Tucson Brake Repair Tips: What Are Brake Calipers and What Do They Do?

As many drivers in Tucson, AZ, already know, brake pads are essential to the average vehicle’s brake system. However, they rely on another component to function properly — brake calipers. These parts are responsible for pressing your pads against the rotors, ultimately creating the friction your vehicle needs to stop.

Whether you’ve never heard of brake calipers or just want to refresh your memory, you’re in the right place. Here, you’ll find Tucson brake repair tips on calipers, their vital role in your vehicle, and what to do when these components run into trouble.

Brake Calipers 101

Today, most cars use a disc brake system in their front brakes, and calipers are a crucial part of these systems. Brake calipers are home to your vehicle’s brake pads and pistons — they’re usually located inside your vehicle’s wheels and are connected to the master cylinder with various tubes and hoses.

When you push down on your brake pedal, brake fluid puts pressure on the pistons in your calipers. At that point, the calipers begin working to slow or stop your vehicle’s wheels. To accomplish this, they clamp onto the brake rotors, creating friction.

There are a few different types of brake calipers you should know about:

• Floating brake calipers have pistons on only one side of their discs and have brake pads on both sides.
• Fixed calipers have zero sliding pins and are mounted to brackets. These calipers tend to deliver the best possible performance, but they are usually more expensive than other options.
• Sliding brake calipers are essentially an alternate version of floating brake calipers. These calipers function much like floating brake calipers but are mounted to a caliper adapter.

Taking Care of Your Brake Calipers

When you think of brake replacement, you probably think it’s about replacing your brake pads. These parts typically last 30,000 miles or so, but calipers have a considerably longer service life than that. They can remain in service for 75,000-100,000 miles, or up to a decade. 

Still, you shouldn’t take this as a guarantee that your calipers will last as long as your car. To function as intended, your brake calipers need to be centered on your vehicle’s brake rotors. To make sure these components stay in place and don’t encounter other difficulties, look for an auto shop that can handle caliper maintenance whenever you get brake repair service in Tucson.

Ideally, your calipers should be greased with high-temperature brake grease and cleaned regularly. If your shop’s mechanics neglect to do this, there’s a chance that your calipers could become “locked.” When that happens, only one of your brake pads will have enough pressure to push down on its matching rotor as it should.

Are Your Brake Calipers Ready for Service?

Despite their long life span, your brake calipers might fail earlier than expected — even if you keep up with their maintenance needs. Some signs that could indicate that you need to schedule brake repair in Tucson include:

• Veering toward the side of the road. If your car heads toward one side of the road or the other while you brake, your brake calipers may be to blame.
• Brake fluid leaks. Trouble with your calipers can lead to these leaks, as can many other car problems.
• Strange noises while braking. In some cases, your caliper bracket could snap completely. When that happens, you might hear a clunking noise while braking — a telltale sign that your brake system needs emergency service.

If you notice any of these signs (or other issues, such as an unusually hard/soft brake pedal or squealing noises from your brake system), there’s a good chance that your calipers need immediate attention. Of course, you shouldn’t ignore the situation — instead, you’ll want to make an appointment for brake service as soon as possible.

Know Where To Go for Brake Repair in Tucson

Under normal circumstances, your calipers should be able to do their vital job for years without paying too much attention to themselves. Even so, it’s wise to know where to go if these components develop issues before the end of their expected life span. If you need Tucson brake repair, you can count on BRAKEmax Tire & Service Centers to get the job done.

When you choose our Tucson auto shop for your car maintenance and repair needs, you’ll enjoy perks such as:

• The best mechanics in the industry. In the world of brake repair, no technicians are more trustworthy than ASE-certified mechanics — so it’s a good idea to look for shops that hire these people.
• A wide variety of services. Ideally, your go-to auto shop will be capable of handling brake service as well as other auto repair services.
• An unbreakable reputation. BRAKEmax isn’t new to the Tucson area — we’ve been hard at work since 1997.

Are you ready to enjoy these perks and many others (including online coupons)? If you are, get started by setting up an appointment at BRAKEmax today!