How to Fix A Sticking Brake Caliper in 7 Steps

Brakes are just as important, if not more important, than a gas pedal. Since your brakes enable your car to stop in a short amount of time, they are the first step to a safe and reliable vehicle. So, if you have noticed your brakes beginning to stick, you may need to check your brake calipers.

How do you fix a sticking brake caliper? You can fix a slicking brake caliper in seven easy steps:

1. Jack up the car to access the wheels.
2. Remove the wheel.
3. Clean the brake pads.
4. Remove the brake caliper and pads.
5. Clean the brake caliper itself.
6. Lubricate the brake calipers, pins, and slides.
7. Put the calipers, brakes, and wheels back on.

An understanding of how brake calipers work combined with basic mechanical knowledge will allow you to successfully clean and unstick your brake calipers at home. Read on to find out how to unstick your brake calipers in seven easy steps, how to troubleshoot other possible brake caliper issues, and more.

How to Fix A Sticking Brake Caliper in 7 Steps

Brake calipers push the brake pad onto the brake rotor, forcing the wheel (and therefore the car) to slow down. Calipers use sliding pins and grooves to move the brake pad back and forth. It should be a simple and smooth motion, but this groove is often cluttered from road debris or grease build-up, leaving you to clean the calipers before a serious issue emerges.

Before jumping into any task, it is vital to make sure you have all the tools for the job ahead of time. Then, you can crank out any repairs you need without having to go on a search for another tool.

To fix your sticking brake calipers, you will need:

• Car or Tire Jack
• Lug Wrench
• Caliper and Brake Grease
• Socket Wrench Set
• Rags
• Brake Cleaner

1. Jack Up the Car to Access the Wheels

First, identify which brakes you think are sticking. These are the wheels you need to pick up off the ground. Begin by placing the jack under the car or wheel according to the jack manufacturer’s directions.

For safety, place chocks behind the other wheels so that there is no possibility of the car rolling while you are working on the brakes.

2. Remove the Wheel

Next, remove the wheel with the lug wrench. Place all the bolts nearby in a space you will remember where they cannot roll away. Remove the wheel by hand and set it next to you as well.

3. Clean the Brake Pads

You should now have easy access to the brakes. Take a heavy-duty brake cleaner, such as the CRC Brakleen Brake Part Cleaner, and spray it thoroughly on the exposed brake pads and linings according to the package directions.

This will remove road dirt, grease, oil, and other contaminants that have worked their way into your brakes. Clean brake pads will decrease sticking and squealing, making your vehicle drive much more safely and smoothly.

4. Remove the Brake Caliper and Pads

Now that the brakes are clean, remove the calipers and pads. Do this by unbolting the calipers and lifting up and away from the bracket holding them in. This gives you access to the brake pads, which you can remove by hand.

Take a few moments to inspect your brake pads. As explained by in one of my other articles: if they are less than a quarter-inch thick, or approximately three millimeters, then they need to be replaced. Driving with thin brake pads will increase squealing and the likelihood of your brakes seizing up.

5. Cleaning the Brake Caliper Itself

Next, you want to get any old grease or lubricants, as well as any dust build-up, off of the brake caliper. Use a brake cleaner combined with your rag to scour the caliper.

Note the caliper pins or bolts have a rubber boot on them. Give them a quick look over to check for any tears. Any damage to the rubber boot, which often happens when mechanics are changing the brake pads, can allow excessive dirt and build up into your calipers. This is important to fix if you do find a broken or torn caliper boot.

You can replace these if they are too corroded or dirty to clean. If they are too far gone, you may have to replace the whole brake caliper.

6. Lubricate the Brake Calipers, Pins, and Slides

Once your caliper looks almost good as new, it is time to grease it up again. Consider using a caliper-specific lubricant, like Permatex Ultra Disc Brake Caliper Lube 24110. This works excellent on caliper pins, hardware, and the back-side of brake pads.

Some home mechanics choose to use a generic lube, such as white lithium grease. This is not specifically for calipers, but it does cost quite a bit less.

When greasing the brake calipers, make sure to fully grease the bolts, pins, slides, and pistons. You want each surface lightly covered to protect it from any more dust and allow smooth sliding.

7. Put the Calipers, Brakes, and Wheels Back On

Once everything is cleaned and greased, place the brake caliper back into its bracket. Thread the caliper bolts back into place. You can begin to tighten them by hand, but then use your socket wrench. Do not overtighten these bolts. Overtightening can cause things to crack, damaging your brakes, pads, and calipers.

Next, reinstall the brake pads, making sure they are adequately secured. Place your tire back onto the axle and tighten the lug nuts. Again, do not overtighten the lug nuts as this can cause damage to the wheel. Check your owner’s manual for the correct tightness settings.

If more than one brake was sticking, you would need to repeat these steps for each wheel and brake caliper.

Other Troubleshooting Ideas for Sticking Brake Calipers

A thorough cleaning of the brake calipers, pins, and pads usually eliminates any sticking that is occurring. However, some problems do not go away that easily. Often, a more serious issue has to be diagnosed by an experienced mechanic. There are a couple of other potential problems that may be occurring if your brakes are still sticking.

Your Emergency Brake Is Worn Out

Sometimes your emergency brake or parking brake is attached to the rear brake calipers. In this case, a worn-out brake line could be pulling on your calipers incorrectly, causing your brakes to stick. If so, you will need to replace the emergency brake line.

The Brake Hose is Leaking or Torn

If you have any breakage in your brake hose, the brake fluid will flow into the brakes but not out. When they work correctly, the liquid should flow back out to the master cylinder.

To try to fix this, you will need a whole car jack. Get all the weight off the wheels, then apply the brakes. This can reconfigure the hose for correct flow. However, it does not always work. If it does not, then you will need to replace the entire brake hose.

Now It’s Time to Unstick Those Brakes

Now, you know how to dismantle and clean your brakes and calipers. Once you have an open afternoon and a little room in your garage, it’s time to get to work. Make sure to follow the steps in order and keep track of your tools and bolts along the way.

Often, home repairs go wrong when things are not put back together correctly after being taken apart. If you are nervous, consider videotaping yourself or taking pictures as you go. This will make sure you know exactly where things go back, and you can see how much of a difference your cleaning made.