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Brake caliper choices

5K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  can 
#1 ·
Our 2005 Honda Pilot has 139,000 miles on it and one of the rear brake calipers was dragging recently. It sounds bad when driving and there are obvious grooves in one rotor. A trusted technician recommends replacing both rear calipers as well as rotors and pads since we'll likely keep this vehicle for a while. He also recommends not using Honda calipers and says other brands have better warranties and lifetime. I think they source their parts through O'Reilly auto stores.

What do you think? Does it make sense to replace both calipers at once? Are Honda calipers better or is another brand better?
 
#2 ·
Run.
But seriously:
Replace brake fluid, lubricate pins well, break in the pads and rotors using correct procedure and see if that improves things.
 
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#3 ·
I agree. I wouldn't throw out my OEM caliper for something from OReilly's....not a chance. When you change pads, make sure you clean ALL the rust off of the caliper brackets where the clips mate into the bracket. Then be sure and replace the clips with quality stainless hardware. The professional series brake pads from Advance Auto usually come with this hardware. Be sure and lube the bracket between the clips and the bracket. Unless your caliper is actually frozen or leaking I wouldn't change it.
 
#4 ·
I'm going to take things apart when weather here permits and see if the caliper can be cleaned up so it moves properly. The local Honda deal wants $200 for one new caliper and the O'Reilly's brand with lifetime warranty is $73.

Is it possible to rebuild the caliper if it's not moving properly? I see a few kits on Amazon and JC Whittney, but the Honda dealer and parts places say they only sell the entire caliper.

Here's what I've heard to break in new pads and rotors:
1. Find an open road without much traffic.
2. Get the vehicle up to about 35mph and brake moderately down to 10mph without letting it stop completely. Do this five times.
3. Get the vehicle up to about 50mph and brake moderately down to 10mph without letting it stop completely. Do this five times.
4. That's it. They should operate properly now.

Does that process sound right for Honda Pilots?
 
#5 ·
It's not easy. You can get rebuilt kits, which basically include an O-ring and maybe other stuff, but compressing the O-ring and re-inserting the piston is the most difficult part. You most likely going to need a special tool to compress the ring.
 
#6 ·
Rebuilding a brake caliper is not that easy. My TL's front caliper seized because the dust boot was torn and dirt made its way to cause the caliper piston not to move. I bought a rebuild kit (includes an O-ring and a dust boot). I used compress air to get the piston out. The most difficult part is reinserting the piston and the new dust boot back into the caliper. Took a few tries but I managed to do it.
 
#7 ·
How does one determine if a caliper is operating properly? I'm assuming it would be best to put the back end of the pilot on jack stands, remove both tires, and watch how the calipers on both sides operate with one person operating the brake pedal with the engine running. Most likely one side appears to be fine but the other is dragging and has scarred the rotor.

If the caliper on one side is not retracting the pads and piston all the way (i.e. the same amount on the other side that works) I'll remove the caliper on the bad side, clean and grease all the parts involved, replace the brackets if needed, and then put them back with the old pads and rotor as a test. If the caliper then seems appears to be operating properly and both sides look to be behaving the same, I'll conclude the caliper is okay. The next step then would be to replace the rotor and pads on that previously bad side and see if all is good after that.

It's a bit tempting to go ahead and replace the pads, grease, and clean the opposite side as well. If the rotor there is fine, I'll likely leave it.

Do you have any advice to add? Any tests to perform or items to inspect carefully? I've replaced pad and rotors many times but haven't had to inspect calipers before.
 
#8 ·
All parts have to move freely. The piston obviously takes some force to move in and out, but it should still not be too hard to move. The slider has to move freely. Not rocket science at all. Usually if a piston is clean, it should be fine. If it started to rust, I'd be concerned and probably replace it with the OEM part.
 
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