate it is frozen and your calipers need to be replaced, if it rotates yet your wheel is still very hard to spin it is probably due to a collapsed rubber brake line (very common) To check for a collapsed brake line, apply the brakes a few times, then with the wheel in the air, attempt to spin it, if it is hard to spin reach around the back and crack the bleeder screw loose, if that makes the wheel spin free you need to replace a brake hose. NOTE: whenever you replace bad calipers you should also install new rubber hoses since they are very prone to failure and cost a fraction of the price of the new calipers, I however wouldn't ever replace a rubber brake-line on my car, instead I would just upgrade to stainless steel lines.

ooops. I kinda mixed the order up a little, common sense says you should check for a bad hose before removing the wheel and caliper.

 

The piston is removed in this photo, but it should still help, it's the metal 'drum' that fits into that giant circular hole (where the arrows point)

Also, just a tip, have some brake cleaner handy for two reasons. #1 if you touch the rotor the oil from your fingers should be sprayed off, #2 with the wheel removed you might as well get rid of all that brake dust which is bound to end up on your nice rims. Brakes are simple, disc brakes are even more simple, once you learn how to fix them yourself you'll save yourself a ton in maintenance cost's