What is a Brake Caliper?
What is a Brake Caliper?
As a central part of your car's disc-braking system, the brake caliper is responsible for converting pressure from the master cylinder into friction against the rotor disk.brake caliper This is essential to stopping and slowing the wheels, which is why it's important that your caliper be in good working order. Like any other car component that endures extreme heat and friction during braking, the caliper can be susceptible to damage from wear and tear and should be replaced as soon as possible when you notice signs that it's worn or defective.
A faulty caliper could cause your car to pull to one side or generate excessive brake dust.brake caliper It can also fail to produce enough friction to stop the wheel and could compromise braking power, increasing your chances of an accident.
What is a Brake Caliper?
A brake caliper is a metal device that is attached to the car's brake rotor. It consists of a piston or set of pistons that convert the hydraulic force applied by your foot on the brake pedal into contact with the brake rotor. In most vehicles, the caliper is fitted with a pair of brake pads.
When you step on the brake pedal, the pressure from the master cylinder is transferred to the caliper through the brake lines. The caliper then uses the pistons to push the brake pads against the rotor, pinching the disc and creating the necessary friction to stop the vehicle's wheels.
Brake calipers can be fixed or floating, with two, four, six or even eight pistons. Most front calipers are dual-piston, while many rear calipers are single-piston. A floating caliper has a bracket that surrounds the piston, while a fixed caliper has no surrounding bracket and instead features arches or bulging outlines to identify how many pistons it has.
In either type, the caliper pistons can retract when the brake is not being used to keep the brake pad from contacting the rotor disc. However, this is not a permanent solution and the pistons will eventually fail to retract when they are subjected to the high temperatures generated during braking.
The most common symptoms of a failing caliper include leaking brake fluid and uneven wear on the brake pads. Another sign of a failing caliper is a squealing sound that is created when the piston becomes stuck or fails to move at all. If you suspect your calipers are starting to go bad, get in touch with an experienced garage from BookMyGarage and schedule an appointment to have them repaired or replaced right away.
Rebuilding vs Replacement
Depending on the condition of your calipers, they can be rebuilt rather than replaced. Rebuilding a caliper involves disassembling it and re-cleaning its components, such as the pistons, bushings, and slide pins. It is also possible to upgrade a caliper by replacing its components with higher-performance ones, such as stainless steel pistons or silicone seals.
The only downside of rebuilding a caliper is that it can be difficult to find parts that match the originals. A caliper designed for a different vehicle's brake rotor may not line up with the mounting holes on the knuckle, or it might be built for a different rotor depth. Using an incorrect part can result in damage to the caliper, brake pads and your hands. You can avoid this by buying a new or remanufactured caliper from an auto parts store, or by having your existing ones rebuilt with a caliper rebuild kit.
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