help needed - brakes seized

[iainmclean]

Hi all,

Started up my 90 turbo this morning and it felt like the brakes were on - it wouldn't move at all. It was fine at the weekend although I did clean it, could rust have set in that quickly?

Thanks

[Glyn Harper]

Fronts or rears?

The rears have a habit of ceizing the piston, because of the fact they use a sliding mild steel caliper against aluminium pistons. This causes the piston to squash the cylinder inside, holding the brake on.

You have to seperate the two halves and clean the area where they slide against each other.

To get it moving in the interim, have you tried rocking the car forwards and backwards to free it off?

[iainmclean]

Hi Glyn,

I couldn't tell if it was the front or rear. I was late for work so I didn't spend much time looking. I will have a proper look tonight.

Thanks

[t70]

Was your park brake on? many cars suffer from this affliction... the park brake will seize on if you apply it when the rear brakes are hot and also warp the rear rotor...

Edited April 23, 2008 by Mark T-C

[ChrisH]

Just had the same problem. 1st the front off side piston siezed in the caliper due to corrosion which I have sent off to be re-built and now the rear off side has come out in sympathy and siezed as well it is going to the same place. Front calipers are quite easy to get hold of, the rear ones are much harder because they are obsolete as are the front ones but there are not as many of the rear ones available. I just jacked up the car to see which was the defective ones. If it is your caliper that has siezed and are sending it to be re-furbished be prepare for a wait of at lest a week, my front one has been away for two weeks now, they said a week initially. Cross parts references are Talbot Mantra and Toyota Supra. Brakes International in Rochdale quoted me