90 camry front caliber

[mitsubishi2001]

Anyone know if the caliber is stuck. I have the 90 camry, the car sit for 2 week. I took a drive today, and notice the front driver side brake smell like burning,and smoke come out. stop the car and feel the heat from the rim, and it hot. do you think my brake pad get stuck or the caliber is gone.

I clean up early but still do the same thing. how do you check, or notice if the caliber is gone.

Thank you

[gator2764]

If one caliper is sticking it is best to replace both of them. They don't cost that much at an auto parts store such as Advance Auto and they are easy to replace.

[Mike Gerber]

There are 2 ways a caliper can "stick". The first is if moisture gets behind the piston seal and rusts the caliper piston in place. If this happens, the caliper must be replaced or rebuilt. The second way is if a caliper "slide pin" rusts and sticks in place causing the caliper not to move/slide back and forth. This can be repaired. If this happens, you can take the caliper off and put it aside (without removing the hydraulic line) and then take the caliper mounting bracket off (Toyota calls it a torque plate for some reason), and remove the stuck caliper slide pin. It will be a bit difficult but if you work at it it can be done using vicegrips and a vice to hold the bracket and some penetrating oil. Then clean up the hole the pin goes in to, using sand paper or better yet a sand/bead blaster. Then blow out all the sand/blasting media inside the hole, and then put some high temperature disc brake grease inside the hole. Now put some of the same grease on the new caliper slide pin and insert it. It should move in and out of the hole after replacement. You may also have to replace the little rubber accordian boot that goes in to the bracket also. These parts are cheap. If you go to a dealer, the pin should be about $15 and the boot about $10. Now reinstall the bracket and then the caliper itself and you are done.

Good luck.

Mike

[mitsubishi2001]

Thank you for reply, i attemped to fix the problem twice. first i just clean up the brake pad, and bracket before i got the reply from you. i don't beleive the car is "broken" when it is not running.......

second attemped to clean up those pins, it got better but still, then I cleaned up the piston, and installed it back, and it worked. I am not to sure for how long. It is my second car, I used this for going to dumpter, therefore I try not put to much money in to it.

I think the camry is the greatest car. i got my 187k I try to reach 200k. my is still the have many origin parts (radiator, starter, alternator, etc....) and never burn oil.

[Mike Gerber]

Glad you got the problem solved.

Mike

[Mike Gerber]

Originally Posted by mitsubishi2001

Thank you for reply, i attemped to fix the problem twice. first i just clean up the brake pad, and bracket before i got the reply from you. i don't beleive the car is "broken" when it is not running.......

second attemped to clean up those pins, it got better but still, then I cleaned up the piston, and installed it back, and it worked. I am not to sure for how long. It is my second car, I used this for going to dumpter, therefore I try not put to much money in to it.

I think the camry is the greatest car. i got my 187k I try to reach 200k. my is still the have many origin parts (radiator, starter, alternator, etc....) and never burn oil.

Thinking about your problem again, if there was rust on the piston where it is inside the caliper, then you have moisture in the brake fluid or a leak around that piston seal. Either way, I would bleed all the fluid out of the brake hydraulic system and replace it with fresh brake fluid. One 32 Oz. bottle is all it takes. Start with the passenger side rear. Work from the brake bleeder screw farthest away form the master cylinder, and work toward the one that is closest; the driver's side front. Keep bleeding and topping off the master until you see clean clear fluid coming through at each bleeder screw.

Mike

[mitsubishi2001]

you are probably right. I should bleed the entire system, I may need someone help me the push on the brake. I don't think my wife will help me for more than 30 minutes.

The rust just occurs approximate .5" to .75" from the outside edge of the cylinder. I saw the rust when i unfold the rubber cover when the cylinder extened.

[Mike Gerber]

If there was that much rust, that seal is probably shot. Maybe you would be better off getting a caliper rebuild kit and just rebuilding it. They can't be that expensive from an aftermarket source. They mostly consist of a new piston (I think) and the rubber seal that goes around the piston. Then you could do the bleeding of the entire system and know it should last.

Mike