I replaced my pads, rotors, and full brake fluid flush about a year ago. Calipers are all stock and vehicle is at around 90k miles.
I noticed last Friday after a drive to my cabin I heard a noise at arrival from right rear when backing up and discovered that wheel was pretty hot. Thermal gun showed it around 450 degrees compared to around 100-125 for the other rotors.
I have far less tools at my cabin than my house for full size rigs so had to make do with what I had before I could run into town. Tools I have are more biased toward motorsports gear.
Caliper comes off fine and compresses easily. No indication of a collapsed line either. Slide pins looked like they could use some extra lube but again do move and brake hardware didn't have abnormal buildup.
No drag of parking brake drums nor any play or sounds that there are any bearing problems.
I then took another test drive... temp is now about 100 degrees lower at around 350.
Next day I get a few things from town but pick up some caliper lube.
I take things apart again and exercise the piston a few times with a c-clamp to make sure it doesn't pop out. I then thoroughly wire brush off any residue from hardware and lube up pins.
Now temp is down another 100 degrees to around 200-250. On another drive it seemed even lower so may have temporarily freed up something but still needs to be addressed.
Unless there is something upstream at the brake valve body I assume the caliper has some minor scoring/corrosion or that the seal within the caliper to help retract is worn out or deformed.
I'm not opposed to a rebuild but I think I will get a new caliper this time and use the old one as a learning tool of procedure when I need to do the other. I know rebuild kits are dirt cheap compared to a new replacement but I'm fine with that in this case if I get some knowledge out of it. Honestly never had to replace or rebuild calipers on any of my vehicles over the years. I guess I was lucky.
Thoughts, Comments, Criticisms all appreciated
I noticed last Friday after a drive to my cabin I heard a noise at arrival from right rear when backing up and discovered that wheel was pretty hot. Thermal gun showed it around 450 degrees compared to around 100-125 for the other rotors.
I have far less tools at my cabin than my house for full size rigs so had to make do with what I had before I could run into town. Tools I have are more biased toward motorsports gear.
Caliper comes off fine and compresses easily. No indication of a collapsed line either. Slide pins looked like they could use some extra lube but again do move and brake hardware didn't have abnormal buildup.
No drag of parking brake drums nor any play or sounds that there are any bearing problems.
I then took another test drive... temp is now about 100 degrees lower at around 350.
Next day I get a few things from town but pick up some caliper lube.
I take things apart again and exercise the piston a few times with a c-clamp to make sure it doesn't pop out. I then thoroughly wire brush off any residue from hardware and lube up pins.
Now temp is down another 100 degrees to around 200-250. On another drive it seemed even lower so may have temporarily freed up something but still needs to be addressed.
Unless there is something upstream at the brake valve body I assume the caliper has some minor scoring/corrosion or that the seal within the caliper to help retract is worn out or deformed.
I'm not opposed to a rebuild but I think I will get a new caliper this time and use the old one as a learning tool of procedure when I need to do the other. I know rebuild kits are dirt cheap compared to a new replacement but I'm fine with that in this case if I get some knowledge out of it. Honestly never had to replace or rebuild calipers on any of my vehicles over the years. I guess I was lucky.
Thoughts, Comments, Criticisms all appreciated
