No matter your car’s make or model, its brake system is crucial for safe driving. With regular care and maintenance, you can keep your brake system in its best condition, even after constant use.
One crucial component of disc brake systems is the brake calipers. These components contain brake pads and pistons for your car. They slow the wheels by creating friction, allowing your car to stop completely. Because calipers play such an important role in brake function, keeping them in the correct condition is essential. Learning more about their signs of wear and maintenance requirements can help you understand when and how often brake calipers need to be replaced.
What Is a Brake Caliper?
A brake caliper is a specific part of a brake disc system. They rest on each wheel and house the car’s brake pads and pistons. A brake caliper’s primary job is to reduce the vehicle’s speed. It squeezes the brake pads against the rotors to create friction. Once it establishes friction, it forces the wheels to slow down.
The brake pedal triggers the calipers into motion. After you press on the pedal, brake fluid puts pressure on the hydraulic pistons within the brake caliper. The pressure forces the brake pads to press against the rotors, which creates enough friction to slow your wheels. Overall, calipers are crucial for controlling your vehicle’s movement, from slowing down to stopping completely.
How Do Brake Calipers Wear Out?
Your brake calipers need regular maintenance to maintain their effectiveness. The more you use them, the more your calipers can wear down. As calipers work, they generate significant amounts of friction and heat. Heat radiates from the pads and rotors and moves back toward the calipers. While you drive your car, the calipers heat up and cool down constantly. These cycles can cause corrosion to form along the calipers.
When the caliper reacts with moisture from the air or brake fluid, it can cause rust to form. Because of that damage, the caliper loses some of its functioning capabilities. For instance, corrosion that forms on cylinder walls creates rough surfaces that are more challenging for pistons to move against. Or, if the corrosion grows too severe, the pistons might seize up and struggle to move at all. Without their movement, your vehicle will struggle to slow down and cause safety issues while on the road.
The generated heat can also break down seals within your calipers. Without these seals, the calipers might become contaminated or develop corrosion. Other environmental debris can rest on calipers and wear down their condition. You should check your calipers regularly to ensure they don’t show signs of wear.
How Long Do Calipers Last?
Brake calipers’ life spans depend on a variety of factors, but they can generally last up to 100,000 miles. So when you’re checking things like your accessory drive belt or spark plugs, keep your calipers in mind. Some calipers are designed to last a vehicle’s entire lifetime, but some drivers find themselves needing replacements before then.
These are a few factors that impact caliper longevity:
- Driving frequency: The more you drive, the more potential the calipers have to wear down. The type of driving you do can also cause them to degrade faster. For instance, you might regularly drive in heavy traffic. If you constantly start to move, then hit the brakes when traffic slows, you put more wear on the calipers.
- Average road conditions: Your typical road conditions also affect the calipers. Driving in an area with many potholes, bumps or steep hills can put more pressure on your calipers.
- Typical environmental conditions: Your calipers can also degrade from environmental wear. A buildup of mud, dirt or other environmental debris can impact their performance. If you live in a location that exposes your car to significant environmental elements, the calipers could wear out more quickly.
How Do I Know if My Calipers Need to Be Replaced?
By recognizing the typical signs of brake caliper wear, you can understand when you should seek repairs or replacements. Here are some signs it’s time to replace your brake calipers:
1. You Hear Strange Noises While Braking
If your brakes make squealing or screeching noises, that’s a crucial sign they might need repairs or a replacement. They might make strange noises because the calipers are stuck in position, which renders the brakes ineffective. Squealing can also show that the brake pad has worn through to the backing plate.
2. Your Car Veers to One Side
Damaged calipers can also cause your car to steer naturally toward one side. When you push on the brake pedal, the vehicle might sway one way rather than maintaining a balanced position. Factors like corroded calipers or stuck pistons can cause your car to behave this way.
The way your car veers can help you determine where the damaged caliper is. If your brake pads aren’t contacting the rotor, your car will go away from the damaged side. If your brake pads aren’t releasing the rotor, your car will go toward the side of the damage.
3. Your Car Is Leaking Brake Fluid
If your calipers corrode severely enough, they might wear out the brake piston’s seal. In response, your brake fluid could leak. As the brake fluid runs out, you lose the amount of brake pressure you can apply. You can identify leaking brake fluid by pools of light yellow or brown liquid on the ground. Know that this leaking could be a sign of something else being wrong with your brakes, so check things out yourself or take your vehicle to a mechanic right away.
4. Your Brake Pads Are Wearing Unevenly
Uneven brake pad wear is another sign of damaged calipers. Corroded calipers might be unable to move freely, resulting in random wear on the brake pad’s surface. Worn brake pads often come with scraping noises or vibrations when you’re stopping.
If you encounter any of these signs, it’s best to inspect your brakes more thoroughly and ensure they’re in the proper condition. You can also consult a mechanic to assist you with this process. They can provide a specific diagnosis for your calipers and recommend the best repairs. You can also repair or replace your brakes on your own with the proper parts and knowledge.
Replace Your Brake Calipers With Top Flight Automotive
Your brake calipers play an essential role in your brake system. If you notice signs of wear on your brakes, it might be necessary to install new ones. Top Flight Automotive can help you complete your next brake project with our extensive inventory of brake components.
We offer a wide range of brake parts for various makes and models, including Corvettes and Mustangs. You can easily organize our inventory by make, model and type to find your exact part. Our components consist of high-quality materials and are sourced from leading manufacturers. And with same-day shipping for many products and our helpful customer service team, Top Flight Automotive sets itself apart from competitors.
To get started with Top Flight Automotive, shop our brake parts online today.
Sources:
- https://www.testingautos.com/car_care/when-replace-brake-caliper.html
- https://www.topflightautomotive.com/blog/the-ultimate-ford-mustang-maintenance-guide/
- https://www.topflightautomotive.com/products/chevy/corvette/brakes/disc-brake-caliper/
- https://www.topflightautomotive.com/products/ford/mustang/brakes/disc-brake-caliper/
- https://www.topflightautomotive.com/products/brakes/
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