How to Rebuild a Brake Caliper Fast & Easy

How to Rebuild a Brake Caliper--A complete guide. In this video, I rebuild a single piston brake caliper from a 2008 Honda Civic. This procedure is applicable to multi-piston calipers as well.

*ONLY use DOT approved brake fluid as lubricants during your rebuild. Non-DOT lubricants can damage your braking system.

[jimosullivan]

Red Rubber Grease is totally compatible with DOT 4 fluids. It can be used to pack the dust boot to prevent ingress of salt and muck...unlike the Dot 4 fluid.

[Random_guy_]

That piston boost is the hardest things for me in the past but after watching this videos I got an idea. Thank

[Prlude]

This did save me. I rebuilt one rear caliper last year. Used a little pick to get the piston seal in. Pushing it with your fingers is much better, and a lot less select words.

[timrussell]

Something that gets overlooked quite often when rebuilding a caliper because the vast majority of people don't know about this - is the seal that fits in the bore is tapered and needs to be installed so that it faces the correct direction. The seal is tapered so that the piston will slightly retract when there is no fluid pressure on the caliper. This keeps the pad from pushing into the rotor when the pedal is released and causing premature pad wear. People may not believe this is true but it is indeed a 100 percent verifiable fact

[mattrenninger]

You saved me 282 dollars. Thank you. You are the man!

[wolfietigerstripes]

Didnt realize till like 6 hours ago calipers can be rebuilt, so im going to jump to it and do the same on my pickup. Beats paying a lot for new calipers, and just as easy to snap in a new piston as it is to replace a whole caliper. Good video!

[cobrarsz]

Just did my 1st caliper rebuild thanks to your video it was very helpful.

[spiritoflights]

saved me after I destroyed the original and i did not want to ruin the new one going on/in thank you so much.I've watched it again just to refresh my brain rebuilt the left side and now the right side thanks again man !

[derekmolina]

DO NOT crimp the brake hose line this guy did! Unless you want more problems.
Here's how to do it:
Before you remove the brake line, disconnect the battery. Slightly depress the brake pedal. Slightly less than 1/2 inch after the pedal touches the pushrod and use something like a stick or dowel to hold it there. Now get to work.
Doing this moves the piston past the inlet and return ports of the master cylinder so no fluid can leak down from the reservoirs. You'll just get a few drops out. If it's a metal line going in I clean and place the dust cap from the bleeder over the line if it's going to be apart for a while. You disconnect your battery because you probably don't want your brake lights on while you're working.
DON'T CRIMP YOUR BRAKE HOSES KIDS!

[blazeaglory]

Im rebuilding a1990 Honda Prelude 4WS and everything under the hood and wheel wells is basically BLACK with thick grime. Good thing about being covered in 30 years of grime is once its cleaned off, you can see all the original metal treatments and coatings. I always thought the calipers were a grey color(online rebuilt calipers for sale are a dull grey due to being soaked in acid bath to remove said black grime but also removes any metal protection treatment) but in reality, they're a golden zinc color. I spent days gently cleaning and soaking in simple green. Lightly scrubbing with a brass wire brush. Lo and behold, the once velvet black calipers are now a greenish gold zinc color! I keep imaging how they looked new, contrasting off the silver rotors. I don't know if i should paint them with a high temp rotor paint tho just for future weather and temp proofing because, even tho the zinc coating looks great, i don't think it will hold up much longer and some areas have been scrubbed off almost completely. But man they look awesome tho! 30yo calipers that most ppl just toss out or replace for the dull grey "rebuilt" calipers(basically same exact calipers just acid bathed and rebuilt). Shoot i might just buy the online ones, paint them and save the zinc ones for posterity lol

Never have done this before but saw your video made me feel real good about the project that I'm about to have to do just wanted to say thanks

[McRae]

PLEASE don't crimp a rubber brake line. You can collapse the inner lining and then when you apply your brakes, the fluid travels down the brake line to the caliper as it should. However when you release the pedal, because the hose is internally collapsed it acts as a 1 way check valve, the fluid cannot return back through the hose, therefore the caliper remains seized. Another method to keep all the fluid from dripping from the brake hose when you remove it, is to press the brake pedal in about 1/2in with an extendable rod, or I've even used a brick. This means the brake lights will stay on, so you may want to disconnect the battery. (Remember your radio code) No more than 1/2in tho, that way the piston inside the master cylinder is moved from its resting state and mostly covers the holes leading down to the brake lines, therefore drastically slowing the drip of the fluid.
Great vid, just wanted to pass that info forward.

[seanbarnes]

Happend upon this video randomly glad to see people still out here rebuilding brake calipers. It's trial and error with the dust shield but once you have done a couple you can be in and out in like 20 min start to finish. $4.99-$12.99 vs $100-$300 well worth the little bit of effort to fix it. Me I rebuilt the whole thing. Replace the slide pin boots and bleeder valve as well. Literally cost me a total of $10-$20 per caliper and thats all they do in china with your core you give back then ship it back out to be sold as a remanufactured caliper.

[senatorchinchilla]

Watched this in a rush after accidentally shooting out the last piston on my front Brembos while pushing all the others in. Definitely, definitely came in handy!!

[flyboy]

An alternative way to get the boot back onto the piston is to seat the boot in its groove in the caliper, then slide the piston into the boot most of the way. Put a piece of 2 x 4 in front of the piston. Apply air from the back of the caliper and it should push the boot forward into its groove on the piston.

[CarlRMauri]

EXCELLENT VIDEO! Great camera work and outstanding method thank you so much!!

[ariveitz]

Had mine apart with new seals to put in and could figure out how to get seal and piston in . .big thanks mate from Ausieland

[Webedunn]

I’m glad I watched it all before I commented bc I seen the Zerk fitting in and wondered if that was right.

[capju]

good video, most video not show how to take out piston, thanks, good,

[colt]

You put a board between the driver seat and brake pedal and move the seat forward to where the brake pedal is pressed like 1/2" forward and then stop. Then disconnect the battery and you shouldn't get brake fluid leak.