Brakes are important…very important. Having those “too close for comfort” moments of panic after having slammed on the brakes, realizing your life was in the hands of some metal pads in your tires, can be terrifying.
Brake calipers serve as a vital part of the braking system in a car. The brake calipers squeeze the brake pads against the brake rotor in order to decelerate or completely stop a moving vehicle.
For safety reasons, you should make sure to check your calipers to ensure that your car’s braking system will properly function. The calipers serve as a crucial part of the car’s internal, normal functions and, as such, should be treated as a cornerstone of your own safety while driving.
This post will discuss a variety of topics regarding brake calipers, ranging from when to check the calipers to what they do and how they work, from how to clean them to how long they last.
All of the information contained in this post is important and useful when regarding the longevity and safety of your vehicle.
Wait…What Is A Brake Caliper?
As most cars today implement disc brakes, the calipers are an essential part of this system. The website HowStuffWorks explains that calipers create friction with the rotors to help the brakes slow the car.
What Are Brake Calipers Used For?
As Good Year explains, brake calipers act as a mitigator between you and the car stopping. The process starts with you, the driver, stepping on the brake pedal, which then engages the pistons of the brake calipers to close onto the rotor. The calipers then close in and squeeze the brake pads against the rotor.
Then, you slow down as a result of the above process. As you can see, brake calipers are extremely vital to your own safety as a driver. Without the calipers, or if they are damaged or broken, driving can be a very perilous job, so it would behoove you to ensure that these simple, yet important, tools on your car are functioning properly.
Type of Brake Calipers
There are two types of calipers: floating calipers and fixed calipers.
Floating Calipers
Just as its name implies, floating calipers “float” relative to the rotor. These calipers have one or two pistons that are only on the “inboard” side of the rotor—i.e., the side of the rotor facing the vehicle and not away from the car.
When the brakes are activated, the piston switches on the caliper, which creates the necessary friction from the brake pads themselves (the actual devices that make the friction) to slow the car on both sides of the rotor.
For a demonstration of how floating calipers work, refer to this video on Thomas Schewenke’s YouTube channel.
Fixed Calipers
Unique from floating calipers, fixed calipers are, you guessed it, fixed in place—they don’t move. Instead, the pistons are present on opposite sides of the rotor.
While more expensive than floating calipers, fixed calipers are preferable as they are generally more reliable.
For a video demonstrating how fixed calipers function, refer to this other video on Thomas Schwenke’s YouTube channel.
When Should You Check Brake Calipers?
While there is no clear amount of time for which you can expect your calipers to fail or need to be replaced, CARiD gave a general assumption, estimating around 100,000 miles or ten years’ worth of driving. However, they note that this could vary depending on where you drive and subsequently your style of driving (if you live in an urban or rural area), and also the durability of calipers.
Like any other part of a car, brake calipers can get used too much, wear away, and essentially become useless. It is best to avoid certain warning signs so that you can avoid a staggering repair bill or a difficult fix.
According to Hogan & Sons Tire and Auto, here are some warning signs to follow:
- The car/vehicle pulls off to one side
- A shrill, metallic rubbing noise
- The brake pads are worn away unevenly
- Brake fluid has leaked
- Loud clunking sounds
Vehicle Pulls Off To One Side
When driving, if there is an issue with the brake calipers, you may experience the car pulling/steering off to one side or another.
This could be due to a variety of reasons, such as dirt or discarded materials in the brake calipers, or perhaps corrosion of the calipers themselves.
If any damage or obstruction of the calipers is due to any of the above issues, the calipers may either struggle to force the brake pads against the rotor of the wheel, causing the vehicle to veer away from the impaired side. On the other hand, the brake pads may fail to return the pads away from the wheel, causing the car to veer toward the damaged side.
Shrill, Metallic Rubbing Noises
In the case that a brake caliper may stick to or freeze on the wheel, you may hear squealing noises from the impaired caliper.
However, unlike an issue in which the noises emit from the brake pads pressed against the wheel to slow the car, this actually happens without any attempt to stop the car. If this does in fact occur, the brakes might lock up on the wheel and stop the wheels from any rotational mobility.
Brake Pads Worn Away Unevenly
If you discover that your brake pads have worn away unevenly, the brake caliper is probably impaired or damaged to some degree.
