JoshRX7

iTrader: (5)

If the caliper is "frozen", can't you just rebuild the piston or should the caliper be replaced? More specifically, is there any reason why rebuilding the piston wouldn't un-freeze the caliper??? My right rear brake is dragging because of the stuck caliper... it's been this way for a while. The inside pad is rubbing against the rotor at all times... the rotor is toast... am I looking at a new caliper AND rotor... or just a rotor and a rebuilt piston for the caliper?

So, in all, I'm intending to replace two rear rotors (the left is slotted and wouldn't really match the new non-slotted right one)... two brake pads, and a right rear caliper assembly. What would be a fair price including labor for the above 5 things.

Yes, I've searched....

Thanks,
Josh

theagavejazz

iTrader: (4)

Rebuilding the caliper should untick it, I think there's a write-up in the archives, second; you can't buy two pads, you buy all four rear pads. You'll save lots of money doing it yourself, I think one of the biggest rip offs in the automotive industry is brake jobs. Good luck.

KeloidJonesJr.

iTrader: (8)

do you think it's due to rust?

Trav

There is a thread and I think it's pretty recent. I know you said you searched, but do it again. I know it's out there.

The basic idea was that you can use compressed air and pop the pistons out, then replace all of the seals and whatnot. Honestly, you might just try popping them out, cleaning them up, regreasing and reinstalling. No cost involved for that and at least gives you an idea of what to expect -- if you encounter major problems, well then you might be ahead to just replace the whole caliper. Seems like calipers aren't that expensive to replace -- in fact I remember some debate in that original thread as to whether or not it was even worth trying to rebuild them at all due to the low replacement cost.

JoshRX7

iTrader: (5)

No, I don't think it's due to rust... the caliper is fairly clean and was once painted. I meant to say pads for both brakes (left and right rear). It will also need a rotor... I've always done both brakes on an axle at the same time, especially this one since it has cross-drilled/slotted brakes and the replacement rotor will not be.

I've seen the "Cheap A$$ brake job" thread if that's what you're referring to. I'm just kind of in a pickle because it's raining here and I'm driving to St. Louis early Saturday to have Steve Kan tune the car. It seems shops don't like to do the "rebuilding" of stuff these days... they just replace. Probably more money made that way.

Needa13b

Rear re-manufactured calipers are not cheap by any means, and do not even come close to how cheap it would be to rebuild. It's $90 per caliper, plus core charge.

JoshRX7

iTrader: (5)

I wish I had the time before this weekend to do it myself... plus it's supposed to rain outside until the time I leave... nobody freak out, but they quoted me $650 for a new right rear caliper, two new Brembo rotors, and pads for the rears... I think it's ridiculous; we're going to have a talk tomorrow. The new caliper is $170 (that's about right for a new one, maybe even cheaper), I didn't get the price of the pads... but this is what blows my whistle... ~$130 for each rear rotor (are they gold plated?). Let's see, that's about $480 with pads probably... where is the other $170 coming from? Labor? Are they for real? Does it take a tire/brake shop 3 hours to do a rear brake job? :smiley_12

Trav

Dude, I think you're overanalyzing this. I just got on advance auto part's site and did a price check...
You're looking at $40-80 for the rotor, $95 for the caliper, and $25 for the pads. These are all approximations, but basically for everything you're looking at less than $250. If you went with the cheapest possible parts, maybe even $175. By the time you typed this thread you could have had it done I'd say. Unless you're really hung up on buying NEW, the reman caliper should be fine. And like I said before, pop the piston out and see what it looks like -- it could just be gunked up. Take some very fine grit paper or even wool to it, shine it up nice, grease it down and stick it back in -- can't be worse than what you have on there right now. Dig in son, you might get your hands dirty, but you'll learn something.