Brake caliper/pad "retaining" clips

[Peter Hill]

I think the wire loop at the upper end could do with being pushed a bit further in.

[MrCheerful]

That spring wire pulls the caliper toward its bracket, taking up any play on the sliding pins, and stops the caliper shaking about. It does not touch the pad. New ones are easily obtained, running without them will not stop the brakes working, but you might get sqeal or shudder.

[Dave Liquorice]

Fall back to examination of the removed bits for marks left where bits contact each other.

[Roger Mills]

True. However, we *have* had the car from new and its only done about

35,000 miles in its 20 year life. I haven't serviced it myself, but know that the discs and/or pads haven't previously been replaced - so there's no reason why the clips would have been replaced.

[Roger Mills]

I agree that it looks that way - but if I try, it pivots on the caliper and starts to push the raw end out of its hole. It should move further in as the pads wear - but may take a while. the previous ones lasted 20 years!

[Roger Mills]

Trouble is that, after fitting new pads, the caliper and its carrier end up in different relative position. So a photo may not have helped anyway.

But many thanks to all who have replied. I now feel happy that they're ok.

[The discs and pads were an "advisory" in the previous MOT (last March) so I have replaced them myself at an all-in cost of £35 rather than paying the garage about £200 to do it. I don't want them to be able to criticise what I've done when they MOT it this March].

[Commander Kinsey]

You fixed something before it was required?! I'd have waited to see if it was upgraded from advisory to "must" on the next MOT.

[RJH]

Good guide - and the end of the video shows the clip is not in contact with the pad. Very odd section on bleeding the brakes . . .

[T i m]

Phew, we got there in the end. ;-)

I was making the point because it's dangerous to assuming that because you found something some way that was the way it was intended to be,

*unless* you can minimise that by knowing it had come out of the factory like that (but it's still possibly it was incorrect from the factory etc (hence recalls etc)). 'Original clips' could have meant they hadn't been replaced by you / this time round (and hence the qualification).

Agreed. So that's *officially* another question we can (probably) cross off the list then. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Steve Walker]

Doing one side at a time is even better - a full, 3d item to inspect from all angles and copy!

SteveW

[Fredxx]

I did think the bleeding of brakes was a little short of the mark. Also very little fluid came out after unscrewing the caliper implying the pipe was clamped somewhere.

I have used gravity to bleed brakes with a lot of success. It very much depends on the vehicle.

Also no torquing done on those sliding bolts.

[Roger Mills]

Bleeding?! I wouldn't drive that car after what he did - would you?

I'm not sure how usual it is to replace just the caliper, retaining the old disc and pads.

But as far as removing and re-fitting the spring goes, it was good!

[The Natural Philosopher]

If they are in good nick why not?

[Roger Mills]

Under what circumstances would you replace the caliper? Surely, unless it was physically broken - which that one didn't appear to be - it would be cheaper to refurbish it with new seals, etc.

[T i m]

Seized / worn piston(s). Scored bore / Leaking?

Wasn't there some talk of changing the rules re d-i-y brake refurbishment?

Many garages won't refurb because it's often cheaper to replace (in labour terms) and less risk to them should something go wrong.

Cheers, T i m

[MrCheerful]

Not nowadays, most calipers are quite cheap, and the skills needed to rebuild one properly are sadly lacking. The last ones I remember doing needed 8 pistons plus seals, over two hundred quids worth 20 years ago.

Same with most parts now, cheaper to buy a unit than fix the old.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

And many garages don't seem to have mechanics anymore - merely fitters of new parts.

What makes sense to someone paying £150 an hour labour may be total nonsense to a competent DIYer.

[Roger Hayter]

I still have a set seals for a Riello oil burner pump off my old boiler. I was going to repair the spare, but got a new pump for speed and reliability of repair, in midwinter. Since then the boiler failed. But if it hadn't been so cold I think I could have saved about 50 GBP.

[Steve Walker]

It can be as cheap to replace sometimes. I bought a pair for my kitcar and as a company was selling off old stock, it cost me less than £25 for two brand new calipers!

When one of the calipers on my wife's car seized, it was time that was the decider. A refurb kit would have taken two or three days to arrive, but I could pick up another caliper in an hour.

SteveW