Damn... my freakin rear caliper on the driver side fell off friday!!! Just got back from the sister wedding in Yakima today. I was suppose to visit the infamous joe_r, but a NO-GO!!!
Had my car ready for a small road trip to Wenatchee and Yakima. Checked all the nessary: oil level, tire pressure, spark plugs, torque lug nuts, coolant fluid, and even checked to make sure the stage 2 wastegate bolts and pin are ok. Everything was a GO. Brought the full size stock rim spare and tools too. Just in case(good thing).
Heading towards the on ramp I-5 North... I hear small rattle in the rear like everytime I hit a bump. I've had this rattle since the time I bought the car but always thought it was the coilover suspension. That day... the rattling noise was a bit louder. I am about to get on the on ramp to I-5 north to I-90... give the car a little gas on the on ramp and I here a PING... (I am thinking my stage 2 wastegate pin broke)... few seconds later... BOOooommmm..... Crunch!!! Pull over immediately to the shoulder and shut the car off. At this point I am thinking my engine took a dump on me because of Stage 2 wastegate. I get out of the car and prop the hood open. Nothing!!! No burst of fluids... wastegate was fine. Looked underneath the car... Nothing... no fluids or shattered parts. WTF at this point... I even looked back at the road to see if I had hit anything. I start to walk around the car to do a visual check and as soon as I get to the rear of the driver side. My caliper is wedge inbetween the inside of the wheel and the rotor. Freaking A... I am pissed. The caliper fell off... scraped part of the rear rotor and rim... and three of my spokes have a small chunk of metal ripped. Good thing I pulled over right away because my rear caliper with the brake lines did not even make a full revolution. Damn my brake lines would have been pissing brake fluid. The caliper bolts and clip holding the brake pad missing... I got the caliper un-wedged and zip-tie the brake line and caliper to the supsension. Finally I walked back up the shoulder lane and found my brake pad, and some other piece of metal... but no bolts. Luckly I lived close and drove the car back to my home safely. Driving home... I did not hear the rattleing noise I always here when driving over small bumps or imperfection on the road. That is why I think the rattling noise was the caliper. Grrrrrrr!!!! Parking my car... my brakes start to feel musheee and soft... my brake fluid is leakin. Well that was my Friday.
Overall... I am pissed about my car caliper falling off and not being able to visit joe r. Good news... is that I am glad it happen close to home and not happen while driving to Wenatchee/Yakima... and I made it to my older sisters wedding. My uncle told me he's never heard of a caliper just falling off... plus I have never touch the rear brakes. Just had to rant/rave and give you guys a heads up if you hear any rattling sounds... it could be the caliper. Thanks for readin!!!
Nathan
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POS SRT-4 Just waiting for another part to fall off!
Last edited by RedEuroNeon : 07-03-2006 at 01:32 AM.
Ya.. I know... I never heard of a brake caliper falling off a car... I have never had a brake job... never touched the brake. The brakes are all stock... the only fault that is mine is not visually checking up on the caliper bolts. I always did a visual check on the pads. Grrrrrr... I work in the tire shop and frequently check my car.
Hahahahahaha.... yeah... I was even in the right lane shoulder checking the nuts. Sorta did a cough too... it hurts a little. Just got to get sum new nuts and brakes.
When dealing with any objects that have high vibration you should use a thread sealent/filler, this along with proper torque will greatly deminish the chances of bolts backing out/breaking. I use Loctite 242 on all mounting bolts for brake caliper installs along with proper torque. Some manufactures go as far as using Loctite 262 to secure brake calipers.
I forgot to add take a class and do brakes yourself. I can't trust my life to someone else doing a poor repair. I'm sorry doesn't cut it after an accident. If you don't believe me ask my cousin in Florida.
Last edited by turbofrog : 07-03-2006 at 12:20 PM.
Damn Nathan, I'm glad you are all right. I've never heard of a brake caliper falling off. I suspect someone took it off before you bought the car and didn't put it back on right. It was just sitting there loose and vibrating until the eventual..........BOOM!
You have the worse luck in 2006. Lay low brother.......
I do have the worst luck... I still need to replace my throttle cable. Just got my car back three weeks ago because I hit a curb on my front passenger side. Had to replace the front passenger hub, knuckle, bearing, rotor, and rim. Replaced my bronze rims with new Black rims. These black rims are only two weeks old and the rear caliper damage them. I am going to call discount tire to see if they can help me out... probably no warranty!!!
I am bringing my car back to the place that always does my work... Highline Frame & Wheel Alignment in Burien. There family owned Suspension Specialist and they do brakes, bearings, shocks, struts, cv joints, differentials, steering gears, and computer 4-way alignment.
Thanks for the advise guys... I will mention this to Highline.
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Rear Caliper falling off!!!!
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