Brake caliper recommendations...

1

1doohan

Member
 Hendon...N.London
Due to lack of use and being kept on the road my front offside caliper is sticking on. Took car to local garage today....their diagnosis is its seized solid...needs "breaking off" and new one installed. Their price is £220 just for one caliper ....on ebay you can buy a new one for £40. So is a cheap one any good or is there a recommended replacement...or buy a used genuine and refurb with seals? Do both front at same time or just the faulty one? All recommendations welcomed. Happy Easter. :thumbsup:
 
£220 is a ridiculous price. They surely will only be fitting a cheap caliper (nothing really wrong with that). So they are estimating how many hours of labour? 4? 5!?

I would be pulling the caliper and attempting to pump the piston out with the engine running. Don't go mad on the pedal; not good to push the master cylinder seals right down onto the potentially dirty cylinder walls that are never used.

I have never seen a caliper seize so badly that the brake servo won't pop the piston out. I know it can happen, but I just can't see it happening on a Zed that doesn't exactly see crazy harsh environments.

Once the piston is out, fit new seals and a new piston. Rebuild kits are cheap 15 - 20ish quid. And then find a better mechanic 😉

Failing that, (and assuming the caliper really is that stuck) I would fit an aftermarket, cheaper caliper. Cheaper calipers aren't death traps, they just aren't finished too well. But let's face it, nor are the ones from BMW! A lick of paint before fitting will keep it looking fresh. Good excuse to paint them all 😁
 
If it was my car I would pop the piston out the other side when you are done and reassemble that one too with new seals and a smear of silicon grease where the dust boot lip sits on the casting and on the piston. :thumbsup:
That should keep them water tight for another few years.
Happy Easter!
 
Some years ago I bought a cheap caliper without a name on it (for another car) from a 4 x 4 specialist. It had a 12 month warranty and it siezed after 12 months and 1 week. Nowadays I buy one with a name that I recognise.
The OSF caliper on the Z4 siezed last year. I bought a Pagid caliper from Eurocarparts for just over £80. Fitting is straightforward. £220 sounds excessive.
 
oldgit said:
Some years ago I bought a cheap caliper without a name on it (for another car) from a 4 x 4 specialist. It had a 12 month warranty and it siezed after 12 months and 1 week. Nowadays I buy one with a name that I recognise.
The OSF caliper on the Z4 siezed last year. I bought a Pagid caliper from Eurocarparts for just over £80. Fitting is straightforward. £220 sounds excessive.
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Thanks for the replies. Think I'll risk a £30 new caliper...used ones are similar in price and will prob need a refurb on top.
Eurocarparts want £117. Found Brembo for £80.
This garage I went to are slightly unreasonable...they wont entertain fitting any parts unless sourced through them. I did see a eurocarparts return bin so guess they make a hefty profit on parts. End of the day it's their business their rules. Will be interesting to see how "seized solid " caliper is.
 
1doohan said:
Will be interesting to see how "seized solid " caliper is.
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Keep us posted. Hopefully you can pop the piston out before removing it.
That way if the new one does seize up you can refurb the original. :thumbsup:
 
That job is way too big for my capabilities. Not so much removing caliper...bleeding the system is the issue.If it is seized solid....a garage is prob best equipped to deal with it.
 
bowser134 said:
£220 is expensive for that repair. ECP Pagid calipers are actually refurbished original BMW calipers.
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It is bearing in mind that is just for the cost of the caliper.
 
I think I paid about £70 for a pagid caliper (oem BMW part) from ECP but had to return my old one to them. Im not mechanically minded and will say my skills only go to basic car servicing but had no problems when changing the caliper.
 
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