REFRESH YOUR CALIPERS

Save hundreds of pounds on buying new brake calipers by overhauling the old ones with new seals.

When the piston inside a brake caliper looks a little rusty around the edges or it seems stuck and won’t perform as well as it should, then the sensible solution is to renew the brake caliper. In some cases, this may be the only answer, but new seals and dust covers are available for many brake calipers, which can be renewed at a far cheaper price than a new or exchange unit. Even if a piston is beyond repair, many are readily available as new stock. With many reconditioned brake calipers costing around £70 each, seal kits often cost a quarter of this price, so they could save you a few hundred pounds if you need to overhaul more than one of them.

Fitting new seals into a caliper won’t fix all of the possible problems that can arise with it, so you may find you have to buy a new or exchange caliper in cases where for example, the inside of the caliper is damaged where the piston sits.

The majority of the tools you need to overhaul a brake caliper will probably already be in your toolbox or garage, with the exception of an air compressor and attachment such as an air duster to push the piston(s) out. If you don’t have the air tools, then a friendly local garage might be willing to pop out your caliper’s pistons. Forcing a piston or number of pistons out of a caliper can be dangerous, so hold a large cloth over where each piston will pop out, but keep your fingers out of the way.

Always wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris. If you are at all unsure, ask a professional to do the job for you – it generally only takes a few minutes.

When you are rebuilding the calipers, cleanliness is essential, so wear clean disposable gloves to prevent any contamination. After rebuilding, refitting and bleeding the calipers, check for leaks and make sure the brake pedal is firm before driving the car.