Hi all,

Driving home the other night my car started squealing like a stuck pig. Turns out the OSF brake isn't releasing properly and rubbing the disc. This obviously generates heat, wears the disc and pad unduly and brings fuel consumption up. Has anyone experienced this and will removing the caliper and cleaning it up do the job? I can do this myself to save the costs involved, but if someone's tried it before and was unsuccessful I won't bother - I'll leave it to the pro's.

Cheers

S

Edited 11 January, 201115 yr by Stunts

Hi all,

Driving home the other night my car started squealing like a stuck pig. Turns out the OSF brake isn't releasing properly and rubbing the disc. This obviously generates heat, wears the disc and pad unduly and brings fuel consumption up. Has anyone experienced this and will removing the caliper and cleaning it up do the job? I can do this myself to save the costs involved, but if someone's tried it before and was unsuccessful I won't bother - I'll leave it to the pro's.

Cheers

S

Easy enough.

Remove caliper & push piston back in.

Clean up the slides & the pad mounting areas with wire brush. ( make sure the slides move easily and the pads fit without being tight)

re-assemble using some aluminium or copper grease

Pins may be stiff and need regreasing (can't remember which grease should be used but it's NOT copper grease). So long as you take your time, are methodical and careful, you can't make a mess of it really. Get yourself a couple of cans of brake cleaner. You may need a G clamp to push the piston back. Make sure to remove the brake fluid reservoir cap, and remember if the brake fluid has not been changed every 2 years as it should be, like if it has not been changed in 4+ years, this will probably send a load of junk into the ABS pump and possibly the brake master cylinder and could potentially cause damage.

Cheers guys - I do my own spannering on my motorbike, so have the necessary equipment. Brake fluid was changed as per service schedule so no worries there. Plenty of meat on the pads, so it shouldn't send much fluid back. Sounds as though it can be cured with judicious cleaning then - I'll not spend £50 for some spanner monkey to do it to the same amount that I can

Cheers guys - I do my own spannering on my motorbike, so have the necessary equipment. Brake fluid was changed as per service schedule so no worries there. Plenty of meat on the pads, so it shouldn't send much fluid back. Sounds as though it can be cured with judicious cleaning then - I'll not spend £50 for some spanner monkey to do it to the same amount that I can

If you work on a motorbike ( as I do ) - then the front brakes are not going to be an issue for you.

The rear brakes if they are also discs will require a piston wind back tool of some sort to push the piston back in to the caliper.

Not sure which car you have so not sure of the exact brake system but the fronts are normally sliding calipers ( unless they have been changed to 4 pot calipers at some time )

The favorite three areas to look at are :

1. The slides that the caliper moves on ( use aluminium brake grease and make sure they move easily )

2. The brake pad location on the carrier ( if the pads can't slide in the carrier they will stick )

3. The caliper piston ( if this moves in reasonably easy there is a good chance that it is not the problem )