Brake caliper not releasing

[Goldies_4_life]

Hey guys, my RS has a bad brake caliper that is not releasing all the way and is dragging on the rotor, is there a easy way to fix this or do I have to get a new caliper?

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

Hey guys, my RS has a bad brake caliper that is not releasing all the way and is dragging on the rotor, is there a easy way to fix this or do I have to get a new caliper?

this problem is often caused by the caliper guide pins freezing up, it's not a bad job but you do usually have to pull the caliper to free up and lube stuck ones.

prob could also be road grunge crusted in the slots where brake pads move, jack car pull wheel on the offending corner and check it out.

 

[Goldies_4_life]

Well got the wheel and caliper off only to find that the caliper works fine but my pads were way down and one of them was in slanted and banged up the rotor.

 

[IBratmanI]

If the pad is wearing at an angle it means that either one of the caliper pistons is not working properly, or one of the caliper slides is not moving freely. Make sure the slides move in and out very freely, and make sure the pistons on the caliper can be compressed.

 

[IBratmanI]

Also, when reassembling, make sure the pads themselves are free to move in the bracket. Take the metal clips out and clean in back of them, and then clean the clips themselves. Then add a very small dab of synthetic caliper grease. Where it's a floating caliper system, everything has to be able to move freely

 

[Matt]

if i were to guess your pad got seized in the bracket...take it all apart and clean it....older subarus are notorious for rust

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

If the pad is wearing at an angle it means that either one of the caliper pistons is not working properly, or one of the caliper slides is not moving freely. Make sure the slides move in and out very freely, and make sure the pistons on the caliper can be compressed.

^this. plus, your brakes apper to be very dirty cruddy n rusty so a god thorough cleaning and reassembly with new pads will make a huge difference. use hi temp brake lube on the pad ears when putting stuff back together...just a dab of lube not a bath of it OK?

free up the caliper slide bolts as well, one of them is almost certainly seized as evidenced by uneven wear on pads.

service both calipers, not just the one currently giving probs. while you have car apart it would be silly not to do both....the other side is probably just as crudded up as the problem one is.

 

[Goldies_4_life]

well I figured with all the rust over the years, it would be better to just replace everything so I got two new calipers, rotor and pads.

 

[IBratmanI]

Do the new calipers come with the brackets as well? Or do you have to slide the new ones onto the old bracket?

 

[MAINIAC XV]

Had my calipers rebuilt awhile ago but that only is temporary. Go with new ones.

 

[Goldies_4_life]

Do the new calipers come with the brackets as well? Or do you have to slide the new ones onto the old bracket?

They come all assembled all I had to do is put in the pads in and which it out with the old ones

 

[IBratmanI]

Nice!! That makes it easier