Calipers and brake question

[gtbensley]

My front left caliper has been getting stuck on. Last time it happened I fixed and said next time this happens I would replace the caliper because it is pretty shot. Driving to school this morning it got stuck on on the highway after I used the brakes to slow down at the toll booth. (Sorry this is kinda long)

I spoke with pepboys who said that they could get me the caliper for $44.99 after the core price. Hawk pads for $85.99. The guy said these were the only pads that would fit my car. I find this hard to believe.

The stealership said $250 for the front right caliper and $300 for the left front. Why the difference? They also said pads would be $90 but he could not tell me what type of pads they were.

Anyways I guess what I am wondering is what do you guys think about the prices on these things? I feel like the dealership is no good but I am also a little hesitant to buy from pepboys. I may not have to replace the rotors and pads but I think it may have gotten messed up this morning when it go a little warm from being stuck on.

One last thing, should I replace both calipers at the same time? I don't really think that it matters but I guess I am not sure. Sorry for the long write up and thanks for the help.

[Nate8409]

That is because they are oe pads at the dealership and the aftermarket place. I don't know what they hell they are talking about. If you want some help and have a jack and a driveway we can change the calipers in a few hours.

I see prices like 90 bucks for a loaded caliper. And brake pads for like 40ish bucks.

[gtbensley]

What would you recommend then for calipers and pads then?

[Kevin]

just bring your old caliper and pads to pepboys to match them up. If they stock them that is.

I would go the cheaper route. It's a real easy job.

[gtbensley]

just bring your old caliper and pads to pepboys to match them up. If they stock them that is.

I would go the cheaper route. It's a real easy job.

I just took the caliper off and am going to bring it by tomorrow and see what they can give me. I hate spending money like this:-(

[Kevin]

yup it sucks. I can't wait till I have to replace one of my brembo's.

[Robk0000]

I woudl recommend tearing apart the one you have, The single piston calipers are easy to take apart. Buy a rebuild kit from subaru or pepboys...When you take it apart check for rust on the piston walls or sand or other things that can obsturct the piston from moving. If theres nothing there, i cant imagine there is anything wrong. Go ahead and clean out hte caliper. take out all the brake fluid, dust and debris. Then take some grease, ball bearing grease or high temp grease and goalong the piston just to get it moving in the cylinder. Then install the new rebuild kit.

Unless you race the car, i highly doubt that your caliper managed to heat up so much that it actually warped the cylinder wall causing it to now open or close. Give this a try and see what you find.

[gtbensley]

I woudl recommend tearing apart the one you have, The single piston calipers are easy to take apart. Buy a rebuild kit from subaru or pepboys...When you take it apart check for rust on the piston walls or sand or other things that can obsturct the piston from moving. If theres nothing there, i cant imagine there is anything wrong. Go ahead and clean out hte caliper. take out all the brake fluid, dust and debris. Then take some grease, ball bearing grease or high temp grease and goalong the piston just to get it moving in the cylinder. Then install the new rebuild kit.

Unless you race the car, i highly doubt that your caliper managed to heat up so much that it actually warped the cylinder wall causing it to now open or close. Give this a try and see what you find.

I think it is a double piston....Those are the large circular things that push the brake onto the rotor right? I think it just got rusty in there and stuck on. I worked it back and forth with a clamp and some grease and that fixed it for a while but now it is back. The caliper just looks beat. I dont drive the car hard or brake hard at all. I use my brakes like a granny.

[gtbensley]

I just went out and got a caliper. My question is once it is on can I just bleed that one brake or do I have to do all four? I am going to give this a try this afternoon so any help on this issue would be of great help. Thanks guys.

[Bu11dogg2]

Good question bump

I have no idea on that model

[gtbensley]

Just put it on and bled it. Seems to work fine other then it is just a hair softer on the pedal. I got every single little air bubble out while I was doing it. I would guess that I just need to do all the brakes at some point to get rid of that.

[Bu11dogg2]

did you at least do them in pairs?

It's dangerous to only do one wheel.

[gtbensley]

did you at least do them in pairs?

It's dangerous to only do one wheel.

