Cracked Caliper?!?!

[Amy Coleman]

Hey guys..



Last night I replaced my brake pads and noticed that one of the calipers has a small piece of it that is crack. I drew a picture to try and show it. It's not crack all the way through it, just a sliver is busted.



How do I post pics?!? (Sorry never done that before)



What should I do? Should this be replaced? I can't say I've ever seen this before....

 

[Dallas Starr]

To post pics you have to first load them into your library... then once you have done that then once you have signed in and written your message there is a small box under this message box that has an icon of a filder with a picture on it, click on there, choose your pic.. and voila

 

[Amy Coleman]

Ok.. here's the pic...[Broken External Image]:

 

[Fred]

That looks like you've drawn the piston within the caliper. I would recommend replacing it. It may never give you trouble....but it IS your brakes.

 

[Todd Z]

The ST caliper comes with phenolic (type of plastic) pistons, Not metal. Some one chipped the piece off, or it broke off....



As stated it will not cause any problems right now, but it is a week spot and could in the future be an issue.....



Todd Z

 

[J Piroth]

Todd,



I've already had to replace my calipers once because the phenolic (thanks, never knew how to spell that) pistons failed, and last time I had it in for a brake job the pistons were sticking again. They lubed them and got them working again, but the mech said that at some point they were likely to fail too, he just couldn't say whether it'd be in one year or five.



Do you know of any replacement calipers with metal pistons? If these go south as well, I'd rather not replace them with with another set that'll die so soon. (I've only got 39K on my '01 Trac.)

 

[Todd Z]

Piro, the way to a happy caliper is flush the brake fluid every brake pad change and NEVER push the calipers back with the bleeder screw CLOSED.... this will push all the rust, burnt fluid, caked junk allover the piston and it will get jammed in between the piston and caliper body, and in the line...

The second thing is the caliper slides, and where the pads ride on the caliper bracket... NO one lubes these things...



9 times out of 10 it is not a bad caliper , but 1 of the things I listed above...



A metal piston is prone to rust because brake fluid absorbs air, and you know air and moisture do to steel......



I had both front calipers replaced at 3K miles when new due to them sticking,,, they stuck again at 12K... I took them off lubed all the slides and pins properly, and no problems since...



Todd Z