What is a brake caliper?

A brake caliper is a part of the disc braking system which houses your car's brake pads and pistons. Its job is to slow the car's wheels by creating friction when you press the brakes. 

How do I know if my caliper isn’t working properly?

Firstly, you need to identify which side is causing you problems. If you do not know which side is causing the issue, there are a few things you can do to determine which side the problem is connected to:

The first thing you can do is compare the one side of the vehicle with the other and check if there are any irregularities with the tyres such as any uneven wear and also worn pads. Look out for damage or ground down pads only on the one side.

If your vehicle has recently started to pull whilst driving this could be another sign that there is a problem with your brake calipers which could lead to the piston seizing and this can be very dangerous.

Another sign that your calipers may be faulty is your car brakes seizing, almost as if they are always stuck on. This is due to the caliper being stuck in a way that does not allow it to fully release off from the rotor, causing the car to be in a partial braking state continuously. This can also lead to uneven wear on the pads as the rotor spins against the pads constantly which can cause them to grind down. You'll be able to tell if you hear any odd screeching noises whilst braking, this may be caused by the brakes sticking or binding.

If you are noticing a leakage from the car by the tyres this could be the brake fluid, which can be very dangerous as you will lose the ability to stop the car altogether if you have no liquid left. The braking system in a vehicle is designed to circulate brake fluid, which creates pressure against the wheels when slowing or stopping is desired. Braking fluid is also extremely toxic and if you happen to get any of the liquid onto the paint work it can be very damaging. If this is happening to your car, we recommend that you seek professional help to prevent a road accident. Where possible, do NOT drive if you are leaking brake fluid.

The installation processes

Firstly, if you are changing a front caliper it would be wise to apply the hand brake - If you’re changing the rear side it is okay to leave it, but put bricks or parking blocks in front of the wheels to stop it rolling. Make sure to loosen the lug nuts on the wheels. Next, you will need to raise your vehicle, and the best and easiest way to do this is to use a jack stand. Once you apply your parking brake or blocked your cars wheels then just simply put the jack stand underneath the body at your jack point and crank it to lift the correct side of the car.

Identify which side the caliper you are replacing is and loosen the lug nuts on your tyre using a tyre iron or lug wrench. Once you have taken off your wheel nuts, you can now take off the tyre.

On the caliper itself there should be two bolts on the back, you will need a torque wrench which is essential for adding the correct torque to your car. Make sure you check the cars manual to work out the correct torque needed. Next, pry the caliper off the pads, you can do this by using a Flathead screwdriver. Sensors are quite common on brake pads and can be easily broken so when removing be extra careful.

Once you have done this you will be able to take the disc off and expose to the caliper itself. Now that you can see the caliper, you can take it off and replace it with your brand new caliper. Be careful as there may be a spill of fluid so use a bucket or plug the brake line to stop/catch any spillage. Brake fluid can be very dangerous and can even damage the paint work so make sure you are always extra careful and wear gloves.

Clean up the brake system with a cloth and then push the piston into the centre of your new caliper. You can do this by using a C-Clamp or more commonly known as G-Clamp to push it in to place.

Once the piston has been fitted you will then be able to reconnect the caliper to the brake pads. The pads are usually connected with clips so make sure to use the right equipment to connect the two together.

Now you can connect them back to the rotor as they were before. Once you have reconnected the calipers just as they were before, it is always best to test them out to see if they are in working order. You can do this by spinning the hub and checking if everything is operating normally.

Make sure you top the brake fluid up to the correct level and then bleed the caliper and get rid of any bubbles. For this you can use a bleed kit which makes the whole process of changing or draining your liquid a lot simpler and easier.

Reattach the wheel and carefully use the tyre iron or lug wrench to bolt the wheel back into place. Make sure you have tightened up the wheel nuts well.

Once the wheel has put back on to the car correctly, gently let the car back down using the jack stand.

While stationary it is a good idea to test the brakes and give them a few pumps. This is essential for safety and to making sure everything is in working order. You can also test the brakes by slowly driving up and down your driveway or road if safe to do so and lightly tap your brakes to test them.

Contact us

If you are in need of brake calipers for your vehicle you can check out our wide range on our site here. Furthermore, we are the currently one of the best places to purchase car parts online, the reviews on our car parts dont lie! We offer free next day delivery on all orders and truly offer the cheapest auto spares on the market.

If you have any other questions you can reach us at https://www.energizedcustoms.co.uk/contact/.

Disclaimer: We strongly recommend to seek professional help if you are not sure on how to fit parts correctly or experience problems after fitting the caliper yourself. Always make sure to always be as safe as possible and take appropriate precautions at all times. This is for informational purposes only and we are not responsible for any damage caused.