Rear caliper seized

M

mmls011

Member
:
2002 Protege 5
Hi everyone!
I tried searching the forum first, but didnt find all answers I need. Hope one of you guys will be able to help me. I am driving 2002 Protg 5 and my driver side rear brake was smoking on the highway the other day. Got home safe, lifted up the car and noticed that wheel was seized. I managed to take off LH rear caliper and retract piston using allen keys. Caliper is completely rusty, including piston, brake pads have a lot of meat but fell right out because m-clip is missing. I checked local stores for replacement parts, but I am not sure how much I have to change (replace):
1. Do I have to replace calipers in pairs (LH and RH)? I am thinking to put new LH caliper (one that seized), and new pads and rotors on both sides.
2. Any instructions when replacing calipers. I know that I will need to bleed the line, but have never done it before. What are the steps?
3. I found best prices for all parts in Canadian Tire. Has anyone used their components - pads and rotors are Monroe, and caliper is Fenco.

Thanks to all in advance! I appreciate your answers.
 
Had this happen to me last friday found that National Auto had it for $96 bucks brand new with core charge.Just unhook e-brake cable from caliper bracket,brake line pinch it with vise grips. caliper has to bolts behind the rotor and walla. I put new pads on both of the rears and replace passenger side with the new caliper oh yea adjusted the ebrake cable alil after installing the new brake pads rides and stops great.
 
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Thanks for your answer JDM!
I wasn't sure if I can replace caliper on one side only. I'll put new pads & rotors, but calipers are not cheap. How did you disconnect caliper? I still don't know how to bleed a break line and what the steps are. Thanks again!
 
Go here on how to bleed the brakes step by step info CLICK.Well as stated above caliper has e-brake cable going to it on a bracket behind it has a clip have to get that off first than just pull and unhook it.Pinch the brake line first with vise grips so it doesn't leak than unbolt the brake line from the caliper and there are two bolts forget the size behind the caliper itself unbolt those and your all good.
 
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I don't recommend pinching off flexible brake hoses with a vise grip or any other type pinching tool. Brake hoses have a reinforced construction, pinching them off can cause internal damage that isn't visible. If damaged it can block fluid flow to the caliber or lock up the caliper. It could also weaken the hose enough to cause it to rupture allowing brake fluid leak.

Clifton
 
Has anyone used Monroe rotors & pads, and Fenco calipers? How they compare to other products on the market?
 
Brake control mod replacement

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I also have a 02 p5 with abs problem. ABS and Brake lights on so R&Rd control module, but not sure if i got the brake lines reattached in correct ports on the module as brake fluid ate away paint color coding! Does anyone have a picture of proper brake line positioning into brake control module which is located under battery? Shop manual does not denote. help!
 
i have an 02 that has a similar problem, but the only time mine happens is in the winter time. just seems like the e-brake freezes up.
 
Monroe pads and rotors are great quality. Never used a Fenco caliper but I can't see it being too bad. I hope you took advantage of the Monro sale at CT last week -- I did for my wifes' P5 and aside from a seized caliper pin (the one you remove to flip open the caliper), all is good. I still managed to replace the pads and rotor even with a seized pin. Bought a new pin today and now have the fun task of taking heat and a pipe wrench to the rounded head of the caliper pin and trying to get it out of there. :(
 
while you guys are talking about this i have the same problem just ordered new calipers for rear... but my question is i put brand new suspension on my p5 last week and two bolts that hold the bottom or the strut on were hitting the caliper when i tryed to take them out so i had to take the caliper off after i put everything back together the BRAKE light and ABS light came on and i cant get them to go off anyone have any idea why? i took the rear tires off and check to see if anything was wrong seems like everything is ok though... hrmm? (screwy)
 
I just replaced my front pads today and it seemed that maybe one of my front calipers may be seized as well but I could be over analyzing because it just happened to a friend. I have to get the anti-rattle clips for that side since they weren't there and I was not the last one to work on the brakes so...
 
Just wondering if brake seizure is a common problem. I think I may have a problem with the rear driver side.

I have a 2002 with 143,000 miles, I replaced the pads myself at about 75,000 miles, but haven't done anything else with them since.

I noticed twice this weekend that when I parked in the garage, I could smell something burning. It smelled more like burnt plastic more than anything. I actually got out a fire extinguisher and put it in the front seat just in case.

Then this morning I got out on the highway and the car started to shudder, but then went away.

I checked the tire pressure and it was fine, but while checking the tires my hand brushed on the wheel spoke and it was hot to the touch. I checked the other wheels and they were relatively cool if even warm.

I don't hear any squeaks so I don't think it is a bearing.

I will be bringing it to a mechanic later today or tomorrow.
 
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I would suspect dragging brake. yeah, kinda' common for us. We have to be real good about cleaning and lubing the sliding pins.
 
I now have this problem on my driver side rear. I jacked the car up on the weekend and everything seems fine, the sliders are lubed nicely and nothing seems to be sticking, I could easily engage the e-brake arm with no out-of-the-ordinary resistance. But again this morning I get to work and can smell smoking brakes, sure enough its doing it again.

So the sliders are not the problem, the e-brake mechanism seems fine, what else could it be?
 
Guvner said:
I now have this problem on my driver side rear. I jacked the car up on the weekend and everything seems fine, the sliders are lubed nicely and nothing seems to be sticking, I could easily engage the e-brake arm with no out-of-the-ordinary resistance. But again this morning I get to work and can smell smoking brakes, sure enough its doing it again.

So the sliders are not the problem, the e-brake mechanism seems fine, what else could it be?
Click to expand...

When you say sliders, do you mean the slides for the pads, or the caliper pins? If its just the slides for the pad, they should be lubed too, but the caliper pins are more important.

It could also be that the physical piston of the caliper is sticking, rather than the caliper slides. If thats the case, the ebrake may still work fine, but it just might not always retract. Or perhaps your problem is that as the brakes heat up, the caliper piston expands slightly, and then sticks.

Were the brakes warm when you looked at them this past weekend? Or did the car sit first?
 
Seize on the fixed slider pin

My RR caliper has slider seizing issues as well. The pin that the caliper rotates upon when changing pads (lets call it the fixed pin for the purpose of this post) is very sticky when the caliper is rotated on it. and moving the caliper in and out on the fixed pin is impossible to do by hand.

My question, what method have others successfully used to remove the caliper from the fixed pin when it is seized like this?

Another question, after extracting the caliper from the fixed pin, can the caliper be reconditioned by reaming and honing or does it need replacement?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

(p5silver)
 
The past couple days I have parked the car in gear and not used the ebrake and no sticking brake. Since the ebrake leaver on the caliper moves fine I believe that its the piston that is sticking after having the ebrake engaged for a certain amount of time.
 
Glued said:
My RR caliper has slider seizing issues as well. The pin that the caliper rotates upon when changing pads (lets call it the fixed pin for the purpose of this post) is very sticky when the caliper is rotated on it. and moving the caliper in and out on the fixed pin is impossible to do by hand.

My question, what method have others successfully used to remove the caliper from the fixed pin when it is seized like this?

Another question, after extracting the caliper from the fixed pin, can the caliper be reconditioned by reaming and honing or does it need replacement?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

(p5silver)
Click to expand...

If you can rotate the caliper on the "fixed pin", you should be able to work it off that pin. (Rotate back and forth and push towards the middle of the car) Once you get it off of there, inspect the pin and the hole on the caliper. You probably have torn the rubber boot that goes over the pin and got some water/dirt in there.

Replace the boot, and put a lot of brake lube on the fixed pin. Then reinstall the caliper on the fixed pin and see if it will slide for you.
 
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