Repair or buy new caliper from rockauto/autozone

Status
Not open for further replies.
Ruturaj

Ruturaj

Joined
Jun 26, 2016
Messages
74
Location
PNW
The sliding pin on my cars driver side front caliper is stuck, Should I get it fixed (with help of someone whom I would have to pay maybe 30-50 bucks) or get new one from either autozone or rockauto

From rockout my options are (all rebuilt, costing between 33-46)
POWER STOP
CARDONE
ACDELCO
CENTRIC
Wagner
RAYBESTOS
BECK/ARNLEY
NASTRA

From Autozone ($45-50)
Duralast

From Advance auto parts ($45-50)
Wearever

Are original ones are better built against rust? Is it worth to try to save them? If I do decide to buy new one, should I change both sides? (probably I should right?)

I own a 2009 Mitsubishi Galant.
 
Yes you should change both sides.

Today I got powerstop refurb. calipers from Rockauto. I'd say get a new one from AZ/RA and send the OE calipers to get core refund.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
I wouldn't go for aftermarket calipers just because of sticky slide.

Clean it up and replace the slide pin.


Depends. In the OP's location rust can play havoc with calipers. I imagine the piston doesn't look too pretty either, and I bet the bleeder is completely inoperable. For $50 a side I wouldn't even mess with the old calipers.
 
I'd remove the stuck pin first and evaluate. I had two stuck pins on my wife's car front calipers. I was able to get them out with a vise-grip and twisting and pulling. The only problem was the old grease had hardened. Cleaned, re-greased and back in service.
 
Just went through this decision on my Toyota truck, but I did not have a stuck pin. Had rubber bushings completely gone on one upper pin slide that was causing the pin to bind, and had bad uneven pad wear.

I bought new bushings/boots to fix the caliper, but I could not get the long slide pin bushing to install because of too much rust/dirt in the slide pin bore. Ended up buying what they call a semi-loaded caliper that includes the caliper and caliper bracket, and the caliper bracket came with new pins and bushings/boots installed. Ended up costing me about $8 more for the semi-loaded caliper over just the caliper itself, and I paid $6 for a bushing kit. Now everything thing looks new, and works as new, and I just wasted money on the bushing kit.

Could have bought a rifle brush to use on my drill to clean up the slide pin holes, but by the time I bought new bushings and brushes I would have still ended up with an old looking caliper and bracket. Now it looks new. I bought the AdvanceAuto Wearever caliper/bracket, and then used a 30% of $50. Dot 3 brake fluid is on sale too for $4.99 quart, so I got some of that, and then bought a brake hose and locks because they were old too.
 
I can't speak for the items sold at RockAuto but the calipers sold at most Autozone/Advance/O'Reilly type parts stores will look great when new but will rust horribly if they're made of steel or iron.

If you get them from those places then be prepared to apply some type of protective coating or just paint them yourself. Factory parts are normally anodized or have some type of surface treatment to prevent this. Rebuilds don't.
 
If the piston moves back in OK, then just replace the pins. Usually you can get them out with a Vise-Grip. You really should not clean rust off the pins with steel wool or a wire brush since if it's rusty the chrome plating is gone. Also a Vise-Grip will leave marks. It's fine to clean off old grease and polish it with some steel wool just don't try and salvage a rusty pin.

The better calipers from RockAuto are painted or coated. There is a core charge at RockAuto which for me was more than return postage.
 
Mine were getting stuck too. Just needed a clean and some grease. I like Raybestos brake parts also. I buy from Amazon because for whatever reason Raybestos is cheaper than RA (plus free shipping over $35). You will probably pay double for anything at AZ, Orielly, any local store.
 
Take the caliper slides out. Clean off the old grease and dirt Soap and water and a scrub brush dry them off and use some Sil- Glyde or equally greasy stuff. Front disc brakes sound scary, but they are simple to take apart. There is no adjustment to them. That what I screw up on drum brakes.
 
I live in the rust belt and try to avoid caliper costs when possible. A sticking piston is the main time I change. Otherwise, rehabbing pins/bushings or bleeders isn't that hard. Actually, I rebuilt all three calipers on my old Yamaha bike a few years back with great results. Those pistons were sticking badly.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
I wouldn't go for aftermarket calipers just because of sticky slide.

Clean it up and replace the slide pin.


Id agree, unless the holes have elongated/gone out of round...
 
If the pistons go back easy they are okay. Pins and boot kits are available everywhere for these, just yank and twist the pins out with vise grips and a little penetrating oil and clean the holes out with 400 wet and dry wrapped around a fat Phillips screwdriver.
Spray WD40 in the hole first and clean it out well with brake cleaner after you get it shiny in there. Lube up the new pins and bore, install the boots and its good to go. Do not clean and reuse rusted pins, they will work but rust again very quickly. If you can get the caliper off you can do this job, no need to pay someone.
 
Cardone Ultra or Napa Total Eclipse are the best calipers. They are powder coated to prevent rust.

Other calipers will start rusting almost immediately.

FWIW, almost all reman calipers are done by Cardone, regardless of the name on the box. This includes Autozone and Napa. The Napa Eclipse is the same as Cardone Ultra, except that Napa's are painted black rather than silver like on Cardone Ultra.
 
Thank you for reply everyone, I will try to get sliding pin working and put the new ones. I am going to check if bleeding valves are working as well. I don't think they were touched in last 8 years.

If everything works then I will keep current setup.

Or else I will buy Cardone ultra.

How are the Powerstop calipers?

http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=4675182&cc=1442355&jsn=354
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: dgunay
Yes you should change both sides.

Today I got powerstop refurb. calipers from Rockauto. I'd say get a new one from AZ/RA and send the OE calipers to get core refund.


Did you get red color coated ones?
 
Originally Posted By: ET16
How old is the car?


It's a 2009 and has 110,000 miles on it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

A
Raybestos Brake Caliper Woes
Replies
16
Views
2K
benjamming
W
What caliper to get for 2007 mazda3
2
Replies
20
Views
1K
windeye
B
Powerstop Vs Nuegon brembo calipers?
2
Replies
33
Views
3K
Bmsluite
redhat
How I paint brake calipers
Replies
6
Views
2K
JHZR2
W
Seized caliper did I do enough test to verify?
2
Replies
21
Views
3K
mrbreezeet1
Back
Top