Car's brake caliper: rebuild or replace?

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Driving on the highway tonight, my car ('03 Maxima, 107K miles) started making funny noises. Pulled over to find the right rear brake rotor smokin' hot. Got towed home, and now the question is how to get it fixed. I haven't taken it apart yet, but I'm guessing this is more than just stuck float pins; I'm expecting the piston is seized in its bore.

 

Is it pretty straightforward to fix a stuck caliper like this? As in, is there a standard rebuild kit available, and all I have to do is disassemble mine and replace a few critical components? Or will rebuilding it require special equipment, and therefore I'm better off just buying a whole new caliper+piston assembly, ready to go?

 

This car is my primary transportation. I can of course ride to work, but I'd rather not have my car out of action for more than a few days. In fact, I was supposed to go pick up the next batch of Mojo parts from the machine shop tomorrow, so that's going to be put off until the Maxima is up and running again...

[eddd]

It has been quite a while since rebuilding your calipers was practical unless you have an unusual vehicle. I think you'll find the price of new or factory rebuilts to be very reasonable.

 

The same goes for most rotors. Turning rotors is becoming a thing of the past.

[Downs]

Should be a rebuild kit out there. Check out www.rockauto.com

 

You might find the price of a new caliper is cheap enough to just do that instead of rebuilding the caliper. Rock Auto can usually devliver the parts to my front door for less money than the big box auto parts store in town.

 

 

[eddd]

Under $40.00 from Rock Auto. (Core charge is $50.00.)

[David13]

I don't know the auto parts big chain stores there. Auto Zone, Pep Boys, O'Reilly's, etc.

But they will offer you, maybe 1 day order, at least 2 price levels of rebuilts. With a long term guarantee.

They can be switched in 15 minutes, then bleed the system. And you are back on the road.

dc

[Downs]

My only advice is to steer clear of Duralast (Autozone House Brand). I've never had a replacement duralast part last more than a year.

[MT Wallet]

Change the caliper out and don't fool with it. Rebuilding is just a big PITA. While you're at it change the overheated rotor. It's probably warped. While you've got it down check the wheel bearings, axle seals etc. There's no point in having to do it all again in 6 mo. or something. Have fun.

[mbelectric]

Find a quality brake supplier and get your parts, skip the big box parts stores.

They will usually carry better stuff than the others.

 

That much heat means your parts are junk, especially the rotor.

 

Save your valuable time, you'll have far less issues with the replacement parts Mitch.

 

And do BOTH rears.

 

MB.

[elkroeger]

Last time my brakes went out on my dodge, I was really surprised at how cheap the parts were - especially compared to the BMW stuff. See what they cost before you decide.

[David13]

My experience with the big box store is they have the same brand as the 'quality' store. Just at a better price. It's known as volume pricing.

They offer a one year, or a life-time warranty, depending on which one you buy. And they honor the warranty.

dc

[mbelectric]

My experience with the big box store is they have the same brand as the 'quality' store. Just at a better price. It's known as volume pricing.

They offer a one year, or a life-time warranty, depending on which one you buy. And they honor the warranty.

dc

 

My experience says otherwise, but I've probably got a different parts source than you. Mine is a brake parts supplier, who deals only with brake parts. And they don't sell life time stuff. Especially pads.

 

The point being, who wants to do the job twice?

 

I think we can ALL agree on that.

 

MB.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Thanks for all the input.

 

As it happens, I was planning on buying a new car (and selling this one) some time in the next month or two, so I don't need to buy top-quality parts to get the Maxima on the road again; my goal is to spend the least money possible that will get it running again within a few days' time.

 

Agree on replacing the rotor; I'm guessing that was the source of the rhythmic noise I was hearing on the highway before I stopped. The bummer is that I installed new rotors and pads at all four corners just last fall.

[David13]

MB

Rare is it that I ever had to do the job twice.

The major reason being that, with a car with 107,000 miles on it, what usually happens, is, they get a new car. They don't have that car much longer. They never get near the end of the warranty.

Sometimes people can't.

Unless you have some type of potential 'classic' these old cars end up in the junkyard before long.

That's usually what I say to them. "Why not just get a new car?" Usually they end up doing that.

In those cases, almost always, 'cheaper is better'.

dc

[Mister Tee]

Be sure it's actually the piston that is seized up in the caliper. Sometimes the flex hoses can swell and pinch shut.

[Albert]

Driving on the highway tonight, my car ('03 Maxima, 107K miles) started making funny noises. Pulled over to find the right rear brake rotor smokin' hot. Got towed home, and now the question is how to get it fixed. I haven't taken it apart yet, but I'm guessing this is more than just stuck float pins; I'm expecting the piston is seized in its bore.

 

Is it pretty straightforward to fix a stuck caliper like this? As in, is there a standard rebuild kit available, and all I have to do is disassemble mine and replace a few critical components? Or will rebuilding it require special equipment, and therefore I'm better off just buying a whole new caliper+piston assembly, ready to go?

 

This car is my primary transportation. I can of course ride to work, but I'd rather not have my car out of action for more than a few days. In fact, I was supposed to go pick up the next batch of Mojo parts from the machine shop tomorrow, so that's going to be put off until the Maxima is up and running again...

 

Mitch, you can usually bash the pistons back into the caliper using a large precisely shaped hammer. They has the added effect of typically freeing them up as well. Once you've perfected which hammer works best you could distribute Mojohammers. Is there a Maxima board around?

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Be sure it's actually the piston that is seized up in the caliper. Sometimes the flex hoses can swell and pinch shut.

 

Disconnected banjo bolt and removed hose. I can confirm that fluid steadily drips from the hose, so there's no obstruction there; the problem is definitely the caliper.

 

Picking up new caliper, rotor and pads tomorrow. Grand total, $115. I can live with that.

[philbytx]

Then live with the car a little longer Mitch? Save your $$$ LOL!

 

[Bologna]

If it has a mechanical E-brake cable you might want to check that out as they are prone to seize!

[DiggerJim]

Agree on replacing the rotor; I'm guessing that was the source of the rhythmic noise I was hearing on the highway before I stopped. The bummer is that I installed new rotors and pads at all four corners just last fall.

Might not be really warped. My car (MB E350) had what I thought were warped front rotors from the pulsing when braking I was getting. I was really cranked because of the cost of the car - was told by multiple benz owners and the dealer who said that's just the way the brakes are on the car. Talked to a couple of mechanics and did some research and found out that it's actually improper bedding of the new pads - they leave a thin layer of pad material on the rotor as the surfaces mate. If you brake hard during the first few hundred miles you'll get places where there is a microscopic extra buildup of pad residue on the rotor which makes it feel like its warped. Different pad materials have different tendencies to cause this buildup with the ceramics being the least prone to leaving hills & valleys of pad residue on the rotor.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

If it has a mechanical E-brake cable you might want to check that out as they are prone to seize!

 

Nope, it was definitely the caliper. After removing the hydraulic line and the parking brake cable, it was still holding the pads firmly against the rotor.

 

New caliper has solved the problem.

 

Then live with the car a little longer Mitch? Save your $$$ LOL!

 

Nah, I've had this car for ten years now. It's been pretty good overall, but I'm ready for something new and different; I'll let someone else enjoy a used Maxima with a brand new caliper on it.