Brake Fluid Has Leaked
While it is sometimes less obvious to find when brake fluid has leaked, one indication is a wet or oily spot on the ground. However, to find this spot, you must look on the inside of the tire (meaning, the part of the tire that’s concealed under the car).
Loud Clunking Sounds
Just like any loud sound, they never seem good, and this one is no exception. If the loud clunking sound is related to the brake calipers, the bracket that secures the caliper in place to clutch and release may have broken and caused the loud noises.
If the bracket were to snap, the brakes might automatically clutch on the wheels, involuntarily locking into place.
What Causes Brake Calipers to Stick?
While not common, when brake calipers stick, it can be dangerous, and should be attended to as soon as possible.
How Would I Know If My Brake Calipers Are Sticking?
A common sign, according to MyAutoRepairAdvice, is when the vehicle veers to one side or the other, as mentioned above. Another common symptom they note is if the brakes have trouble releasing once the pedal is disengaged.
Car Treatments outlines some other useful ways of ensuring whether or not your brake calipers are sticking:
- Slowing/Decelerating: If the calipers are sticking, it may make the brake pads come into constant contact with the rotor, causing it to feel like the car is slowing down or decelerating regardless of whether or not you are using the brake pedal.
- Poor Gas Mileage: Just as caliper problems can cause unintentional braking, they will subsequently cause your engine to work harder to keep the speed you desire, thus causing you to plow through much more fuel than you had intended (and bad fuel economy is a lose-lose on all fronts).
- Excess of Heat Emitted from Wheel: If a stuck brake caliper is constantly, unintentionally applying pressure onto the brake pad, and then the brake pad creates friction with the rotor, heat is the natural result of the process. Therefore, the longer you drive with this issue, the hotter that area will become. By walking around your vehicle after parking, you should be able to indicate which wheel is having an issue by simply waving your hand by it and feeling the excess, emitting heat.
Why Is The Caliper Sticking?
Mechanic Base notes that there are several common reasons that may cause a caliper to stick, such as:
- Worn or Damaged Pistons—The pistons have a “rubber boot” on their outer shell, and it plays a crucial role in protecting the pistons; however, if the rubber is torn, it may let in debris and outside pollution which could cause the calipers to stick.
- Worn Out Brake Pads—Because the brake pads close on the rotor to stop the car, the wear down over time, which can cause the calipers to stick if the brake pads get too low.
- Dirty Caliper Slides—Caliper slides are, specifically, grooves on the brake caliper that help hold the brake pads securely when the brake pedal is engaged. These grooves can accumulate dirt and other debris/pollution which can cause the calipers not to hold the brake pads securely enough, thereby causing the brake calipers to stick
- Handbrake/Emergency Brake Cables—When, on the off-chance, your emergency brake is wired through the rear calipers, and the handbrake wire is worn down, the entire situation may cause the calipers to stick.
- Caliper Bolts—The caliper bolts serve to keep the calipers adjusted in place. Like the pistons, the bolts have rubber boots that, instead, help to keep them well lubricated. Simple time and use will beat down the bolts and lead to pollutants that may cause sticking.
- Broken Brake Hose—Allowing fluid to run from the braking system and back, the brake hose is crucial to the entire process of braking in general. Although, any sort of leakage that could cause the fluid to drain would cause the liquid to flow to the pistons but not pump back as it’s supposed to, causing the calipers to stick.
What Causes Brake Calipers to Lock Up?
This is a common question; however, we have already addressed this! Basically, if you hear the term that your brake calipers have “locked up,” “seized,” or “stuck,” these all connote the same thing: that the brake calipers are not releasing properly and causing issues with your braking system.
So, as a reminder, if a brake caliper system has locked up, seized, or is sticking, these all mean the same thing and have the same causes.
How To Deep Clean Brake Calipers?
As anything regarding cars, cleanliness remains an important factor (and one which many people tend to lag behind on). Brake calipers are no exception to this little-surprising fact.
The website DoItYourself outlines specific steps to undertake in order to clean and ensure the cleanliness of your brake calipers:
- Remove The Caliper
Loosen the lugs of the wheel, jack the car and then completely unscrew the lugs to remove the wheel. After this, open the hood of the car and locate the brake fluid cylinder.
DoItYourself advises that you lay cling film over the liquid and seal the cap of the brake fluid cylinder in order to maintain the vacuum on the brake fluid.
