Nissans stated my drivers side rear brake caliper is seized. Couple of questions
1. Should I replace both of the rears or just the one
2. Where should I get the new calipers
3. How hard is it to do yourself
4. I also need pads and rotors on all 4 any idea on options. are where to get them.

 

You'd probably get more responses if this was in the 5th gen section.

1. one
2. autozone, advance auto, etc...
3. not hard
4. autozone, advance auto, etc...but this depends on what you're going for.

 

To buy calipers, just search the yellowpages or google for someone who sells rebuilt calipers; I used Phoenix Caliper Co, Chicago-based. 2 Calipers were $130 rebuilt with core exchange (trade your old one's in).

Just remember to keep your brackets.

 

they actually are easy to replace just need to have brake fluid for the flushes and replacing both will most likely be the best bet for safty but youll have a spare for any issues, ebay autozone advance auto jcwhitney any of them are decent places to buy from make sure you have all the parts and tools you need cuz while there off you cant really drive without them

 

just replace the one. get some hawk hps pads and some edc slotted/dimpled rotors if you want to do all 4.

 

I just replaced my driver's side rear this past weekend...for the second time but that's another story. I got mine from AutoZone

First, CAREFULLY pinch off the brake fluid line oterwise you'll end up draining the entire master cylinder. I use vise grips and also a popsicle stick. I put a part of the stick on the top and part on the bottom of the rubber portion of the line and apply enough pressure to squeeze the line tsnug but not overly tight. You'll first have to loosen the bleeder valve (10MM) to relieve the pressure so you can squeeze the line.

Next remove the banjo coupling from the caliper (14MM IIRC). You will lose some fluid so be prepared to catch it in something. Move the line out of the way but it will still drip a little fluid for a short while.

Next I disconnected the e-brake from the caliper. I used a vise grip so I could push in to relieve the tension and wiggle the connector off.

Now remove the 2 bolts that hold the caliper in place (14MM) and wiggle the caliper off. It will be snug but you'll get it off.

Next is to remove the e-brake connector from the caliper as the remanned ones don't come with it (I found that out the hard way).

As they say, reinstalling is the reverse of removal.

After you have it installed you'll need to bleed that one caliper. There are several posts on doing that but having a $10 bleeder kit from AutoZone will make it very simple.

Also,I removed my bad caliper first, one of the seals started leaking, and brought it with me so I didn't pay the core charge and then have go back to AutoZone a second time to get my $50 returned. The caliper was about $85.

Total time, without going to AutoZone, was about 45 minutes...but this is the third one I've done.

Don't be afraid to give it a shot.

 

Hydraulic components should always be replaced in pairs.

 

Really? Pads and linings are changed in pairs, but I never heard of calipers being replaced in pairs. I never did when I had to change single calipers and with no side effects. I also replaced rotors in singles only, with no issues.

 

The self adjusting piston mechanism of a caliper is to compensate for pad wear, not to compensate for hack mechanics cutting only one rotor or replacing only one caliper. Certified mechanics and most shop manuals all state very clearly that rotors should be cut or replaced in pairs. There is a reason for that and I am not going to get into the mechanical reasons as to why this is so. The fact remains tha,t overtime, the thinner cut rotor or older caliper will affect braking in many ways like uneven pad wear between the axle set, having one rotor that is now thinner and a caliper that is weaker than the other.
Naturally, most DIYs do not care and tend to take shortcuts that are more affordable.

 

My 2 cents, both rotors have to be turned at the same time.

If you are replacing a rotor for some reason and keeping the other, the minimum would be to have the old rotor turned. Then both are freshly turned. That's the point.

Now you would have the same braking friction on both sides.

 

Change them both.
You're going to have to open the other one anyways for bleeding...and since its sister is siezed, chances are it won't be far behind.

BTDT this fall. The rebuilt calipers came with brackets, too.

 

indeed. its not to hard to replace it. just rememeber to bleed the brake line.

 

how did Nissan determine your caliber were seized? Just curious...

 

I wouldn't pinch the brake line...it would put unnecessary stress and potentially weaken the line. Or you might be ok doing it, but there is really no need to. I've never done it and never had any particular problems bleeding brakes.

I also periodically will clean and re-grease my caliper pins. I usually do it on my 6-month throw-the-car-in-the-air-and-look-over-everything inspection. I hate sticking calipers.

 

It pays to check your brakes periodically.

 

You can do that easily. When you park the car after a drive, go through each wheel and "feel" their temperature or smell the "burning pads". If you find a wheel lot hotter than its sibling, you have dragging brakes. That could be sticky caliper or frozen slides. If the slides are not frozen, then it is time for a new caliper.

- Vikas

 

For sure, and with Maxima rear brakes, it's generally not the slide pins that seize. When I first got my car and was looking into the dragging brake, the caliper slides felt perfect, but it was just the piston in the caliper itself that was seizing. New caliper time.

 

yep, i've had to do both my rears since purchase. I did do one at a time though.

You can probably get away with the one assuming the other looks good and functions properly. But if you have the $ and time, just do them both as preventative-its just a ticking bomb otherwise.

 

I just changed all four brake pads for the first time. Im using Brembo cross drilled rotors along with PBR Axxiss Delux Plus pads all around. I have had this set up since 2007 and just replaced all 4 pads. This setup has been awesome. So finally in 2010, the fronts pads needed to be replaced and I was told by a mechanic that my rears were low, this is why I replaced all 4. The rear pads had very little wear when I removed the pad and compared it to the new but I changed them anyway. I also painted my calipers in the process with high temp paint. I went for a test drive and noticed that the front passenger side is heating up more than the others, the rotor also is over heating because the paint bubbled up and almost completely burned off from getting to hot.

