Hi, I went to the dealer to change the brake pads, then they told me that one of the calipers was stuck..they said they are going to repair it, but then they told me that both of the calipers are damaged and I need to buy the hole kit for $490 each side plus $200 more for installation plus taxes. I think all is bull.... and for that kind of money I can get better calipers I think.. what do you guys think about it, and which other caliper system do you recommend or I must do what they says?

 

year and mileage? i think they killed your calipers.

 

2006. 50,000miles

 

unless there are some strange extenuating circumstances, they should not be dying. i have 87k miles, and i autocross. my calipers are just fine.

 

yeah.. I just don't understand why the both calipers and in the same time.. it just weird

 

try to do it yourself see if you actually have a issue.
I also think they are BS you or....they don't have a clue to what they are doing.

 

What do they mean by stuck? You should ask what exactly is wrong with them and why. Is the car still drivable at least?

 

I have seen some calipers locked up first brake change, 45-60k miles (I can count on 4 out of 5 four runners having a locked up caliper, terrible design). So hard to say, try taking it to a diff shop for a second opinion. There are ways to check it yourself, but if you were going to a shop for your brakes to begin with they take a bit of mechanical know how. Could always get aftermarket replacement calipers, or upgrade as well.

 

sry english is not my first language.. by stuck y mean locked up. Yes im going to take it to other mechanic I was thinking on buying replace for the moment, or to use it like locked up, because the car was fine. and then thinking to save some money and upgrade the brake system. thinking about wilwood... are they good brand?

 

have you actually seen the inside of a caliper? not much going on there.. just a couple of seals and chambers... not much to lock up.. that is just a gimick that the dealership is trying to use to get more money out of you.. no one rebuilds calipers anymore.. why?? because there is too much liability if it is not done correctly, and it is cheaper to get new ones, if you consider labor... on a final note, toyota, and any other car company, design calipers to hold up against extreme conditions. this is a major safety issue. i doubt your caliper is bad. now a possible hose or anything like that... that could be possible

 

I've seen replacement rotors for like $60 on ebay. I doubt they are bad. Take the wheel off and the bottom caliper bolt, I think it's a 14mm.the caliper will swing upwards. Try compressing the piston with a c clamp. I mean, if you're comfortable doing that work.

let us know how it goes.
Dennis

 

im at 102k and my calipers are fine, if they see even the hint of an issue in the near or distant future theyre going to recommend you replacing it to clear theyre liability in case theres a problem, theyve prob been told caliper replacement is to be offered as routine maintenance

 

Maybe they were using your car to train noob technicians and they messed up and now they're claiming the calipers are toast?

 

yes i've seen some tc's that lock up due to lack of lubricating (maintenance) of the sliding pins on the caliper. That can lock up and good luck getting that back apart without damaging the caliper. I'm not defending the dealer, but that could be the issue of seizing. I know others have gotten many miles out of their calipers, but how often have they lubed up their sliding pins? 50k and no re-lubing the sliding pins would result in a seized caliper.

but $490 per caliper? that's crazy! pure profit. trdsparks has them for $312. wow not cheap. but almost 200 less than your dealer! Find another shop to do the work. that price is ridiculous. could go big brake kit for those prices!

 

I just called them to have my car ready again to take it to another shop, and they said to me: well, at least you want me to change your brake pads, right? lol. of course I said no, maybe they will cost me $200 lol. Lets see what the other shop tells me. If anything is wrong I will post some photos of the broken or damaged parts.

 

Those prices are super high. Why does the tC caliper cost so much? Most calipers are $60-$100 each for a base caliper (after core), or $100-$160 each for a loaded caliper (new hardware and pads pre-installed). That sounds like they're gouging you, in my opinion. Also, it may vary, but the Toyota dealer labor rate here is $100/hour. If they're telling you that's it gonna take over 2 hours to replace 2 calipers, front pads, and bleed the system then something is seriously wrong. Even a crappy mechanic can do that work in less than an hour in a shop with all the proper tools.

99% of caliper problems are one of three things: either the slider bolts are seized, the piston is over-extended, or the bleeder threads are stripped. The slider bolts are normally fixed with a caliper hardware kit (usually $20-$50). If the piston is overextended (which pops the square-cut seal out of place) the caliper can be rebuilt, but it's such a PITA and takes so much time that it's usually cheaper to just replace the caliper. If the bleeder threads are stripped you just have to replace the caliper... or deal with brakes that aren't bled properly.

If I were you, I'd drop that shop in a heartbeat and never look back.

 

We can offer full replacements, but it's a core charge program. PM me for details.

Edit: It's a LOT cheaper than what was quoted to you.

 

I have my car now.. Monday is going to the shop, lets see what they say! DAMN! they scraped my painted calipers

 

my car start squeeking at 40k, till now i'm at 55k haven't change my brake pad and rotor yet! no problem! but gonna change em tomorrow!! it's good to read and learn the guides on forums! gl...

 

Calipers can freeze up for many reasons. The main reason being corrosion/rust depending on the material the caliper is made from. Another promoting factor is the area in which you live. If you live in the northeast or anywhere with snow for that matter you can run into this.