How Can You Diagnose a Bad Brake Caliper in Older Cars?

 

In older cars, brake caliper is one of many important parts of a braking system. Combined with brake pads, they have the enormous task of changing the vehicle's forward motion to heat which stops the vehicle. If they don't work properly, stopping the vehicle can be very difficult. The simple steps below will help you diagnose whether your brake caliper is bad or not.

Self-inspection of the caliper

Visually inspect the exterior of the brake caliper and look for cracks responsible for brake fluid leakage. If you see cracks, the unit needs to be replaced. Areas which are leaking will be wet or have streaks. Instruct your assistant to operate the brakes while you observe their operation. If the caliper does not move or you can still turn the rotor with the brakes applied, then check whether or not brake fluid is reaching the caliper.

Brake fluid level

First, find the air bleed valve on the backside of the caliper. Then, attach a small hose to the valve and put the other end of the hose in a clear glass jar, half-filled with clean brake fluid. The end of the hose must be submerged below the brake fluid which keeps air from getting into the system. Open the valve and apply the brakes. If fluid flows into the container, then the fluid is reaching the caliper and you have a bad brake caliper.

Position of the caliper

A problem could be that the floating pins need to be lubricated. In case, the caliper doesn't move, then watch to see if the brake pad itself shows any sign of attempted movement. If the pad tries to move, then the piston behind the pad is working and the caliper is not floating properly. The pins could be damaged or they need to be removed, cleaned, and again lubricated. Proper maintenance can keep your car healthyand the car wreckers in Auckland are always ready to offer a good quote for your old car.