Brake Performance Blogs

Brake calipers are exposed to constant heat cycles, brake dust and various environmental substances all the time. Because of this, they have a notorious reputation for looking aged rather quickly. It's a good idea to refinish your calipers as you will not only have a chance to make them look new again, but you will be able to protect them against any further corrosion and rust.

First, we want to prepare the brake caliper for paint. With road dirt and grime, start by using a degreaser and a brush to clean the brake caliper.

To begin with, we want to make sure we have a clean surface so that the new coating will adhere to the brake caliper. If you have surface rust or corrosion, use a wire brush and or a light sanding paper of 500-1000 grit. Scuff up the surface of the brake caliper so it has a dull sheen to it.

Next step, using a brake cleaner, spray your calipers so get rid of any last bits of dirt, grime or grease that may still be left on the caliper.

Note: You can remove the calipers to paint them, but you can also paint the calipers while still installed. You will need to mask off everything around the caliper that isn't getting painted.

Using a high-temperature primer, apply 1-2 coats of primer. Light and even coats are the key to success here and you want to wait about 10 minutes between each coat.

Once the primer is applied, wait another 10 minutes and apply the paint you are going to use for the calipers. We suggest 3 coats evenly and lightly applied also with 10-minute intervals.

Finally, wait another 10 minutes after the last color coating, and apply 2 coats of high-temperature clear coating. This provides further protection to the paint and you also have the choice of a glossy finish or a satin variant to make your brake calipers more subtle.

Some General Motors SUV owners may complain of a rattle noise coming from the front of the vehicle while driving at slow speeds over rough road surfaces - when the brake pedal is not applied. This condition may be caused by the interface of the front brake caliper guide pins and the front brake caliper bracket.

To isolate the brake caliper guide pins as a potential source of the noise, apply the brakes when the noise is apparent. If the noise stops when the brakes are applied and returns once released, then the caliper guide pin bushings are the most likely source of the concern.

Applicable Vehicles
2005-2006 Chevrolet Equinox
2006 Pontiac Torrent
2002-2006 Saturn VUE

Parts Information
2 x PIN 15824369, Bushing Front Brake Caliper Guide (comes in bag of 10)

Repair Procedure
Review safety procedures in ALL-DATA Repair before beginning.

Removal Procedure
1. Raise and support the vehicle.
2. Remove the wheel assembly.
3. Install and firmly hand tighten two wheel nuts to opposite wheel studs in order to retain the rotor to the hub.
4. Install a large C-clamp over the body of the brake caliper with the C-clamp ends against the rear of the caliper body and against the outboard brake pad.
5. Tighten the C-clamp evenly until the caliper piston is compressed into the caliper bore enough to allow the caliper to slide past the brake rotor.
6. Remove the C-clamp from the caliper.
7. Remove the brake caliper lower guide pin bolt.
Note: Support the brake caliper with heavy mechanic's wire, or equivalent.
8. Without disconnecting the hydraulic brake flexible hose, pivot the caliper upward and secure the caliper with heavy mechanic's wire, or equivalent.
9. Remove the lower caliper pin taking care not to damage the pin boot.
10. Remove the rubber bushing from the caliper pin.
11. Clean the pin and install a new bushing.
12. Lubricate the caliper pin and bushing assembly with a light coat of high temperature silicone brake lubricant and install in the caliper bracket.
13. Remove the support and rotate the brake caliper into position over the disc brake pads and to the caliper mounting bracket.
14. Repeat Steps 1-13 on opposite side brake assembly.

Installation Procedure
Note: Use the correct fastener in the correct location. Replacement fasteners must be the correct part number for that application. Fasteners requiring replacement or fasteners requiring the use of thread locking compound or sealant are identified in the service procedure. Do not use paints, lubricants or corrosion inhibitors on fasteners or fastener joint surfaces unless specified. These coatings affect fastener torque and joint clamping force and may damage the fastener. Use the correct tightening sequence and specifications when installing fasteners in order to avoid damage to parts and systems.

1. Install the lower brake caliper guide pin bolt. Tighten the bolt to 32 lb ft (44 N.m)
2. Remove the wheel nuts.
3. Install the wheel assembly.
4. Repeat Steps 1-3 on opposite side brake assembly.
5. Lower the vehicle.
6. With the engine OFF, gradually apply the brake pedal approximately 2/3 of its travel distance.
7. Slowly release the brake pedal.
8. Wait 15 seconds, then gradually apply the brake pedal approximately 2/3 of its travel distance again until a firm brake pedal apply is obtained. This will seat the brake caliper pistons and brake pads.
9. Drive the vehicle to confirm the noise is gone.

It's important to measure your brake rotor wear every 10,000 miles or at the very least every time you change your brake pads. You want to use a micro measuring caliper to determine your brake rotor thickness. For example, a new brake rotor with a thickness of 10mm is required to be replaced or turned at 9mm, meaning that your naked eye has to detect 1mm of rotor wear. Kinda impossible.

In order to get an accurate measurement for the amount of brake rotor wear we depend on our trusty micrometer. Prepare your car so you can remove the wheel.

