The Ford Capri Laser Page

My front caliper is sticking on slightly,there is a slight noise which goes off after about five miles if I don't touch the brakes.I am wondering would it be best to buy a new caliper or fit a service kit.
Cheers
Allan

Personally I would take it off, pop the piston out and give everything a good clean , it probably has years of crud in it. Really it depends if you are confident in fiddling around with it.
If you go the new route I would do both sides.

If I was to clean the piston is there anything I need to know before I start or is it a case of ordering a kit and getting stuck in.

They are a piece of cake to do .....probly the hardest part will be undoing the mounting bolts . Very basically you use compressed air to push the pistons out (then be surprised at just how much crap is in there ), clean things up and refit pistons with new seals (one square section O ring and a dust cover) . You dont need to split the calipers but if you do there is an o ring in there that should also be replaced . Gotta be a special one as ordinary rubber dont like brake fluid ......there will probly be one in the seal kit .
Then bleed the whole brake system ....inc the back brakes ......the idea being to replace ALL the brake fluid . Brake fluid is hydroscopic ( absorbs water ) and its water in the fluid that usually starts the whole sticky piston thing off. Getting new fluid to the rear is a good thing otherwise you will soon be learning how to strip, clean and rebuild them too.
I haven't looked but Id be stunned if there isn't a few tutorials on youtube

Allan mcl wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 6:01 pm My front caliper is sticking on slightly,there is a slight noise which goes off after about five miles if I don't touch the brakes.

I've had this too. Defintely take the calipers off and pop the pistons out, as Peter suggests, clean them all up and grease them up using the correct grease, makes a world of difference. They are incredibly basic when you get to grips with them.

No one has yet pointed out that once one piston has popped out you will need to refit it and clamp it in place to get the other one out.

Thanks for the replies, I have ordered a kit which is due on Monday so will try and make a start this weekend.

Bug wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:08 pm No one has yet pointed out that once one piston has popped out you will need to refit it and clamp it in place to get the other one out.

I used that method last time, although previously I have popped one piston out then put my thumb over the hole to pop the other out. Plenty of rags in there to try to reduce the pain!

Allan mcl wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 6:34 pm Thanks for the replies, I have ordered a kit which is due on Monday so will try and make a start this weekend.

Good one, just keep asking questions on this thread if you need to, you will soon have it sorted.

Well that's the new seals fitted not as hard as I thought. Caliper refitted,now the fun starts bleeding the brakes with the help of the wife when up means down and down means up in her world.

Brilliant, well done, as I said before they are obvious and basic as to how they function when you get to grips with it.

With bleeding, if you prefer to keep the wife away from the car, hehe, I'd certainly recommend a one man bleed kit which Halfords do, was much less than a tenner when I got mine and used it numerous times for brakes and a clutch, and every time it has been great.

Allan mcl wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:42 pm Well that's the new seals fitted not as hard as I thought. Caliper refitted,now the fun starts bleeding the brakes with the help of the wife when up means down and down means up in her world.

Did you get them bled ok?
The old-fashioned pump up and down can be problematic if you push the pedal all the way as it can unseat the MC seal.
Hopefully you didn't encounter that issue?

Yes thanks I eventually bled them the old way up and down, took her for a drive brakes spot on but still got slight noise from the same side as if they are catching but nothing like what it was.I checked the backing plate and that's fine, new bearing fitted not so long back, at a loss to what it could be now.

Allan

Allan mcl wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 6:16 pm still got slight noise from the same side as if they are catching

Was there any sign of corrosion or gunk on the piston, it would be necessary to clean/sand that off if so. and hopefully you greased them up too, preferably with red rubber grease. Wihtout these steps then there is a good chance that it would catch/bind/make a noise again, especially over time.

Piston all cleaned and greased using the grease supplied with the kit so I think that side should be OK fingers crossed.

If a calliper is still sticking slightly it can need a few revolutions of the wheel to push the pad back off the disc.
So when you brake to a stop then leave the car, the pad sticks to the disc and can make a noise when you first drive off.
Not always possible, but if you can, try braking almost to a stop when you get to the end of your journey, then releasing the brake and rolling the last few yards before pulling up using the handbrake.
If the noise doesn't happen the next time you set off then you know you still have a pad sticking on a bit.