I also have pulsation when braking at high speeds, not to bad but the pulsating is there. Could my front caliper that's over heating be sticking because I didn't grease the pins? I noticed also that the pad thats over heating has almost completely worn out so It looks like I will need to buy new front pads again. The other three brakes are fine and show no signs of overheating and the paint is flawless on them. So Im thinking either the caliper that's overheating is failing or maybe it just need the pins to be greased. How do I go about greasing the caliper pins? Do I just pull back the rubber covering and grease the pin and slide the rubber cover back over? I reused the metal brackets on the calipers which I assume come in a new brake hardware kit.

 

Alot of this can be avoided with proper maintenance, change that fluid on a regular basis....folks! Always change in pairs!

 

I agree maintenance is good. but both my dads 2k and my 2k2 have original front calipers and both work perfectly fine.

Both cars are on their 2nd set of rear calipers though. It's still a bad design regardless of maintenance. (perfect operation is shorter lived than it should be)

 

I'm still waiting for answers on my above post. Anyone?

 

Pulsation = warped rotors. Change the rotors. The calipers may still be fine. Check and lube the pins.

 

They didn't pulsate before I changed the pads.. how could they be warped? They are Brembo X drilled Im not sure if they can be resurfaced. How did I go about greasing the pins? They have a rubber cover on them correct?

 

Strange the pulsation started afrer the pads change. I have no idea why.

Just unbolt the pins and pull out. Wipe the old grease. The pins should be shiny, or close to shiny: with no rust on them. Relube with caliper grease, or antiseize. Visual inspect the small rubber boots for tear. You dont want water, salt, sand or other debris enter in the pin chamber. Pay attention when you reinstall the rubber boots so they are installed correctly: making a good seal around the caliper on one end, and around the pin neck on the other end. This is an easy job, even for the beginner enthusiast. Good luck !

 

Yeah no pulsation before the brake job. This is my first time doing brakes on my own car, I changed my girl friends 4 rotors and pads on her Camry and had no problems. I didn't grease anything, I guess I got lucky on hers.

So I have to slide the pin all the way out of the rubber housing and wipe off the old grease and regrease, sounds simple. Im only having problems with that one side and it wore the pad almost completely out. Im going to buy new pads for the front and do them over again. Can x drilled rotors be re surfaced? This time I'll re grease everything.

 

it sounds like on that side the slide pins are reversed.
try checking to see the orientation of the slide pins on both sides of the front of the car. One has a rubber insert in it.. I can't remember if it goes on the top or bottom off memory, but the one that is worn more, if they are indeed different on each side, has to be swapped to be like the on that is wearing fine.

 

when it comes to the braking system, I would replace both, not just one of anything

 

I never removed the pins to grease them at all so I don't see how they could be backwards. The pads can only go in one way so they couldn't be reversed either. I had a seized rear caliper in the past and I know what thats like so I don't think thats the problem. Im going to order the new front pads and regrease the pins and also see if the rotors can be cut.

Can the pins even come all the way out? never tried to remove them.

 

can somebody tell me the what calipers are for... i know they go around the brake pads and stuff i just need to know because i just had the rotors, brakes and pads replaced and the car is still squeaking when i use the brake. are calipers the cause?

 

why would you replace them it might just need servicing.................

 

maxprivate:- Did you use torque wrench to put back the wheels on?

I believe the the slides can be checked once you swing out the caliper. Just press on the slides and they should go in easily and more importantly, come out on their own.

- Vikas

 

were the pads bedded properly?

just thinking...

 

Yes. If you want to verify this is not a problem, just pull the pins on one side, grease, and do the same on the other, verifying they are the same. If they are reversed, that is the reason for your uneven wear. I went through this on a buddy's 4th gen.

 

^^ just to add to your note, since you were not too sure, the pin with the rubber "sleeve" goes on the bottom (or at least that's how I found them to be the first time I did my brakes).

 

Absolutely. The can be seized to the point they cannot be pulled by finger or hand force. In this event try pulling them with pliers. If pliers dont work, you need to disconnect the brake line, and clamp the caliper pin in a bench vise, and force it out by turning the caliper in a spinning motion from right to left around the clamped pin, untill it breaks loose. Add a little bit of penetrating oil, and it will break loose. If this is the situation, installing new pins are probably in order, because the old ones may be very rusted.

 

Nice. If you have one side with the rubber pin on the top, it will wear the pads much faster than the proper side.

Like, 100% faster....

 

I removed the rubber inserts because the pins wouldn't go back in after I greased them because the rubber sleave kept sliding off and getting in the way so I just took them off, is that bad?

No they cant.

 

I'll check the slide pins too. I might just wind up replacing that caliper.. after all it is the original from the factory... 13 years old.

Nah, I never used a torque wrench to put the wheels on. Why you ask? I've taken my wheels on and off tons of times with no problems. I have my stock wheels for winter and 19" 's for summer.

 

Like I said earlier some people say they can be resurfaced but I would have to find a machine shop with a special laith ( thats what they call the machine that does the resurfacing I think) to get the job done. If I decide to replace them, Im going with Brembo blanks.. no more X drilled for me.