This.

Also, depending on area, I see the bracket that holds the hose away from moving parts can get so rusted it will crush the hose shut.

THAT !! ... was an issue with the way earlier big vans !

It would allow the psi to PUSH THROUGH ... but not bleed back !

I had two experiences with that MEself !

It’s more than a good idea, it’s the best way. Why push the crap back up the lines. Does anybody flush the brake fluid on a good working system? You should.

But let’s get real here. How hard is it to take apart, clean and put new seals in a caliper? Its easy people!

How many people here have access to a REAL BLEEDER SYSTEM that will clean out the whole thing ?

Also .... the bleeder screw is at the top of the caliper- any trash is at the bottom!

So who here flips the calipers 180 and pumps through a gallon PLUS of brake fluid to clean out the system?

BTW ... jsta what does a dealer charge for a flush .., and how complete is that service ?

I think that some of the responses here miss the point on this particular problem. The calipers (and in some cases the hoses) just won't let the brake fully release. It can start anytime. Seemingly out of the blue. It is not tied to replacing the pads. And by the time it gets to us, it had been sticking for a while, the rotor has gotten hot and warped, and the pads on that side are worn down more than the other side.

So what began as a dragging brake, is now an entire front brake job. So, it is just cheaper and easier (at least for me) to pull everything off a wreck for $40 or so, that some other poor schmuck just paid retail for. And since it was all just apart recently, it all comes back apart rather easily. In fact, with my battery impact and Saws-All, I can probably have the parts off the wreck in less time than it would take to properly rebuild a caliper.

You can tell from the condition of the caliper, pads, and rotor of the donor vehicle whether the pulled parts were functioning correctly. Kinda like a test drive by the original retail buyer.

In fact, we get so many of our parts now from the pick-a-part yards, Amazon, Ebay, and Rockauto, that a regional rep for O'Reilly's wanted to know why we were down to less than a couple of hundred dollars a month with them.

In fact, we get so many of our parts now from the pick-a-part yards, Amazon, Ebay, and Rockauto, that a regional rep for O'Reilly's wanted to know why we were down to less than a couple of hundred dollars a month with them.

How much are you really saving by the time the pick-a-part yard adds all the environmental fees, core fee, and tax?

Just curious.

Some of youz full time repair - like that ole geezer mopX and the fiddler player from the heartland of Florida - I’m sure you’ve done more brake jobs in a week than I’ve done in my life !

Now to mop4 .... I’ve used my trusty C clamp the last 6 or so jobs I’ve done. The way I do it is an EIGHTH of a turn every 30 seconds or so ... DONT THINK there’s any issue cocking the piston.

As a business, we are tax exempt at the pick-a-part yards, same as the auto supplies. But the sales tax burden would still be less for most people at the pick-a-part yards than at the auto supplies because the sales amount would be less. Most don't charge the other fees yet, but a few are starting to. If they do charge additional fees, it is usually 75 cents a ticket for environmental and if they charge core, you can get that back. Some do charge an admission fee of $1, but many wave that for us since we are there regularly. In total, the most the fees would cost someone to buy the parts at some pick-a-part yards is $1.75 while the total extra fees would be 0 at other ones.

And then some of the pick-a-part yards run regular specials, like free admission, Rubber Mondays (tires for $10), $100 engine and transmissions, and all kinds of other deals. For those able to take advantage of the pick-a-part yards, they really can be a rockin' good deal. We save hundreds and hundreds of dollars there. It takes time and effort, but is well worth it.

The Pick A Part near here charges a $3 entry fee. Then they add sales tax and a $1 for the environmental fee, so there is an extra $4 added to the parts you get. The sales tax is always less then it would cost at a parts store because the parts are about 1/2 the price.

I'm usually looking for older stuff, I'd consider myself pretty lucky to find the older stuff with usable brake parts. Sometimes I've been lucky, but not very often.

Though it is true the caliper kits are pretty inexpensive and are pretty easy to install, that all goes out the window if you need a caliper piston, have to deal with a frozen bleeder screw, messed up mounting bolt bushings and threads or clean up a caliper full of nasty rusty crap. It doesn't take too long before you get near the cost of a rebuilt caliper without all the work. Gene

A couple of weeks ago I found a Diplomat in a yard that was in very good shape. Not sure why it was there. Anyway, I pulled the front disc stuff including the spindles for a project I'm planning. $80 for everything and the pads looked good, too. I spent a little more time and pulled the dust covers off the tie rods. They looked good and that OE stuff lasts better than about anything I can buy new now. They threw the dust covers in for free.

Not too many deals like that at the auto supplies.