Major brake problems

[Kristophh]

Hello,

I've learnt the hard way, it seems my rear offside pads have been rubbing quite heavily prior to me putting my car off the road.

Got it back on the road yesterday and took it for a drive.

First mistake was not checking all the brakes and seeing if the wheels spun freely.

Coming back towards my house I tested the brakes.

This happened:

On closer inspection, the pads were practically metal on metal, and on this side only. (The pads had only been driven on for a few months).

Do you think the piston/caliper could be stuffed? Is there anyway of me finding out? Would winding it in, applying the brakes (with something in there to stop the piston coming out) a few times sort it out?

It looks like the dust cover has been off, possibly the reason for this happening.

Any advice?

 

[JonC219]

Yes you definitely need the dust cover in place.

Tbh it looks like as you've said, the piston has seized onto the disk. You can possibly free off the piston. Try lots of lubrication and wind the piston in. Then get someone to press on the brakes. Then wind in again, press on the brakes...etc. if you're lucky it will free off.

If not, then ring renparts for another calliper probs be cheap so may as well do this than faff about tbh.

 

[Rob]

As said, pick up a new caliper second hand for pennies and you're sorted.

 

[Kristophh]

I'll have a try at freeing up the piston tonight. Is there anything you'd recommend at cleaning it out before I grease it up and replace the dust cover? If it still seems like it's sticking I'll grab another from renparts.

 

[Rob]

Brake cleaner.

 

[Kristophh]

Sliders were stiff but moving smoothly now. However the piston is firmly stuck. I've opened up the brake fluid reservoir, liberally sprayed brake cleaner and had a good go with a flat head (clockwise) and nothing.

I'm either doing something wrong or it's seized up.

Used caliper it is.

 

[Gandi69]

Sometimes opening the bleed valve on the caliper can help, had a similar thing on an old 106 - bent a huge g clamp trying to press it back in (was front calipers not the rear screw down type_. Okay you'll need to rebleed them but its worth a shot?

 

[Rob]

Having no dust cover it's no surprise it's seized like a goodun. You'd never get one un seized with a screwdriver though, not in a million years. Good rewind tool and you may have a chance.

 

[skinz]

same happened to mine, calipers were binding and cracked discs, got them stripped/ cleaned out with new discs and pads, but slight binding again ended up scortching discs. At then end of the day got new calipers/discs/pads/cables iirc £500 all in fitted, and not had a problem since (touch wood), seems to be quite common on rs clios

 

[Rob]

FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS?

Second hand rear caliper, £25
Standard rear discs and pads with bearings pressed in, £100

Sorted.

 

[172lover]

£500!?!?!?!

WTAF??

:headno:

 

[skinz]

Think it was, if not was around that, was new calipers, new discs/pads, handbrake cable - maybe i had something else done at same time, or i could just be way off - was over a year ago

Edit: was new calipers, around £140 a piece on website, so wlda bn arnd £280 for calipers, £100 discs n pads, n £20 for cables. Wen it comes to brakes/suspension/ tyres I always get new parts - after all theyre the only things that make contact with road n stop the car, ocd lol

^^ps duno why parts underlined lol