Not yet, that is what I am doing this afternoon. I figure I will do all four just because it has got to be time because I have never done them before.

[Bu11dogg2]

sweet

you coming to the meet on Friday?

[gtbensley]

sweet

you coming to the meet on Friday?

I have no idea if I will me. To he honest I dont no anything about this meet because I had not even thought about it. If I am free friday night then yeah, I think I might go.

[Nate8409]

What are you high? Who told you it is dangerous? Cause whoever it was, was drunk.

They are going to corrode at different rates no matter what you do so who cares. There is also a different amount of load put on each wheel depending on weight in the car etc etc. So it doesn't matter. If you put a brand new one on one side and the other one is half seized it might matter a little but I still doubt it.

The only thing that matters a little is brake pads. You do want to do those in pairs unless you understand how it will effect vehilce dynamics during braking. If you understand that then you're fine. I would put brand new caliper and pads on one side with the other pads half worn. Who cares. You might as well not waste the 50% life left in those other pads.

On my sentra for example. I ride the pads metal to metal since the rotors are 10 bucks each and pads are like 15. If I screw the rotor up too bad riding them metal to metal I just replace them.

did you at least do them in pairs?

It's dangerous to only do one wheel.

[gtbensley]

referring to what nate8409 said. I think bu11dogg2 was talking about bleeding the brakes, not putting on two calipers. I only put one new one on but I can see why I would need to bleed the brakes in pairs because they back each other up in case on fails or something. I dont know how this works completely but it makes sense.

[Nate8409]

You are bleeding the air from the system. That is the only purpose of the bleed after a caliper replacement.

Air would have to magically flow up from the removed caliper force itself through the master cylinder and downward against physics into the other caliper or line.

Now that we are talking about brake fluid. It is not a bad idea to bleed the other to get fresh fluid into that caliper. Although when you do that you have to bleed a lot of fluid out. Basically a flush then except you are not doing the rear lines. So there is no point to bleeding both sides on the front. At this point considering the year of the car you should just bleed that side and take your car to a shop. Have them flush all you brakes. NOW that is worth you time.

unless you have a power bleeder... I have one if you want to borrow it...

[gtbensley]

I figured it was about time to bleed the whole system. Its been a long time since that was done. The bleeding does not take that long, its the jacking up each side of the car and having to take each tire on/off that is going to take time.

Where do you live? If you are close and have a power bleeder then that would be awesome. Thanks

[Robk0000]

QUESTION FOR NATE:

A certain somebody said you had the some type of modification done to your parking brakes to work with the 5x100 rotors for your brembos. YOu had to do this because the parking brake would not work. What exactly did you need to do and who did it for you?

[Nate8409]

I bought a set of replacement shoes and shipped them down to a place in MA or CT. I can remember then name. I will have to look it up. But it was like 140 bucks to have a set of custom shoes made that has the right contour and thickness to contact the rotor when engaged. I have not actually installed them yet but sometime soon I will.

A brake relining shop did it and double bonded two pads to each other and then shaved and contoured them.

I can snap a pic later to show you if you want.

[Robk0000]

right...so they made the pad oversized to accomadate for the larger diameter of the inside of the hub. i think i know what you mean. Paintbrush time.

[Robk0000]

The WRX has 160mm hubs, Sti has 180mm hubs. I dont know what size mine are, 160 possibly. So basically all they did was put two p-brake shoes together and make it extend the extra 20mm?

[Murphy2012]

Mine fit fine, but the Brembos were made for the 06 WRX :)

[Robk0000]

Oh, you bought the pre made BBK for complete bolt up right? i just got 04 Sti Calipers with brackets. Front should have no problems, but the rear is all different. Im doing some research on the topic and then i will find out a correct way of doing this.

[Nate8409]

You have the same stuff I do. Both you and I have the same exact calipers as factory STI's. Only different is you have a special rear rotor for the small parking brake. Which is nothing but a STI's rotor with a metal insert pressed in. I decided not go that route because of the replacement price of a those special rear rotors.

He needs a different backing plate to make his fit without an adapter bracket. I used to need that bracket but I changed my backing plates so I could sell them.

Mine fit fine, but the Brembos were made for the 06 WRX :)