Caliper thoughts?

bafilio1

Member
:
2002 P5
So... when we got our p5 I was told that the front passenger side caliper used to sieze, he replaced the brake lines and said it was fine. Well I noticed that the p5 doesn't roll as easily in N or with the clutch in as most cars and if you don't let off the brake at the end of your stopping you'll get a nice jerk. Well driving it for work today a total of 2hrs to and from I started getting a terrible vibration and thump sound. I finally found that the front caliper has re-seized up. Now my question is.. Can I just force the cylinder all the way back in and replace the pads. Or do I need to rebuild or purchase a rebuilt caliper? Sorry i did search but none really stated an answer.
 
a seized caliper means the seal inside the piston has failed and enough rust/ metal-on-metal contact has forced the piston to 'seize' and become immobile. In short, the entire caliper needs to be replaced. Napa is a good place, I believe remans start @ $60 or so. With a seized caliper however they may charge you the core as well.
 
grr.. Now I'm not for sure if its completely seized. When I would get the thump feeling. I would pull off into a parking lot. throw some snow on it. go in reverse and it'll be back to the minor friction that it was previously but once it got hot it after I press the brake it will stay compressed and therefor causeing the thumping and even worse acceleration. Lol I'm really really really not wanting to spend alot of money :P
 
grr.. Now I'm not for sure if its completely seized. When I would get the thump feeling. I would pull off into a parking lot. throw some snow on it. go in reverse and it'll be back to the minor friction that it was previously but once it got hot it after I press the brake it will stay compressed and therefor causeing the thumping and even worse acceleration. Lol I'm really really really not wanting to spend alot of money :P

It's the caliper. Seizing up and throwing snow on it is a good way to warp your rotor. Buy a new caliper, the decision couldn't be more simple.
 
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Do you know of a place to pick one up at a decent price? Autozone has them but they have to be shipped to your house and you have to pay the core charge and I don't know how you would get your core charge back... shipping it back possibly..? any ideas that are less hectic?
 
Rockauto.com I just orderd some calipers for myself bedcause mine just seized up on me. I got two new calipers, brakes, and rotors for 200 bucks shipped.
 
Nice, well Advanced auto has my calipers in stock a few miles down the road. Their price is 42.99 + core charge. Should I purchase two or am I fine with just buying one?
 
Do you know of a place to pick one up at a decent price? Autozone has them but they have to be shipped to your house and you have to pay the core charge and I don't know how you would get your core charge back... shipping it back possibly..? any ideas that are less hectic?

any place is going to charge you a core. Unless you buy a new one at full price. The procedure for returning the core is shipping it back, yes. I would skip the extra $30-40 in shipping costs and get one from an autozone/napa locally. The last time I checked, napa's price was $56 $24 core. Outstanding for all new everything(dust boot, piston seal, bleeder valve, guide boots, grease..ect)



Nice, well Advanced auto has my calipers in stock a few miles down the road. Their price is 42.99 + core charge. Should I purchase two or am I fine with just buying one?
if you can afford it, it's always best to replace suspension and brake components in pairs.


p.s. ugh.. $42.99 for a caliper makes me sick. HP2 prices are only available for new ones, and those start @ $600/caliper
 
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what is HP2?
Yeah 42.99 plus 34 core charge. I want something local just so I can remove the caliper go into advanced and just pay the 42+tax lol to avoid all the extra driving. I'm not in to much of a rush.. I'll just have to get the ranger out of hybernation and let the wife drive the GAGT for now. taking the ranger out in cold snowey weather makes me sick but oh well gotta do what we gotta do.
 
p.s. ugh.. $42.99 for a caliper makes me sick. HP2 prices are only available for new ones, and those start @ $600/caliper[/QUOTE]

Thats what happens when your on baller status and drive around an audi lol. 600 a caliper is crazy(shocked)
 
Ohhh thats the price for his audi calipers... gotcha :P.
Hey my MK2 jetta project calipers were rediculous too... must be german engineering.
 
Thats what happens when your on baller status and drive around an audi lol. 600 a caliper is crazy(shocked)

that's when you man up and rebuild them yourself. Although yes, I agree, that's crazy. espically when you can get the 8Pot RS6/RS4 calipers for $100/each less brand new.

what is HP2?
it's the name of the front calipers on my car, they're a 2 piston aluminum caliper with a 4 pad design per wheel and 330mm rotor. Which is all just another way of saying they're expensive.
 
Make sure u grease the new one so it doesnt seize up again

the new one should come pre-greased, if it doesn't however you can't use some tub grease, you need a specific caliper grease, of which autozone should have small packets of near the register. Check the caliper before you leave. The only grease point on the floating calipers in the P5 are the guide boots.
 
^ i grease the 'tracks' the pads ride in (on the caliper frame). Am i wrong to do that?

No, you should not do that. If the grease somehow gets on the rotor or pad you're going to have wear problems. You don't need grease in that area. The only place anything on the pad is suitable is some sequel stop on the back where it meets the caliper, those substances harden, where as the grease will droop and become more malleable when heated up.
 
Hey, don't mean to steal your thread, but I was wondering if I should rebuild my calipers - I'm replacing the pads and rotors - has 105xxx miles.
 
lol wut? Half the thread dissapeared =.='


Hey, don't mean to steal your thread, but I was wondering if I should rebuild my calipers - I'm replacing the pads and rotors - has 105xxx miles.
if they're working fine I wouldn't. If you have some extra cash to throw around and want to splurge, why not? strictly speaking the rebuild kits themselves should be about $20 a side. A new reman at $42.99 a side.
 
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