stuck calipers
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 764
Likes: 19
From: odessa FL
stuck calipers
Just reposesed my 95 [long story]
Sat for at least 3 years without being started.
Have water in gas tank- just drained, will also change oil.
And some mice decided to shew part of the injection harness...
But first...
Car is very difficult to push. Suspect stuck callipers.
Done a lot of brake jobs but never on this model.
Before I pull them off and attempt to free them up, any specific things to look out for? Are these prone to corosion? ABS problem?
I would think opening the bleeder would let me pry or clamp them back, then remove the pads, then soak in brake fluid.
Sat for at least 3 years without being started.
Have water in gas tank- just drained, will also change oil.
And some mice decided to shew part of the injection harness...
But first...
Car is very difficult to push. Suspect stuck callipers.
Done a lot of brake jobs but never on this model.
Before I pull them off and attempt to free them up, any specific things to look out for? Are these prone to corosion? ABS problem?
I would think opening the bleeder would let me pry or clamp them back, then remove the pads, then soak in brake fluid.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
It may be easier to simply replace the calipers along with installing new pads. In any event, you will want to completely flush the old brake fluid and replace with a good grade of DOT3 fluid. Wouldn't hurt to replace the flexible brake lines too. The calipers have guide pins that use a grease-like lubricant and there is a rubber seal on the caliper bracket. IT would be worth replacing the pins and the boots.
IF a piston is stuck, it could be to corrosion in the bore. It's much easier to simply replace the calipers.
IF a piston is stuck, it could be to corrosion in the bore. It's much easier to simply replace the calipers.
Last edited by c4cruiser; Jul 28, 2013 at 09:55 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,940
Likes: 42
From: shavertown Pa.
I doubt that they are all stuck, lift each wheel and spin it the stuck one will be very difficult to move.
You can take off the wheel and using a big screwdriver push back the piston it might stay back long enough to move the car.
It just might free it up so you can do the rest of the work, I would make sure you have some good brakes before you start moving the car on it's own power.
You can take off the wheel and using a big screwdriver push back the piston it might stay back long enough to move the car.
It just might free it up so you can do the rest of the work, I would make sure you have some good brakes before you start moving the car on it's own power.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,750
Likes: 275
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Most likely the brake pads have a high metal content and have rusted to the discs, remove the wheels and whack the callipers with a wooden hammer or unbolt the callipers and use a long screwdriver to pry the pads of the discs.
Good idea to remove the callipers and clean them out, there are repair kits with dust seals and piston seals. Flush the brake lines thoroughly and perhaps replace the rubber brake hoses, then reassemble you can get sandpaper to clean the surface rust of the discs and scape the surface layer of the brake pads and bleed the brakes with some good dot 3 or dot 4 brake fluid.
Good idea to remove the callipers and clean them out, there are repair kits with dust seals and piston seals. Flush the brake lines thoroughly and perhaps replace the rubber brake hoses, then reassemble you can get sandpaper to clean the surface rust of the discs and scape the surface layer of the brake pads and bleed the brakes with some good dot 3 or dot 4 brake fluid.
