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Hi guys,
About Easter time last year, my rear right (passenger-side) brake caliper failed and started binding. I sent it away to have it re-manufactured, as they don’t seem to make calipers for my car any more (very early N16 almera, May 2000).
It seems to have failed again. The car has been performing very poorly and drinking the petrol up. However, Apex Motor Factors have said that the part (even though it is re-manufactured) is under a 12-month warranty and they’re taking it back to be fixed up again, at no cost to myself.
I’ll be missing the car for a while, and I am worried about fitting the new caliper myself (hydraulics, and the huge potential for topping myself if I don’t get it right!) but nevertheless, it’s great that Apex are doing this for me, and even better is that I don’t need to shell out a fortune for a new part!
So, just out of interest, has anyone else had problems like this?
Thanks,
Cobra
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Replacing only one brake caliper is like replacing one shock absorber or one brake pad. It’s best done as a set. If you replace only one then other always breaks soon anyway.
Why? They’re completely independent.
You guys are never going to believe this, but the front-right caliper failed yesterday.
It’s seized and binding, but still OK for another short run. I should be able to get it to the garage tomorrow – I don’t have the time to sort it myself, so I’ve got to pay £200 for a new caliper, pads and labour… Annoying, considering how short on cash I am right now, and how much I just need things to work so I can get on and finish this degree…
Still, at least there’s only one left that can fail!
Quote:You guys are never going to believe this, but the front-right caliper failed yesterday.It’s seized and binding, but still OK for another short run. I should be able to get it to the garage tomorrow – I don’t have the time to sort it myself, so I’ve got to pay £200 for a new caliper, pads and labour… Annoying, considering how short on cash I am right now, and how much I just need things to work so I can get on and finish this degree…
Still, at least there’s only one left that can fail!
:yikes:
If its not one thing its another!! Its amazing how things work sometimes isn’t it? My sympathies Cobra! :salut:
I’m not best pleased, but that’s what happens when you own a car, I suppose. Weird thing is, this car gave my parents five years of reliable service, and I drove it for the last few of those years. In the year that I’ve actually owned it, it has broken down four times. Once due to a snapped engine earth lead (the RAC fixed that roadside for me) and three times due to seized brake calipers.
It’s not as if I don’t care for my car, either – I drive it respectfully, I keep it clean and highly polished, it has the best oil, fluids, components and fuel. Everything critical gets checked every two weeks when I clean the car and I inspect everything every month. If I get even a whiff of something beginning to fail I check it out right away – that’s how I picked up on this caliper so early, before it was totally seized up, and the last one.
The car certainly gets a lot more attention than when my parents owned it. I’m not tinkering with it, either – see with your eyes, not your hands – so I’m not constantly fiddling with the brakes or anything else, just keeping tabs on how well the wheels rotate, how hot they get after a long trip, watching oil and fluid levels and so on.
Maybe if I stop caring, it will stop failing?
Well, spent a few hours at Kwik-Fit today, and it’s sorted. They took it out for a test run, and it performed well. It was also tested on a rolling road, with a 7% pull on the new caliper – well within the 25% MOT-specified tolerances.
When it was waiting for a test on the rolling road, one of the staff (a guy called Calum) offered to repair the dent I had above my left wheel arch. I gave him a hand to get it done – it just pushed out/hammered out. Still a bit creased, and it’s still fairly obvious, but it looks soooo much better without the huge dent! I had £5 left in my wallet (I’d hoped I’d had £10, but I didn’t) but that’s still enough for a couple of pints for him. Good guy.
So, the car is now A1 again, and the brakes are guaranteed. Here’s hoping!
To all the UK users, I’d recommend Kwik-Fit. Seem to be very good.
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