Brake Calipers - What Are They And How They Work

Brakes are extremely important to safeguard your vehicle from accidents. A brake consists of calipers which play a crucial role in the functioning of brakes. It is imperative to monitor the functioning of these calipers if you want the brakes to keep functioning smoothly.

If you are wondering what are calipers in a brake and how they function, keep reading to learn more.

What Are Brake Calipers?

A brake caliper is an essential component of a car's braking system that squeezes the rotors of the wheel. As soon as a driver applies breaks, due to the generation of hydraulic pressure on the piston of calipers, they exert pressure on the wheels. This decelerates the car to finally stop it. There is a separate caliper for each wheel. Disc brakes, which are popularly used these days in vehicles, contain brake calipers.

How Do Brake Calipers Work?

When a driver needs to stop the car, they press the brake pedal. This causes a portion of brake calipers to press against brake pads. They have friction lining, which exerts pressure on the disc attached to the wheels. The remaining portion of the disc dissipates the heat generated due to friction. This results in deceleration of the wheels and finally stops the vehicle.

When Do Calipers Malfunction?

There can be several reasons for your brakes to go bad. A few of them are:

There can be times when your vehicle encounters a sudden shock on roads due to rock or potholes. This can severely affect the brakes of your vehicle.
Calipers are made of metals. Hence, there lies a high chance that they will rust with time. This reduces their performance in the long run.
Calipers are protected from overheating of brake pads by the friction materials. However, there are chances that this friction material will get destroyed over time. Then, there are chances of the calliper getting destroyed due to excess heat.
There are times when the calipers do not function as they wear out. During those times, it would be best to lubricate the calipers to function smoothly.

What Are the Signs of Faulty Brake Calipers?

When a brake caliper starts to worsen, your car can give out several indications. These include:

When you press the brakes, you might feel prominent vibrations in the pedal, which is a direct indication. This mainly occurs because the calipers are not able to release properly.
At times you might observe smoke coming out of the wheels with a burning smell. This indicates that the brakes are stuck and need immediate attention.
While applying brakes, you might at times notice that your car pulls on one side. This signals that one of the breaks has stopped functioning; hence the entire pressure is falling on the calipers of only one wheel.
One of the most obvious indications to look for is the brake lights. They give you a prominent signal to look for when you feel that there is some problem with your brake's calipers.
You might, at times, notice that the brake pad wears down prematurely. This can be due to a faulty caliper.
Leakage of brake fluid is another prominent indicator that the caliper is at fault. You can easily identify oil spots on the parking of your car to determine the same.
At times, while driving, you can hear a clunking sound. You must not ignore it as this might be the calipers trying to draw your attention toward its deteriorating condition.
Another noise that you can hear is a high-pitched squealing sound. When you hear them, you must understand what your vehicle's brake is trying to communicate with you.

When to Replace Brake Calipers?

You must replace your vehicle's brake calipers as soon as you start noticing the signals. Brake calipers play a crucial role in the functioning of vehicles and, in turn, preventing accidents. Hence any delay can prove to be fatal.

Brake calipers have better durability compared to other parts of a brake. However, you can take precautions against failing brake calipers by lubricating them or cleaning them once every time you decide to go for brake servicing.

What Are the Types of Brake Calipers?

Brake calipers are of three types:

Floating brake calipers: They have pistons only on one side of the rotor, making it slide back and forth towards its inboard side.
Fixed brake calipers: They are fixed using a bracket and usually lack sliding pins. The numbers of pistons on both sides are equal and offer better performance.
Sliding caliper: it works on a similar principle as floating calipers. Here the brakes are attached to caliper adapters.

Now you must have a clear idea about what are calipers and how to identify if they are losing their longevity. Additionally, you must monitor the other parts of your vehicle's brakes to ensure their smooth functioning.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How long do brake calipers last?

A brake caliper can last up to 10 years. They can support your car's vehicle up to 1,00,000 miles, provided that you avoid rash driving or driving your car on rough roads.

What are the parts of a brake caliper?

The different parts of a caliper are the disc rotor, caliper frame, piston, caliper bracket, slider pin, and brake pad. These perform various functions such as:

Disc rotor: The brake pads press against the rotors to stop the vehicle.
Piston: It pushes the lever to apply force on the brake pad.
Slider pin: These pins generally slide into the hole when you apply brakes.
Dust shoes: These prevent the accumulation of dust on calipers and enhance their smooth functioning.
Brake pad: They connect brakes with the wheels and decelerate your vehicle to ultimately stop them.
Caliper bracket: They hold the calipers in proper position and prevent their dislocation.

How can you maintain brake calipers?

You can maintain the brakes of your vehicle by:

Lubricating them time-to-time
Clean dust boots at regular intervals
Servicing them timely