Do I need to replace my front caliper?

Hello,

After replacing my brake pads a few times; I think I created a
problem. Only my front passenger brake is getting used, while the
driver side has not been applied at all. So, I called the repair
shop, they said your caliper is bad and you would need to replace both
calipers.

If I purchased a 1998 Honda Accord 4 CYL EX caliper online, would this
be a job a novice could replace? Or should I bring it into the shop
to have them do a full front brake job for $250? And how can I
confirm the caliper is definitely bad, and is there a way to fix this
without replacing?

Regards,

--tj

wrote:
> Hello,
>
> After replacing my brake pads a few times; I think I created a
> problem. Only my front passenger brake is getting used, while the
> driver side has not been applied at all. So, I called the repair
> shop, they said your caliper is bad and you would need to replace both
> calipers.
>
> If I purchased a 1998 Honda Accord 4 CYL EX caliper online, would this
> be a job a novice could replace? Or should I bring it into the shop
> to have them do a full front brake job for $250? And how can I
> confirm the caliper is definitely bad, and is there a way to fix this
> without replacing?
>
> Regards,
>
> --tj

=============================

Test it by punching the brakes on a dirty stretch of road. More likely
you've got seized slider pins on the passenger's side, so it's wearing
that side out 100 times as fast as it's supposed to.

www.tegger.com has some info, or you could google 'honda slider pins'
and get a bunch of hits from www.hondasuv.com

'Curly'

On Apr 24, 8:55 am, motsco_ > wrote:
> wrote:
> > Hello,
>
> > After replacing my brake pads a few times; I think I created a
> > problem. Only my front passenger brake is getting used, while the
> > driver side has not been applied at all. So, I called the repair
> > shop, they said your caliper is bad and you would need to replace both
> > calipers.
>
> > If I purchased a 1998 Honda Accord 4 CYL EX caliper online, would this
> > be a job a novice could replace? Or should I bring it into the shop
> > to have them do a full front brake job for $250? And how can I
> > confirm the caliper is definitely bad, and is there a way to fix this
> > without replacing?
>
> > Regards,
>
> > --tj
>
> =============================
>
> Test it by punching the brakes on a dirty stretch of road. More likely
> you've got seized slider pins on the passenger's side, so it's wearing
> that side out 100 times as fast as it's supposed to.
>
> www.tegger.comhas some info, or you could google 'honda slider pins'
> and get a bunch of hits fromwww.hondasuv.com
>
> 'Curly'

Should I just replace the slider pins on both sides with a new set of
pads, and see if the problem goes away?

On 4/24/08 12:37 PM, in article
,
" > wrote:

> On Apr 24, 8:55 am, motsco_ > wrote:
>> wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>
>>> After replacing my brake pads a few times; I think I created a
>>> problem. Only my front passenger brake is getting used, while the
>>> driver side has not been applied at all. So, I called the repair
>>> shop, they said your caliper is bad and you would need to replace both
>>> calipers.
>>
>>> If I purchased a 1998 Honda Accord 4 CYL EX caliper online, would this
>>> be a job a novice could replace? Or should I bring it into the shop
>>> to have them do a full front brake job for $250? And how can I
>>> confirm the caliper is definitely bad, and is there a way to fix this
>>> without replacing?
>>
>>> Regards,
>>
>>> --tj
>>
>> =============================
>>
>> Test it by punching the brakes on a dirty stretch of road. More likely
>> you've got seized slider pins on the passenger's side, so it's wearing
>> that side out 100 times as fast as it's supposed to.
>>
>> www.tegger.comhas some info, or you could google 'honda slider pins'
>> and get a bunch of hits fromwww.hondasuv.com
>>
>> 'Curly'
>
> Should I just replace the slider pins on both sides with a new set of
> pads, and see if the problem goes away?

Just like everything else to do with cars, confirm the diagnosis. I would
think the first thing you want to do is swing up the caliper (the same way
you would if when are replacing the pads) & see of the pins move freely. If
they do, then that's not the problem.

If you find pins that don't move (I agree with Curly, I'll bet you find
some), see if you can free them. If you can free them, then the pins may
only need to be cleaned up and re-lubed. If you can't free them, then a new
caliper might be in order.

On Apr 24, 11:39 am, E Meyer > wrote:
> On 4/24/08 12:37 PM, in article
> ,
>
>
>
> " > wrote:
> > On Apr 24, 8:55 am, motsco_ > wrote:
> >> wrote:
> >>> Hello,
>
> >>> After replacing my brake pads a few times; I think I created a
> >>> problem. Only my front passenger brake is getting used, while the
> >>> driver side has not been applied at all. So, I called the repair
> >>> shop, they said your caliper is bad and you would need to replace both
> >>> calipers.
>
> >>> If I purchased a 1998 Honda Accord 4 CYL EX caliper online, would this
> >>> be a job a novice could replace? Or should I bring it into the shop
> >>> to have them do a full front brake job for $250? And how can I
> >>> confirm the caliper is definitely bad, and is there a way to fix this
> >>> without replacing?
>
> >>> Regards,
>
> >>> --tj
>
> >> =============================
>
> >> Test it by punching the brakes on a dirty stretch of road. More likely
> >> you've got seized slider pins on the passenger's side, so it's wearing
> >> that side out 100 times as fast as it's supposed to.
>
> >>www.tegger.comhassome info, or you could google 'honda slider pins'
> >> and get a bunch of hits fromwww.hondasuv.com
>
> >> 'Curly'
>
> > Should I just replace the slider pins on both sides with a new set of
> > pads, and see if the problem goes away?
>
> Just like everything else to do with cars, confirm the diagnosis. I would
> think the first thing you want to do is swing up the caliper (the same way
> you would if when are replacing the pads) & see of the pins move freely. If
> they do, then that's not the problem.
>
> If you find pins that don't move (I agree with Curly, I'll bet you find
> some), see if you can free them. If you can free them, then the pins may
> only need to be cleaned up and re-lubed. If you can't free them, then a new
> caliper might be in order.