With the wheel removed, you will have clear access to the rotor for you to make accurate measurements. There are several types of micrometers and measuring calipers so you want to make sure your caliper can measure to the tenth of a millimeter.

Next, you simply measure the thickness in at least three different spots of the brake rotor. Make sure to write down your measurements and you may get a few small variations. It helps to get at least 4-5 different measurements and to take the average of that.

Next, take a look at the brake rotor center hat. This is the portion that doesn't get exposed to the brake pad. You will normally find your minimum rotor thickness stamped there. It may be faint, but it's usually there. In some cases it may be located on the outer edge of the rotor.

Tip: Keep in mind that you want to avoid measuring too close to the inside/outside of the rotor, as the actual brake pad doesn't contact those edges. Also, for slotted rotors stay away from measuring the slots, as those will skew the results. Same goes with dimpled/cross-drilled rotors. Keep clear of measuring the holes.

Measuring Rotor Thickness

It's impossible to tell how much life is left on the brake rotors by simply looking at it. As a matter of fact, it's dangerously misleading! By simply looking at brake rotors, most rotors seem to be wearing fine unless there are cracks or huge chunks missing.
However, that is where the huge misconception lies.
Unlike brake pads, which show how much pad is left and have warning sensors, brake rotors have no such indicators. It's important for the safety and performance of your car to inspect these properly. We recommend inspecting your brake rotors every 10,000 miles to make sure they are within specs.
Follow our visual guide on how to inspect your brake rotors in just 6 steps. Make sure your rotors are cool prior to inspecting.
Note: If you observe any one of these 6 symptoms, it's recommended that you replace your brake rotors.

1. Visible Cracks
One of the most obvious ways to check when your rotors need to be replaced is through visible cracks. If you see a crack, it's time to replace your rotor. However, in certain cases small hairline cracks are normal if you race your car, such as track days and timed performance events. Keep in mind if you don't know the difference, it's better to be safe than sorry.

2. Grooves
 If you have an open-spoke wheel design, you can run your finger vertically down the brake rotor friction surface. If you can feel and see noticeable grooves, then it's time for new brake rotors.
For cars with hub caps that don't expose the rotor, you will need to remove your wheel to inspect your brake rotors.

3. Rotor Edge Lip
On worn brake rotors, if you follow the rotor to the edge you can usually feel/see a noticeable lip. This lip is created as the brake pads normally don't contact all of the rotor surface and therefore leaves an outer lip when the rotors are worn down.
Keep in mind that rotors reach their wear limit at only about 1mm. If there is an obvious lip, it's most likely near its wear limit or is wearing unevenly. Measure with calipers to double-check.

4. Heat Spots
Heat spots (Fig. x) are a telltale sign that your brake rotors have uneven brake pad deposits. How do they affect you? Heat spots will lead to brake harshness, vibration, and reduced structural integrity. Heat spots on brake rotors occur when brakes aren't broken in (bedded) properly and the brake pad deposits on the rotor accumulate and eventually turn into a compound known as cementite. You don't want Cementite on your brake rotors. Cementite is a compound that is very hard, overly abrasive, and doesn't allow the rotors to cool properly. As a result, Cementite heats up the local area around itself growing in size and reducing the cooling capacity of your brake rotors.
Prevention: Properly breaking/bedding in your new brake rotors is vital to the longevity of the rotor. See our Brake Rotor Bedding Guide.
If this is caught early on, you can possibly remedy it by bedding in your brakes with a more abrasive pad, or resurfacing your rotors. If the heat spots are extensive, you will need to replace your rotors.

5. Rust
There are two types of rust that occur on brake rotors. Surface rust and corrosive rust. Most of the rust on brake rotors is known as "surface rust". Just like it sounds, imagine surface rust on brake rotors as a thin top layer of rust. This doesn't affect braking performance and most of it wipes off when you apply your brakes. Although some of it remains, such as on the hub and rotor vents, it doesn't hinder performance but it can be unsightly.  Our zinc and e-coated rotors aid in preventing such rotor rust from forming and tarnishing your beautiful brake rotors.
Corrosive rust on the other hand is the evil twin brother. This is the rust you see when you live in harsh conditions where road salt (electrolytes) is often used. You don't want this type of rust. This rust often happens when you neglect your car and let it sit for extended periods of time without driving, allowing the rust to etch into your rotors. This affects the structural integrity of your rotors as well as effectiveness. If this happens, we recommend replacing your rotors.
BP Coated Rotors are specifically coated with a zinc coating to protect against surface rust.

6. Warped Rotors
Although the term "warped" rotors is very commonly used, it's in fact one of the least common causes of brake vibration. In fact, what happens in almost every case of a warped rotor is simply uneven pad deposits or heat spots. Uneven pad deposits happen from using incorrect break-in procedures. Follow our break-in guide (also known as "bedding your pads") to prevent vibration and premature rotor and pad failure.

