Should I Buy A New Brake Caliper?

[brc19761]

My 94 Pathfinder LE has given me fits for the past two months. You can tell that from my many post on here lately. Everything has been fixed and still working. Last Thursday something totally out of the blue happened. My Dad and Mom took my Pathfinder to take my two nephews out to eat. I didn't even know they were gone in it. I was super busy and I get a phone call from my Dad saying I had to come pick them up. He said the front brake caliper must have froze up b/c they started smelling something (a brake pad smell) and the driver's side front wheel rotor was glowing red.

 

I went back to work on my Pathfinder. I got to the caliper and took it off and I got the two pistons to work fine. The seals looked good and no brake fluid was leaking from the caliper. I sprayed the caliper and pistons with wd-40. Got it home and the next day I drove it for several miles and nothing happened. The closer I got it home the more I stomped on the brakes and the caliper did not lock up. I have been driving it around for the last couple of days testing the brakes pretty hard and it has not froze up again.

 

So, should I trust the caliper or buy a new one?

 

brc

[ahardb0dy]

they are cheap enough, replace it.

 

Better safe than sorry

Edited August 12, 2014 by ahardb0dy

[k9sar]

second that. I caught a sale on advance auto for 15% off plus a $25 coupon off my next $50 purchase. Replaced both of mine in 2 stages to take advantage of the coupon. Another thing to consider... this was not on a pathy but might be worth a look. My father had a brake issue with his dodge where the brakes would not release and things got hot and such. Turns out that the clamp that was holding his rubber brake hose had started to rust and, as it did, constricted the brake line to the point where it would allow fluid to flow if he put on the brake but it was a strong enough crimp to prevent the pistons from releasing.

[kdj]

I'll third that. I mean they're your brakes, why mess around you might need them some time.

[brc19761]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I knew the answer would be to get a new one. Especially on a vehicle that is twenty years old no matter how good of shape it is in. I just didn't know if this was a common problem on the Pathfinders.

 

 

Thanks again,

 

brc

[brc19761]

I did forget to mention one thing. On the driver side front the plastic inner fender portion is missing. It was like that when I bought the Pathfinder. A few days prior to the caliper freezing up I filled up the windshield wiper plastic tank under the hood that sets on the driver side. When I bought the truck it had a small leak in it and I fixed it. When I went to pick my parents and nephews up after my Dad called me and said the caliper had froze up. I looked under the Pathfinder and I thought it was leaking break fluid really bad. When I went back to work on the Pathfinder it was water leaking not brake fluid. The water was coming from the windshield water tank. The crack started leaking again. I don't know if water had been leaking on the caliper with the inner fender gone or not. If it was could that have made the caliper lock up?

[SpecialWarr]

I can't really see how as they are built to be in the water on a street car, let alone a truck. I pulled front brakes some weeks ago to replace a wheel bearing and water came out of the piston bellows, brakes worked fine then and fine now. Did you find any loose bolts? how are the wheel bearings and alignment of the truck? Ball joints leaking? Not being a mechanic but spending a lot of time working on vehicles I've noted that finding the worn out things and fixing those will often solve other "problems"! Loose wheel bearings might lean the truck out to the drivers' side if the tension rods are loose enough, loose tension rods might make the truck feel a bit light on the roads also. I fixed both of those recently and I swear I traded the truck in for a new one! All that to say: what other things need replacement on the front end?

[brc19761]

I have put new sway bar bushings on and brand new tires a few months ago. I have checked everything else out and everything looks ok. I have worked on vehicles myself for many years. My Pathfinder only has 80,000 original miles on it. When I get the time and the money I want to replace both inner and outer tie rod ends on both sides then have it aligned.