Sticking caliper - add it to the list *sigh*

[GazHyde]

Never ends does it...

Was heading over to the Zed Shed to play TVR's with Lee, and started getting a vibration through the steering wheel above 40. Accelerating up to 60 the steering wheel was shaking horrendously, so I slowed down to 30 and carried on a bit to the nearest petrol forecourt. Just as I was pulling in to the forecourt I caught a whiff of hot brake pad...

The drivers front wheel at the centre of the hub was rather warm, and almost lost the tip of a finger tapping the caliper quickly. Stopped for 10 minutes and limped home. I think it may have slackened off again as it was only warm to touch when I got home.

There is a decent website which does calliper seal kits, anyone in the mood to link me to it please

 

[hard top]

You have had about as much luck as me Gaz with your Z's........
Must add, not mechanical, people just kept crashing into it or crashing it.

 

[Mint]

There is a decent website which does caliper seal kits, anyone in the mood to link me to it please...

Is it this one Gaz?
http://brakeparts.co.uk/#!/shop/BMW/Z3/96-03/E36~7~8 Z3 2.2 MODELS/Front - Brake Calipers and Wheel cylinders

 

[t-tony]

There's a few on eBay mate but these look decent value, would only be £25 to do both sides.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ERT-40111...pe:2.2&hash=item43e66ea899:g:qOQAAOSwNphWXVFO

Tony.

ps. You could have them for the weekend too.

 

[simonlincs]

Did the same one on Kate's car at the weekend, straight forward and yes used ebay to find an e36, brand new and got it for £25. Seemed much easier than trying to change seals etc.

 

[t-tony]

Hi Simon, hope you and Kate had a great Christmas and new Year.

Tony.

 

[hacker]

Most caliper sticking is the result of the slides "gumming" up. Other less common problems are the inside square cut seal loosing its elasticity to retract the piston probably a result of the dust boot being torn allowing crap to get inside. Possible a pitted piston but not too common unless again the dust boot was torn or water in the brake fluid.

You can easily see if the slides are acting up by popping out the pads and checking the caliper slides easily back and forth. If not, dealing with the slides will be a cheap and easy fix. They MUST be lubricated and sealed to work properly. If you have access to a compressor, rebuilding the calipers is not hard and the kits are cheap. Just a few pinched fingers till you get the hang of it! I'll bet some guy has posted on YouTube a video showing the process.(hot tip: wear gloves!).....only issue I have with rebuilt calipers is that many companies use cheap seals that aren't the same quality as O.E. (in the U.S. anyway).

BTW, if you warped the rotor that bad, best to toss it and start with a new one. You'll machine the hell out of it to true it up and probably be at or below the minimum spec. for it by the time your done.

 

[GazHyde]

Quick update. I jacked the front corner up and the drivers side is turning freely. Took it for a 5 mile blast and pulled up for a quick check and the caliper was cold enough to touch. So I had a quick bacon butty and went for another 5 mile blast home.

Looks like this is just a warning, and I need to look at it asap. Will be thinking about buying new calipers and doing a complete brake overhaul on the front. GSF give £42 back for each caliper, plus with Lees discount they should work out fairly reasonable. I can then buy the Brembo discs and new pads while I'm at it.

 

[Mnbrennan]

Go for it Gaz, I did the same last year and basically changed the whole of the front brakes. Plus you can paint new calipers more easily on a bench

 

[GazHyde]

Quick update and end to the saga! I've been over the Zed Shed today and we've fitted a replacement drivers front caliper.

Bought Pagid branded refurbished from Euro Car Parts for £78, and when I drop the old one off tomorrow they credit me back £24 of that. So basically cost me £54 and as you can see it's an original BMW caliper!

Took the opportunity to bleed through both front brakes at the time.

Old and crusty!

 

[Mint]

Quick update and end to the saga! I've been over the Zed Shed today and we've fitted a replacement drivers front caliper.
Bought Pagid branded refurbished from Euro Car Parts for £78, and when I drop the old one off tomorrow they credit me back £24 of that. So basically cost me £54 and as you can see it's an original BMW caliper!

Looks good Gaz, when you doing the other side?

 

[GazHyde]

Looks good Gaz, when you doing the other side?

Relatively soon. I shall be replacing the other one and then the front discs and pads when I have some money. This is purely to get me going - or rather stop me from stopping - in the short term. Got some plans brewing for Rosie over the coming months

 

[Mint]

...the front discs and pads...

I went with Pagid when I did mine last year. The discs have an excellent finish, still shiny, unlike the rear (unknown make) ones the garage fitted at MOT time. And no I don't mean the friction surface part, the hub part.

 

[GazHyde]

Will be switching from Pagid which I have currently to Brembo due to the new coating the put on them. They aren't that much more expensive either. Started fitting them as standard in the Zed Shed too.

 

[Mint]

...I went with Pagid when I did mine last year...

I've just checked it was actually Oct 2014 when I did them. What have the Brembo discs got that Pagid don't have?

 

[t-tony]

A name as far as I know Dave. In normal everyday use you would never know the difference. But if as Gaz said you can get Bembo for not much more then Pagid, you just have to choose.

Tony.

 

[GazHyde]

They have a really decent surface coating on the hub part. Don't know if Pagid have caught up with them, but my Pagid discs went a nasty colour within a few days of fitting. It's almost like a smooth powder coated surface.

 

[Mint]

A name as far as I know Dave. In normal everyday use you would never know the difference. But if as Gaz said you can get Bembo for not much more then Pagid, you just have to choose.
Tony.

Fair comment Tony. Just looked at the price on ECP and for the fronts on mine the Pagid are £26.34 and Brembo are £27.66 so yes not much difference. Just over a £1

 

[t-tony]

Well there you are then, but, I fitted Pagid on my Z3 almost 3 years ago on the front and rear and they still look as good as the day they were fitted. One possible cause of discolouration is from overheating,ie sticking calliper's. I can't put it down to heavy use because mine has had a bit of that in the warmer weather.

Tony.

 

[Antm72]

Will be switching from Pagid which I have currently to Brembo due to the new coating the put on them. They aren't that much more expensive either. Started fitting them as standard in the Zed Shed too.

The new Brembo coating is great im going that route with the fronts after fitting the rears already as said hardly any difference in price a couple of quid a side a name you can trust.