Then, you must loosen the brake line where it connects to the caliper. That does not mean, however, that you unscrew it completely. DoItYourself also advises that you place a tray, or something else, underneath as you loosen the brake line to catch droplets of fluid.
You can use a screwdriver to wiggle or pry off the caliper spring, usually visible outside the caliper. In the instance that there are covers over the bolts for the calipers, you just remove them, and then you proceed to remove the bolts and detach the caliper from the rotor. Once you’ve freed the caliper, also detach the brake pads from the caliper.
- Free The Caliper
After you’ve gone through the above process, you will see that the brake line and caliper are attached. Avoid twisting the line, as the action will yank out the caliper. Instead, remove the caliper and plug the end with a vacuum cap made of rubber. Place the other end in something to catch any leaking fluid.
- Getting Ready To Clean!
For the optimal attempt at cleaning the calipers, you need to be able to reach the piston. For this to work, you’ll need to find a source or purchase a source of compressed air with a nozzle. Additionally, DoItYourself recommends that you acquire a piece of wood that’s roughly half an inch in thickness.
Then, you need to put the wood in between the piston of the caliper and the outer flange (basically either an internal or external rim/lip used for added strength. For more info, refer to Wikipedia’s page on flanges).
Meandering the wood between the piston and the flange will force the piston to pop out, but beware that the piston may come out with some force, so be careful and take the necessary precautions.
- Now, We Clean!
To start cleaning the piston, DoItYourself recommends you use the brake fluid and a scrub pad to take off any thick debris or grease that has congealed on the piston over time. While you clean the piston, you should look out for any malfunctions in the odd case that it made need replacing.
To clean the caliper, DoItYourself says it’s best to use a scrub brush and brake fluid to thoroughly remove any dirt, grease, or debris.
Now, for the smaller areas that are more difficult to reach, you’ll probably have to use an old toothbrush or finer scrub brush to maneuver to the correct areas. Some of the dirt and debris may be more difficult to scrub off, so check over the caliper even if you think you’re done and make sure there’s nothing left to scrub, as you may have to scrub some areas more thoroughly.
When you are done cleaning the caliper, you simply replace the piston, reattach the brake line, and put the brake caliper back into the wheel from which you got it.
How Much Does It Cost To Replace Brake Calipers?
Unfortunately, like anything else regarding car fixes, replacing brake calipers isn’t cheap (unless, for you, a total of $700-$1500 is, in fact, cheap).
So, as mentioned, a brake caliper replacement can cost anywhere between $700-$1500, and this range depends further on labor costs and the parts being replaced. Now, the make, model, and year of your vehicle can also affect the prices.
Repair Pal has this useful tool to help garner about how much your repair will cost in the event that you need to replace your brake caliper.
Why Are Some Brake Calipers Painted And Others Not?
Truthfully, the only difference between painted brake calipers and regular brake calipers is an aesthetic appeal. At the end of the day, they both function the same; although, if you prefer that your car catches the eye of fellow car lovers, then a painted caliper may be more up your alley.
If you wish, you could also elect for a brake caliper cover instead of a painted brake caliper.
Painted Brake Calipers
Unlike regular paint, the paint used for brake calipers is over a more durable quality as it has to endure extreme heat, severe weather, and the various pebbles, debris, and dirt that will bombard it. Rvinyl recommends the use of Dupli-Color and VHT to produce durable, higher quality paint jobs for brake calipers.
According to Rvinyl:
- Dupli-Color: Designed for durability to resist chipping/cracking from road shrapnel and the stress of extreme temperatures
- VHT (Very High Temperatures): A reliable brand used to counterpunch soaring temperatures
Now to actually paint:
It is, in fact, possible to paint the brake calipers without removing them; however, this job could be perilous as you would have to take extra, almost unnecessary precautions to avoid getting paint on other parts of the wheel.
You would have to prep the area to avoid getting paint on other parts of the wheel, but as said, the amount of effort used to prep the area to avoid paint drippings is almost, if not, equitable to removing the calipers entirely from the wheel for a more dedicated, detailed paint job.
Rvinyl claims that the best time to paint your calipers is after you’ve cleaned them, as the paint looks better and adheres more correctly to a clean, smooth surface. Furthermore, if you remove the calipers, you have greater access to all parts of them for a more thorough painting job.