Very nice and straight forward answers, thank you. I will post the
results next week.

--tj

" > wrote in news:274d3fd9-4d03-
:

> Hello,
>
> After replacing my brake pads a few times; I think I created a
> problem. Only my front passenger brake is getting used, while the
> driver side has not been applied at all. So, I called the repair
> shop, they said your caliper is bad and you would need to replace both
> calipers.
>
> If I purchased a 1998 Honda Accord 4 CYL EX caliper online, would this
> be a job a novice could replace? Or should I bring it into the shop
> to have them do a full front brake job for $250? And how can I
> confirm the caliper is definitely bad, and is there a way to fix this
> without replacing?
>


Depends entirely on what's wrong.

By your description, the piston is well-seized in its bore, which means
either a rebuild or replacement. No fix for that.

A used caliper is a bad buy if you intend to use it as-is; it is likely
partially seized up as well.

If you must replace the calipers without doing proper diagnosis, get
aftermarket remans from a jobber.

Do not replace just one caliper; your brakes will pull to one side.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

E Meyer wrote:
>
>
> On 4/24/08 12:37 PM, in article
> ,
> " > wrote:
>
>> On Apr 24, 8:55 am, motsco_ > wrote:
>>> wrote:
>>>> Hello,
>>>> After replacing my brake pads a few times; I think I created a
>>>> problem. Only my front passenger brake is getting used, while the
>>>> driver side has not been applied at all. So, I called the repair
>>>> shop, they said your caliper is bad and you would need to replace both
>>>> calipers.
>>>> If I purchased a 1998 Honda Accord 4 CYL EX caliper online, would this
>>>> be a job a novice could replace? Or should I bring it into the shop
>>>> to have them do a full front brake job for $250? And how can I
>>>> confirm the caliper is definitely bad, and is there a way to fix this
>>>> without replacing?
>>>> Regards,
>>>> --tj
>>> =============================
>>>
>>> Test it by punching the brakes on a dirty stretch of road. More likely
>>> you've got seized slider pins on the passenger's side, so it's wearing
>>> that side out 100 times as fast as it's supposed to.
>>>
>>> www.tegger.comhas some info, or you could google 'honda slider pins'
>>> and get a bunch of hits fromwww.hondasuv.com
>>>
>>> 'Curly'
>> Should I just replace the slider pins on both sides with a new set of
>> pads, and see if the problem goes away?
>
> Just like everything else to do with cars, confirm the diagnosis. I would
> think the first thing you want to do is swing up the caliper (the same way
> you would if when are replacing the pads) & see of the pins move freely. If
> they do, then that's not the problem.
>
> If you find pins that don't move (I agree with Curly, I'll bet you find
> some), see if you can free them. If you can free them, then the pins may
> only need to be cleaned up and re-lubed. If you can't free them, then a new
> caliper might be in order.
>

easier than that, if one pad is wearing more than the other, it's the
sliders. if not, it's the piston jamming, just like tegger says. and
it can be both.

unless you know exactly what you're doing in rebuildsville, just
replace. both sides.

On Apr 24, 11:36*am, " >
wrote:
> Hello,
>
> After replacing my brake pads a few times; I think I created a
> problem. *Only my front passenger brake is getting used, while the
> driver side has not been applied at all. *So, I called the repair
> shop, they said your caliper is bad and you would need to replace both
> calipers.
>
> If I purchased a 1998 Honda Accord 4 CYL EX caliper online, would this
> be a job a novice could replace? *Or should I bring it into the shop
> to have them do a full front brake job for $250? *And how can I
> confirm the caliper is definitely bad, and is there a way to fix this
> without replacing?
>
> Regards,
>
> --tj

replacing honda calipers isn't hard. certainly easier than rebuilding
one. afterwards, you will want to bleed the brakes, which goes a lot
easier with another person. might as well completely replace the brake
juice at the time. find out what the correct bleeding sequence is for
the car, they apparently vary from car to car, from my experience.
although i haven't seen anybody who ended up with a problem by doing
it in the wrong order.

like everybody said, though, if it's just the sliders, you don't need
to replace the caliper or even the sliders, just take them out and
grease them up. they pretty much get stuck after a year or so anyway.
but that will show up as wear on one pad from the pair, not wear on
neither pad. if neither pad is wearing, as you said, that's new
caliper time.

biggest problem i've had with rebuilt calipers is that different ones
come with different complements of the little diddly hardware, springs
and shims that sit behind the pads, etc. nothing absolutely critical,
but could affect nose, etc. sometimes two calipers from the same
rebuilder will come with different hardware, that's from a reputable
import parts place. so i save the old stuff and reuse it where
necessary.