Seized Caliper

[Dave]

My mother's GPX has a seized caliper, anyone know how to stop this happening, it's the second time it's happened in about 2 months.

[CJ]

My mother's GPX has a seized caliper, anyone know how to stop this happening, it's the second time it's happened in about 2 months.

Sounds like you'll need to replace the piston seals, Camskill sell a seal kit IIRC.

CJ

[Dave]

Nice one CJ..... Mechanic was on about having to get a new caliper!! sounded dodge to me!!

[RiceRocketUk]

I can probably get a seal kit, i do the calipers as well, have to check on price though. Pm me if interested

[MadMax]

My calipers jammed on me and I got the seals replaced. The genuine Mitsubishi parts (front caliper seal kit) cost me €50 in Elm motors in Limerick. It’s a rip off price for what you get but that’s the price you pay for genuine Mitsubishi parts. Mine is FTO GR, the GPX should be around the same price.

[macspratt]

Dave,,i had the same prob myself,when i first got the car,,i tryed evrything,pulling back the seals to WD40 them and using a G clamp to free the piston,,i worked ok for a few weeks and then went back to normal,,like CJ said seals will sort out the pro,,but have a look on e-bay as i finished up getting a full caliper in ex condition for £10"worth a look"
That was 4 months ago and has been ok ever since..

AIDAN,,,PASSION RED GR....

[Kace]

We used a G-Clamp and even hit it a couple of times solidly with a fibre lump hammer to try and free the piston - seems to be stuck solid.

Anyone got a quick description of how to get the seal kit installed if the piston is seized solid ? I know how to get everything off to get the calliper exposed but don't know how to go about getting it out so that the seal could be replaced.

Ta

[CJ]

[quoteAnyone got a quick description of how to get the seal kit installed if the piston is seized solid ? I know how to get everything off to get the calliper exposed but don't know how to go about getting it out so that the seal could be replaced.[/quote]

Bit of a catch 22 situation there, you need to get the piston out to replace the seals. Is the seized piston prodtruding out of the caliper at all?

CJ

[Kace]

It's protruding a little bit - enough that I couldn't get the calliper to travel down over a new set of pads. However even with a g-clamp and hammering (quite hard) we couldn't free the piston. I had to put back in the old pads afterwards as a result.

Only thing I can think of right now is to try and spray WD40 all over the piston edges to try and get it lubricated and maybe it will free up.

Does the piston just pull out if it's free to move ?

[CJ]

Only thing I can think of right now is to try and spray WD40 all over the piston edges to try and get it lubricated and maybe it will free up.

Does the piston just pull out if it's free to move ?

It would definetely be worthwhile leaving it overnight soaked in WD40. Now I wouldn't strictly recommend this approach but it worked for me when I had a sticky caliper - there was enough of the caliper protruding for me to clamp a vice grips onto it, I managed to free it by twisting from side to side, you just need to be careful not to rip the seal though. The problem with this method is that theres the possibility of damaging the surface of the piston which can impact on piston travel, I marked mine slightly during the process so I took it out and cleaned it up with some fine grade wet 'n dry sandpaper. Make sure and lubricate the barrel with brake fluid before fitting the piston back in place.

If all else fails, theres always steelroe or Ricerocket!

CJ

[Kace]

Anyone know where I could pick up a cheapie G-Clamp. I forgot to bring them from my parents and would like to work on the brakes this weekend and soak the calliper as you suggest.

[agent s]

On another note... How cool is your Mum!!!

[CJ]

Anyone know where I could pick up a cheapie G-Clamp. I forgot to bring them from my parents and would like to work on the brakes this weekend and soak the calliper as you suggest.

I saw them in Halfords (Blanch) last week, any decent hardware should stock 'em...

CJ