Brake Caliper Covers
Caliper covers come in a variety of colors and in different materials that provide different benefits. As Rvinyl states, plastics are less likely to oxidize and loos the vibrancy of coloring with age. Further, many of the plastic covers now include high-heat silicone to prevent any morphing or loss of shape of the covers.
Rvinyl also says that a custom-fit aluminum caliper cover will cost significantly more, though in that case, you would be paying for a higher-quality cover.
What Does It Cost To Paint Brake Calipers?
Now, painting brake calipers, whether you elect to do it yourself or professionally, can differ widely in pricing. For example, First Quarter Finance says that it is feasible to paint brake calipers yourself for around $30 (not bad, right?).
However, some of us know and recognize our clumsiness and do not want to risk messing up the job.
Professional jobs could cost anywhere from $200-$400.
Now, there is also the option to do personal or professional powder coating jobs. Powder coating is a durable finish that helps prevent any scratching or chipping of the finish better than a paint job would. That being said, the process of powder coating the calipers is also more intense. Regardless, there is more detail down below.
Painting It Yourself
Obviously, from the statistics labeled above, painting the caliper yourself can be less costly for you than a professional paint job.
As stated in the section on painted brake calipers, you should remove the calipers (but leave them connected to the brake lines). Then, you should cover the areas of the wheel (and basically any part of the car you don’t want to accidentally get painted) to avoid any paint mishaps.
Clean the calipers before painting them! First Quarter Finance also recommends that you can use a piece of sandpaper for the more difficult debris. You can also use a solution like rubbing alcohol to remove rusty areas and residue and a metal wire brush to rub down the calipers.
Okay, now choose the paint, and make sure it will be durable under the high heat emitted while braking. In fact, high heat spray paint actually exists! A can only costs about $10, according to First Quarter Finance.
VHT and Dupli-Color are two reliable paint brands for calipers. For more information on this, refer to the section “Why Are Some Brake Calipers Painted And Others Not?”
First Quarter Finance notes that there are brake caliper painting kits available for anywhere between $25-$50, although they rarely include cleaning supplies.
Professional Brake Caliper Paint Jobs
Now, again, if you don’t own the tools or even have an idea of how to start going about painting your brake calipers by yourself, perhaps you should get the job done professionally.
First Quarter Finance conducted a survey in which they found a price range for professional caliper paint jobs to range specifically from $225 to $440 to paint all four calipers.
First Quarter Finance also discovered that several popular auto parts stores do not offer professional brake caliper painting jobs, such as Pep Boys, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Advance Auto Parts, etc.
For that reason, make sure to call ahead at a nearby auto shop to ensure that they actually offer the service.
Doing The Powder Job Yourself
Like painting the caliper yourself, you can powder the caliper in the comfort of your garage at home; however, when powdering, you must remove the caliper from the rotor, brake lines, and wheel.
Remember to use a tray or vat to catch any brake fluid, like you would do if you were cleaning the calipers.
Now, let’s get started.
You will need powder coating paint, a powder coating spray gun, high heat masking tape, a wire brush, and other prepping materials that you would have used if you were painting the caliper.
First Quarter Finance estimates these products cost respectively:
- $20 for the powder coating paint
- $100 or more for the powder coating spray gun
- less than $10 for the masking tape
- less than $10 for the wire brush
- less than $10 for any other prepping materials you do not already own
In total, you should expect to spend around $150 total for the entire powder-coating project.
Professional Powder Job
A professional powder job can easily start to cost more money as many companies, according to First Quarter Finance, do not remove the calipers. You will need to make other plans to have the calipers taken out, or you could do that yourself.
If you elected to have them professionally removed, this could add more than $100 to the final cost.
According to a survey that First Quarter Finance conducted on powder job prices, the actual coating itself costs from $120-$400 for all four calipers (with variations depending on the number of pistons and the choice of color).
As in a paint job, the calipers must be cleaned before conducting a powder coating. You could either do the cleaning yourself or have that included as part of the process, which is typically included in the price. Some companies might offer you a discount, though, if you cleaned them beforehand.
Final Thoughts
Whatever you need to do with your caliper (clean, paint, powder, replace, remove, etc.), hopefully, you now have the tools and knowledge to go about whatever it is you need to do. Or maybe you’ll leave it up to the professionals.