Re: HELP!! CALIPERS!!!!

[zm@mhcnet.att.com (Zafer Mehmood [209])]

> 
> A stiff brake-pulse has been traced to the rear.  One of the calipers has
> seized causing both rotors to warp through excessive heat, etc.
> New/rebuilt calipers are called for.  The guy at the shop was very cool
> about it and explained where his parts prices come from...but bottom line
> is the rear brake job will run me ~$700.

Chris,
	How trustworthy/competent is your mechanic? Have you independently
verified that the caliper is sticking? If its sticking it won't go in
smoothly when you push (made need to turn it in for the rear) it in.
I find the mechanic's explanation hard to believe - that one sticky
caliper caused *both* rotors to warp. If one is sticking, then the
brake will drag on that side, causing the rotor to overheat and then
warp. You might have had sticking parking brake cables in the winter
(common problem due to icing) which might have warped both rotors. The
solution might be to simply replace the rotors if the calipers check
out fine.

If you do confirm that *one* caliper is sticking, then I suggest you
replace only that one, and not both. Yes, the argument for replacing both
is that "if one is bad, the other can't be far behind". At least in my
case, this wasn't true. I had to replace one of the rear calipers on
my car (not the Audi) since it was sticking, and 6 years later the other
three (even the fronts) are still original; no problems.
 
> 
> Soooo...I *need* to find new or rebuilt calipers or perhaps rebuild them
> myself.  If someone has ANY info on this, PLEASE e-mail me cause I need
> details.  Linda at Carlsen quoted me $415/ea for new calipers...so no luck
> there.

Try to get a rebuilt from one of the other vendors on the parts list.
I'd try Halsey Imports or PAP first. I recently bought all four rotors
from Halsey for my Audi (best prices around). 

Zafer

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Zafer Mehmood				   AT&T Bell Laboratories
zm@mhcnet.att.com			   Murray Hill, NJ