Brake calipers for Almera

tyview

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone could give me a rough guide to the cost of getting a brake caliper replaced. I'm not yet 100% it is the calliper but I'll be bringing it somewhere tomorrow to find out for sure. I got the brake pads and discs replaced last summer along with the wheel bearings in the wheel so I'm presuming it couldnt be them(?). My dad mentioned the caliper so I've been looking online for a price but cant find anything for an almera. Thanks

colm_mcm

What are the symptoms?

tyview

The brakes are making a loud grinding noise more often than not. The noise seems like its only from one side. There's no noise when I'm driving just braking. A few weeks ago I thought I could here a noise when I was driving but the brakes were fine so I thought it might have been bearing in a back wheel but that disappeared after a few days and now its this. I havent been driving the car much over christmas so its only now back to the school run that I know something definitely isnt right.

toyotaavensis

Calipers in the almera can stick. There is a little piece of the caliper that rusts and when it does the metal sticks to the rust rather than sliding by. If you get one from a scrap yard you would pay 30 quid give or take but make sure that it is not in the same state as the one being replaced. New they are expensive 150-200 a pop. A garage will probably look for 50-100 quid to fit it. Might be worth getting them to have a look at the other 3 calipers while they are doing this. Also if the brakes have been sticking on budget for some new brake pads. If the car is due to have the brake fluid changed this would be a good time to do it as they will be bleeding the brakes at the wheel they will be working at anyways.

How old and what milage is on the car?

tyview

thanks for the reply. its 03 and 140K miles on it. would I be better leaving it into a local mechanic then rather than fastfit or one of them?

colm_mcm

Definately a regular local mechanic type.

toyotaavensis

It is not a complicated job any mechanic will be able to do it. For something like this the most important thing is get someone honest. Whoever is doing it should have a look at the brakes all around and tell you if they need changing too. You dont want a gangster type changing them all when not needed. So I would go to whoever you get to do your oil changes unless you dont trust them. You said that the discs were done previously. If you were happy with whoever did this then I would stick with them.

tyview

toyotaavensis wrote: »

You said that the discs were done previously. If you were happy with whoever did this then I would stick with them.

I totally wasn't happy with that mechanic but one of my neighbours has recommended a guy he uses so I'll give him a shout tomorrow. Thanks for your help!

DeFinch89

If it was the N15 model ('95-'00) i could do this with my eyes closed lol
the most complicated part is to get a good seal where the flexi hose connects to the caliper.
could be a cheaper fix if its just the piston in the caliper that needs a bit of a clean and greasing up.

I wouldnt be as confident working on an N16 having never owned one before but they are more or less the same basic parts, have the same basic operation and require the same level of workmanship and attention as the older N15 would.

sparky63

Had to replace a rear caliper on my almera little over a year ago. Rang around for prices, cheapest i got was 300 euro with 50 euro back when you bring back in the old caliper. They send em off to be refurbished. It was easy to replace the caliper but you will need a tool to wind in the piston, around 20 euro for the tool.

toyotaavensis

Ouch here is a new calliper for a lot less and my experience is that the local motorfactors is normally cheaper than micks garage
http://www.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=1492941

DeFinch89

sparky63 wrote: »

Had to replace a rear caliper on my almera little over a year ago. Rang around for prices, cheapest i got was 300 euro with 50 euro back when you bring back in the old caliper. They send em off to be refurbished. It was easy to replace the caliper but you will need a tool to wind in the piston, around 20 euro for the tool.

this is correct a basic G-clamp is suitable for winding the piston

DeFinch89

toyotaavensis wrote: »

Ouch here is a new calliper for a lot less and my experience is that the local motorfactors is normally cheaper than micks garage
http://www.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=1492941

I find that too in 9.5/10 cases the local motor factors always cheaper