Rep Power: 0

I own a 2001 Honda Civic. Last Sunday, I noticed excessive brake dust on my front right wheel. I brought it to a Honda Service Center and told me that it was a brake caliper stuckup. I asked them why it happened and I was told that it happens when I drove the car in a flood or when the car has been standing on high water and it reached the caliper.

Its impossible since, NEVER had I drove my car in a flood. The caliper just got stuck. Now im faced of having my caliper overhauled and making me spend a lot.

Has this happened to you guys?

 
Rep Power: 453

calipers seize all the time when they get worn. I have had my calipers rebuilt before, the right front one seized up causing excessive break pad wear on the other side. Only cost me $25 for each caliper. You need to go to somewhere else besides honda, they will rip you off.

 
Rep Power: 328

Yup, yup. The caliper dont need to be under water to have it hang up. I've seen even brand new calipers less then 10,000 miles on them fail, hell ive seen brand new rebuilt calipers fail 20 feet out of the shop doors Sometimes things just fail there isnt a set mileage or time when they do! And like he said shop around and try not to buy them from honda. I know of at least one remanufacture of calipers for our cars or you can have you current calipers rebuilt or do it your self.

 
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can someone explain the detailed procedure on how to do it?

 
Rep Power: 328

How to rebuild the brake caliper ?

 
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yes, I know there are only about 3-4 parts, but how and exactly what order does everything come out and go in.

 
Rep Power: 328

Basically there is a piston, a seal and a dust boot . Here is a link on another car that does a walk thru on how to re-build the caliper it basically is the same as on our cars. They talk about using air pressure to pop the piston out. IF you do use air pressure be VERRRRRRRRRRY careful, use plenty of rags to catch the psiton and use VERY little air pressure to push the piston out. And make sure you keep your fingers away from the piston as its coming out or you may get one cut off! As an example i once saw a guy blow the piston out of a tranny that was on a bench using air pressure and the 4-6 inch aluminum piston blew out and went thru a cinder block wall! So please be carefull!!

http://vista.pca.org/sch/tech_articl...er_rebuild.htm

 
Rep Power: 328

And only use brake fluid as a lubricant inside tha caliper! NEVER use oil based anything inside a part that is internal on a brake system. I've never rebuilt the ones on our civics but have done many over the years. The seal is basically a square cut O-ring that fits into a grove inside the bore of the caliper. The trick is sometimes in the dust boot and all i can suggest is to look at how the old one fits in and use the think on top of your shoulders to get the dust boot in( your head ). Sometimes it goes in before the piston sometimes its after the piston. Sometimes if your VERY careful you can stick the psiton up to the hole using VERY little air pressure thru the back of the caliper it will expand the dust boot and allow you to slide the psiton in . If that makes sense?

 
Rep Power: 453

what do you mean by use the think on top of your shoulders? SO to get the piston back in I need to also use compressed air?

 
Rep Power: 328

Thing* not think, sorry my bad

you can yes it will expand the dust boot when the psiton is sitting up on it and that will allow the psiton to slide past the dust boot and into the caliper. Easier to show then explain

 
Rep Power: 0

Wow! Thanks for all the replies.

Well, I just got my car repaired. I was present when they dismantle the entire caliper assembly. I saw that the piston has several rust on it causing it to stuckup. So, I just had the piston replaced with a new one and at the same time had the caliper system overhauled using a caliper repair kit.

Everything is back to normal and it did not cost me that much. Its actually reasonable.