Back to all

Put the Brakes On! (Brake Caliper Replacement)

March 24, 2024

Keeping your vehicle's brakes in top shape is one of the most important things you can do for your safety and those on the road with you. Most drivers know a little about brake pads and rotors but maybe not so much about another brake component called the calipers.

Disc brakes work by a mechanical system that presses your brake pads against discs called rotors (you can usually see these discs through your wheels). The friction stops your vehicle smoothly when everything is working the way it should.  The calipers use the hydraulic pressure of the brake fluid to apply the stopping power. 

After they've been on your vehicle for a while, the calipers can get stuck or wear out.  If calipers on one side of the vehicle work correctly and not on the other, you might feel a pull in one direction.  You might feel the same kind of pull if the caliper is stuck and is applying constant pressure.  You might hear scraping or squealing coming from a stuck caliper and you might smell burning on that side.  The friction from a caliper that's always applying pressure may cause that wheel to heat up, so after you've pulled your vehicle off the road safely, the wheel with the stuck caliper will might feel hotter than the others

Because there are many different components to the brakes, it's best to leave the diagnosis and repair to a trained technician. They will run each wheel through a series of tests and inspections that can pinpoint the problem.  Sometimes it involves more components than just the caliper that may need changing at the same time.

The best way to make sure your brakes will perform well is to is to have our service center perform regular inspections and follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommended service.  That way your brakes will be ready, willing and able when you call on them to put a stop to things.

Tuffy North Clermont
1315 E. Highway 50
Clermont, Florida 34711
(352) 241-9466
https://www.tuffynorthclermont.com/

Need Service?

Request an Appointment

More articles from Tuffy North Clermont Hwy 50

Not-So-Common Sense (Sensor Failures)

May 12, 2024

So your vehicle won't start. What's the first thing that comes to mind? Battery dead? Starter motor worn out? Out of gas? Well, those are all reasons that make sense. But your vehicle may be refusing to start because one of its computers is being warned that to do so might damage it. Here's ... More

TPMS: Tire Pressure Monitoring for Your Clermont Vehicle

May 5, 2024

Clermont drivers may know that all 2008 model year and newer cars, mini-vans and light trucks in Florida come with a tire pressure monitoring system. Many slightly older vehicles around the Clermont area have these systems as well. A tire pressure monitoring system called TPMS consists of sens... More

What Is a Differential and Do You Have One?

April 28, 2024

With front-wheel drive being so common these days in Clermont, Florida, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Clermont drivers don't even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don't need to be serviced for years, so it's understandable... More