Brake fluid is a hygroscopic fluid that starts absorbing water, making it less effective. We suggest flushing your brake fluid once a year, but it's also a good idea to bleed your fluid every 6 months if you do a lot of hard braking. Hard braking on the brake rotors accumulates a lot of heat in the brake system and "boils" the fluid, creating air bubbles. Bleeding your brake system helps get rid of those air bubbles in the system.

For both bleeding and flushing your brakes, it's recommended to have fresh brake fluid readily available. If the fluid in the reservoir runs low while bleeding/flushing, it will induce air into the system, rendering the entire process useless.

Make sure the brake fluid is fresh and hasn't been sitting on the shelf more than 2 weeks if the seal has been opened. This is important as opened brake fluid is going to contain moisture. Unlike other brake components such as brake rotors or brake pads, brake fluid is sensitive to shelf life, especially when opened.

Always wear safety glasses and use proper equipment. Use common sense and take precautions as BrakePerformance does not take responsibility for erratic driving, accidents, damages done, or personal injury.

1. On a level surface, set the car in gear and place a stop behind the tires to keep it from rolling.

2. Open the hood and locate the master cylinder. This is where the brake fluid is filled from. Open the master cylinder cap (brake fluid reservoir) and place an old rag around it as you may get some spillage. (Do not drip on the paint of the car as brake fluid will etch.)

3. Using a turkey baster, suck out all the fluid. Most likely 20% will remain and that's okay.

4. Refill the reservoir back up to the fill line using fresh brake fluid.

5. Check with your manufacturer and find out the order in which brake calipers should be bled first. Normally, it's always starting with the furthest brake caliper from the brake reservoir. For example, if your reservoir is located in the engine bay by the driver side, you would start with the rear passenger brake caliper, rear driver brake caliper, front passenger brake caliper, and then finally the driver side brake caliper. This is just a general example; make sure to verify with your manufacturer.

6. Once you figure out the order, you want to jack up that side of the car and remove the wheel to access the caliper that you are about to bleed.

7. Secure the car by using jack stands once you jack up the car and remove the wheel.

8. Locate the bleeder valve. It helps to attach a rubber hose over it so the brake fluid doesn't drip everywhere.

9. Using an assistant, have him/her pump the brakes about 4-5 times, and they should notice it get stiffer. While they are holding the brake pedal down, open up the bleeder valve and fluid will come out. The trick is that you want your assistant to notify you to close the valve right before they hit the bottom of the brake pedal.

10. Repeat this process until fresh brake fluid comes out. Usually, old fluid is darker, and you will notice the shift to a lighter fluid indicating the fresh fluid has filled that brake line.

11. Repeat the same process for the remainder of the brake calipers and make sure that the brake fluid never gets below the minimum marker on the master cylinder. If this happens, you risk getting air into the system again and having to redo the entire process.

12. Once all four corners are done, top off the fluid in the reservoir to the max line, torque the wheel bolts to the proper specification, and verify you have a solid brake pedal feel before driving.

Bleeding Brakes

The process of bleeding brakes is identical. The only difference is that when you are bleeding each individual brake caliper, you only need to open the bleeder valve once or twice until you don't see any air bubbles come out. You do not need to wait until you start seeing fresh fluid. It is still necessary to have fresh fluid as it may drain most of what's in the master cylinder.

Adjusting Parking Brake
Follow your manufacturers instructions as these are general guidelines and not a complete how-to. Because of the wide variety of different e-brake setups, use this as a guide, and not a comprehensive step-by-step instructional.
It's recommended to change your e-brake at 75,000 miles or at least adjust it every 2 years, depending on how often you use it. If your e-brake feels loose, it's usually the wires that simply need to be re-adjusted.

Adjusting Parking Brake

Most mechanical e-brakes are activated using thin steel cables that run from your e-brake handle, down to your brake mechanism. Over time, these cables develop slack and need to be re-adjusted. This is as simple as removing your center console or e-brake boot and locating the steel cables. Most of the time, it's a pair of steel cables that connect to the rear rotors.

There are two parts to the process. One is the jam nut which secures and tightens the steel cables in place. You want to loosen the jam nut so the steel cable moves freely. Next, locate the adjusting mechanism that tightens and loosens the slack of the steel wires. Usually if your e-brake handle feels loose and doesn't feel like it's grabbing, you want to tighten it.

In other cases, the e-brake can feel like it's overtightened. This usually results in a very heavy e-brake handle that only allows 1-2 clicks before it's engaged. Usually you want around 3-4 clicks as the brake resistances ramps up with the amount of clicks. Check with the manufacturer for recommended e-brake clicks and adjust to that.

After it's adjusted to your specification, tighten the jam nut to secure the new adjustment in place.
Make sure to rotate the rear wheels in the air freely to ensure that the e-brake isn't binding with the rotors with the e-brake lever fully released. Also make sure that the e-brake is functioning correctly by applying the e-brake and making sure the brake is holding the vehicle properly.

When to replace parking brake

Cars with over 150,000 miles or older than 10 years usually need their parking brake shoes replaced. If your parking brake is not holding your vehicle properly, check with our selection of parking brake shoes.