Caliper prev maintenance

[KrisZ]

I got rid of my last car at 14 years old with all original calipers still working perfectly. It saw 11 winters in Canada before I moved to states.
I did nothing special except inspect and lube the pins every spring when I was still in Canada.

Each brake job I inspect the piston boot and clean them. I also lift them up and inspect the insides for any sighs or corrosion. That’s pretty much it.
My minivan is closing in on 10 years and all original calipers as well.

 

[Donald]

For rear calipers that also contain the parking brake, it might be worth replacing the calipers with the pads and rotors, if you have to deal with rust.

Also, you must use the parking brake regularly. Not using the parking brake when it's integrated into the rear caliper/pads will cause premature caliper failure.

You need to use it regardless. It can seize up even if you have parking brake drum brakes.

 

[Tundragod]

I got rid of my last car at 14 years old with all original calipers still working perfectly. It saw 11 winters in Canada before I moved to states.
I did nothing special except inspect and lube the pins every spring when I was still in Canada.

Each brake job I inspect the piston boot and clean them. I also lift them up and inspect the insides for any sighs or corrosion. That’s pretty much it.
My minivan is closing in on 10 years and all original calipers as well.

Bingo........."lube the pins every spring"

 

[Donald]

Bingo........."lube the pins every spring"

Also inspect the boots on those pins. I have ones on my F250 that are a different diameter on one end vs the other. So wrong lube was used and they swelled. New ones are the same on both ends.

 

[VersatileGuy]

I actually am doing something experimental, where the whole body of the caliper except a few places is greased up with silicone grease.

 

[Donald]

I actually am doing something experimental, where the whole body of the caliper except a few places is greased up with silicone grease.

Won't that just attract a lot of dust and dirt, maybe salt.

The caliper is just a chunk of cast iron and it does not matter too much if it's rusty or clean metal or painted as long as the areas around the piston & boot is clean.

Depending on the wheel you might not want a rusty caliper showing through.

 

[Tundragod]

In my opinion and I believe I posted here (bob) before, it is the lube/relube and brake flush, actually non-flush that corrodes the piston and seized. My new purchased 08 Accord never had this issue. I still have the car after exactly 17 years with 140k miles in MN. The MDX was purchased used at 135k, lived in MN all its life. As long as you lube every 1 to 2 yrs and flush every 2- 3 yrs, you won't have seized caliper.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

In my opinion and I believe I posted here (bob) before, it is the lube/relube and brake flush, actually non-flush that corrodes the piston and seized. My new purchased 08 Accord never had this issue. I still have the car with after exactly 17 years with 140k miles in MN. The MDX was purchased used at 135k, lived in MN all its life. As long as you lube every 1 to 2 yrs and flush every 2- 3 yrs, you won't have seized caliper.

I thought your calipers seizing up and forcing you to replace brake pads, rotors and calipers on both sides was when you are supposed to do the brake flush

Some interesting things I read about dot 4 and 3
"A Dot 3 rated brake fluid with a3% moisture accumulation will encounter a 25% drop in the boiling point"
Considering how heavy my SUV is and how hot I get my brakes that is dangerous.


"Remember, water boils at 212degrees F. When brake fluid temperatures reach this level,the water turns to a vapor or gas, which is compressible,resulting in a pedal dropping sensation."

"Moisture can promote internal corrosion within thesystem. The corrosive condition may not be causedfrom moisture contact with the components as much asa deterioration of the corrosion inhibitors in the brakefluid. If the corrosion inhibitors are present in the fluid,a 5% moisture accumulation will not cause corrosion inthe system. Instead, that level of moisture will degradethe corrosion inhibitors in the fluid. Once this hasoccurred, a minute amount of moisture will promotecorrosion of the components. Within a 36 month period,91% of the corrosion inhibitors in the fluid may be lost.Fluid maintenance is imperative. The brake fluid comesin contact with a minimum of six different types ofmetals, rubber components, plastic, and a wide rangeof temperatures. The fluid must be compatible with thematerials and maintain stable performance characteristicsover a broad range of temperatures"

https://www.mightyautoparts.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/tt-0136-brake-fluid-facts.pdf

 

[Tundragod]

I thought your calipers seizing up and forcing you to replace brake pads, rotors and calipers on both sides was when you are supposed to do the brake flush

Is that suppose to be sarcasm? I'm not very good at reading between the lines.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Is that suppose to be sarcasm? I'm not very good at reading between the lines.

Yes. Although I am assuming you delt with enough average people that you could misconstrue this as me being serious.

 

[VersatileGuy]

Won't that just attract a lot of dust and dirt, maybe salt.

The caliper is just a chunk of cast iron and it does not matter too much if it's rusty or clean metal or painted as long as the areas around the piston & boot is clean.

Depending on the wheel you might not want a rusty caliper showing through.

It's a question of whether the salt can penetrate the grease in the first place. It's also a question of whether plain ol' plumbing grease is the rustproofer people actually should be using on reassembly.

Rust in the pad tab area can expand so much that the pads cannot fit easily in the groove anymore, and then that means a lot of wire brushing on each brake job.

Every marginal thing may matter for the dissipation of heat, which is key to keeping brake hoses from failing by collapsing. Had to deal with a very untimely brake hose failure last year, compounded by Toyota overtorquing flare nuts at factory so the flare nuts do not separate because there is a "lip" created blocking the flare nut from clearing the hole.

 

[Donald]

It's a question of whether the salt can penetrate the grease in the first place. It's also a question of whether plain ol' plumbing grease is the rustproofer people actually should be using on reassembly.

Rust in the pad tab area can expand so much that the pads cannot fit easily in the groove anymore, and then that means a lot of wire brushing on each brake job.

Every marginal thing may matter for the dissipation of heat, which is key to keeping brake hoses from failing by collapsing. Had to deal with a very untimely brake hose failure last year, compounded by Toyota overtorquing flare nuts at factory so the flare nuts do not separate because there is a "lip" created blocking the flare nut from clearing the hole.

I was mainly talking about the body of the actual caliper. Not the caliper bracket. Covering it with grease? I guess time will tell.