Hi people

Id be grateful if anybody could give me a bit of advise about my rear brakes.

Simple three questions "pity I don't know the answer".

Is there a kit for repairing brake callipers if they stick?

Or, do I have to replace the whole caliper.

Also my hand brake has a lot of play. Will this be due to my rear brake sticking slightly.

Cheers

Drew

You can buy a kit i believe but not sure where from

If you handbrake is dodgey check the mechanisms on the caliper move freely when the handbrake is used.

An easy option is to replace both calipers. You can get both calipers and new disks & pads on ebay for £180

Cheers buddy

These calipers are well-known for sticking. However, on my '51 plate 140k miler, I've not yet had to re-build them totally (i.e. strip apart internals, new seals etc.) 

 

They just need a bit of TLC every now and again.

 

When mine start to get a bit sticky (i.e. the handbrake gets a bit 'limp' which is probably what you've got), and they start to 'moo' a bit in reverse I just do this:

 

Wheel off. Unbolt carrier, drop pads, unbolt caliper.

 

Remove carrier, take into garage, clean to death with brake cleaner and a stiff brush. Do the same with the pads. Remember to observe and mark which pad goes where.

 

Clean the caliper to death (still attached to the car - put a bowl underneath and soak in brake cleaner / scrub with brush - make sure you don't allow the caliper to 'hang' by the brake line - use a bungee strap to 'hang' it from the car).

 

Spray a ton of WD40 or equivalent (I use GT85) into the handbrake lever and spring assembly, and then work it backwards and forwards by hand (by attaching mole grips to the lever bit). Might have to bolt the caliper back onto the suspension arm to do this if it's really sticky.

 

Re-assemble the whole lot, using gobs of high-temperature grease on the sliding pins (I use black Molybdenum grease) and plenty of Copaslip on all the moving faces of the unit, wherever the pads contact it, including the backs of the pads.

 

 

You'll find perfect rear brakes again.

 

I thank you.

 

 

 

Edited to add:

 

While you're there, spray brake cleaner into the ABS collar (i.e. the 'ridges' on the hub) to clear out any muck.

 

Wipe off any bits of detritis sticking to the ABS sensor.

 

Use a wire brush (preferably a rotary brush in a low-speed battery drill) to clean the mating facing of the hub, where the wheel mates with the hub - and clean the equivalent surface on the wheel.

 

Smear a LITTLE Copaslip onto the mating surface of the hub. DO NOT put Copaslip on the bolt threads - this will bugger up the wheelbolt torque settings!

 

Re-fit the wheel, torque the bolts. 

 

Re-check the bolt's torque a day or two later.

 

Job done.

Edited 4 June, 201412 yr by Ray Luxury-Yacht