Fallen prey to a frozen caliper! AARRG!

[zerowkul98]

Well, i fell victim to a frozen caliper. Had what felt like vibration and intermittent stopping so i brought it to my trusted mechanic. He hooked it uo to his machine and he saw that one of the dual pistons was frozen. I know this is very common on the 4runner. He installed new gold-colored calipers on the fronts and said they are either Wagner or Carbone, he didnt remember off the top of his head.

Does anyone have experience with either of these brands?

 

[jstutz101]

Well, i fell victim to a frozen caliper. Had what felt like vibration and intermittent stopping so i brought it to my trusted mechanic. He hooked it uo to his machine and he saw that one of the dual pistons was frozen. I know this is very common on the 4runner. He installed new gold-colored calipers on the fronts and said they are either Wagner or Carbone, he didnt remember off the top of his head.

Does anyone have experience with either of these brands?

The caliper I replaced was gold. I got it from Napa but not sure of the name brand. It dosent stay gold for long.

 

[zerowkul98]

Well, my mechanic put in A1 Cardone calipers on my 03 Sport V8 it turns out.

Anyone have this brand or any experience with them?

 

[Atlanta_man]

... He hooked it uo to his machine and he saw that one of the dual pistons was frozen. I know this is very common on the 4runner. He installed new gold-colored calipers on the fronts and said they are either Wagner or Carbone, he didnt remember off the top of his head.

Does anyone have experience with either of these brands?

ahh the frozen caliper diagnostic machine ! they always find the problem.

 

[Ducman]

ahh the frozen caliper diagnostic machine ! they always find the problem.

Exact same thing I was thinking... say what? haha

To the OP very sorry to hear about your frozen caliper.

 

[zerowkul98]

Sorry....here, i'll be more specific.

He hooked it up to a compressor and the lower cyl. was frozen.

Sorry if i didnt use the right terminology or didnt know the secret hand shake or something.

:moon:

 

[zerowkul98]

Thats what my mechanic said. Fluid was pooling behind the lower piston.

Guess im screwed lol.

 

[zerowkul98]

Yeah, i love my 4runner. Im trying to get my fiance to consider a Toyota SUV like the new Highlander, but shes a GM gal. My mechanic told me that the Equinox (or maybe its the Traverse) has a Toyota engine in it, either the 4 cyl or 6, cant remember. I was busy cryin on the inside after handing him a check for the caliper replacements. :crybaby:

Do the new 5th generation 2010's have different brakes than the 4th gen?

 

[Jed]

Do the new 5th generation 2010's have different brakes than the 4th gen?

The 5th gen has the same calipers as the 4th gen, so it's just a matter of time before those guys start getting frozen pistons as well!

 

[zerowkul98]

WHAT!?!! You gotta be kiddin me!!!!! Yah know, that's unacceptable from where i'm standing. Apparently, Toyota must be makin a fortune from replacing and remanufacturing old calipers and turning them around for a profit.

:wtf:

 

[Gromulus]

Ditto

Coincidental thread timing. Just had one replaced (my first) this past Friday, at 93K miles.

 

[Synister]

I understand how pads and rotors aren't covered under warranty but calipers? Are they covered, and if not why not?

 

[jstutz101]

Coincidental thread timing. Just had one replaced (my first) this past Friday, at 93K miles.

Let me guess - front drivers side??

 

[Gromulus]

Let me guess - front drivers side??

You are clairvoyant!

A known trend?

 

[zerowkul98]

Wonder if the Sequoia has the samw issue with calipers.

 

[zerowkul98]

I just did both my fronts. Rotors r warped now tho.

 

[Vanuatoo]

Does it happen to drivers running their cars in hot/cold climate?
Have you ever flushed brake fluid?

 

[Redstone8]

You are clairvoyant!

A known trend?

Same here I replaced my front driver side about 2 months ago at around 41,000 miles. It was the inner lower piston that was frozen. Luckily I had the stealer replace it and it didn't cost me a dime. When I purchased the car two years ago it was preowned with about 18,000 miles on it so it bought an extended warranty that will last up to 118,000 miles and I am telling you this was definitely not a bad idea buying that warranty after all since I have used it twice so far totaling more than $1000 in parts and labor that I didn't have to pay out of pocket. If the passenger sides freezes the or if the drivers side does it again then I will simply call them up and take it in.

Definitely a problem here that Toyota should address with the design of this caliper. I can't confirm, but some said they use the same calipers on the new generation T4R's. Haven't they learned anything yet?

 

[jstutz101]

Definitely a problem here that Toyota should address with the design of this caliper. I can't confirm, but some said they use the same calipers on the new generation T4R's. Haven't they learned anything yet?

The part I dont understand is brake calipers have been around for a LONG time. You would think it would be something that Toyota would perfect then leave alone. Why not put the same calipers from the previous generation on this generation if the previous didnt have any problems? Sometimes I wonder if some of these problems are "engineered" to happen for the dealerships to make easy money.