Now your Saturday morning drive has just mutated from a fun-filled jaunt into an afternoon's worth of work chasing down a replacement caliper. You limp the few blocks home at low speed. Sure enough, one of the front wheels is too hot to touch. As you turn a corner, you catch that unmistakable whiff of burning sweat socks-you've got a dragging brake caliper. A quick warmup and you're off for a loop around town.Īll of which is fine, until the engine seems a little. Off with the cover, and the engine turns over willingly, thank goodness. If there’s an issue then you should absolutely get it assessed and fixed as soon as possible.It's a beautiful spring day, and a perfect time to break the winter seal on the garage and drive around in your classic Corvette, vintage motorcycle or whatever pride and joy you happen to have stashed inside. Is a broken brake caliper unsafe?īeing in charge of your car's braking is a very important job. Only when there’s an issue, they aren’t a regularly serviced item and don’t have a service life. Prices can start as low as $275 and get upwards of $800 for the top of the line performance parts. It’s not a very common replacement as the brake pads and rotors take most of the beating. How much does a brake caliper replacement cost? The mechanic will then road test the car to check performance.The brakes are bled and the wheels refitted.The brake line is connected to the new caliper and the new caliper is mounted and bolted to the hub.The brake pads can be removed if still in good condition and fitted to the new calipers.The brake lines are disconnected from caliper, making sure to catch all spilt brake fluid.The brake caliper is unbolted from the hub and removed from its mounting spot.The wheels are loosened on the affected side and the car is hoisted into the air.Brake fluid is noticeable around a particular wheel.There is a squealing or squeaking noise when braking or turning.The car pulls in a left or right direction when braking.The car doesn’t stop in line with the brake input.What symptoms mean you need a new brake caliper? If the piston becomes damaged, fluid starts leaking or the car just isn’t braking as it should, you should get it fixed as soon as possible. The brake caliper is the manager of all the vital components in the braking system.Ī faulty caliper may not depress the pad properly against the rotor and prevent proper braking. This creates friction and slows the wheel down.Īs you let your foot off of the brake pedal, it reduces the pressure in the lines and allows the piston to retract the pad.īrake calipers are usually made out of iron or aluminum and the pistons are made out of plastic, iron, steel, aluminum or other metals. The front of the brake pad is then forced against the brake rotor. When the pressure gets to the caliper, it pushes a piston inside the caliper into the back of the brake pad. When you press down on the brake pedal, it creates pressure in the brake lines which moves through to the caliper. This fluid is brake fluid and is controlled by the brake pedal. What is a brake caliper?Ī brake caliper is fitted to the wheel hub assembly and uses hydraulic fluid to perform its duties. They aren’t something that normally wears out, that’s what the brake pads and rotors are designed for.

Unless you’re a real racer on the streets, your brake calipers should only need to be changed if something goes wrong. This friction of the two is what slows the wheel and the car down. It uses the magics of hydraulics to force the brake pad up against the brake rotor. The brake caliper is what slows your car down when you push on the brake pedal.

Brake caliper replacement