NAPA has brake calipers for all makes and models. Get the best replacement caliper to fit your car, truck, or SUV. We have front and rear replacement calipers that come with all of the hardware, bolts, guide pins, and everything else you’ll need to rebuild your braking system.

Adaptive One® Coated Brake Calipers

Our e-coating is superior to powder coating or standard brake caliper paint because:

• Provides corrosion protection for both the caliper core and caliper bracket.
• Helps prevent a seized brake caliper, a sticking piston, and frozen slide pins.
• Passes a 96-hour continuous salt spray quality test.
• Environmentally friendly, heavy metal-free, and OSHA and EPA compliant.

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NAPA Proformer™ Brake Calipers

NAPA Proformer remanufactured brake calipers meet OE specifications and quality requirements for proper operation such as:

• An anti-corrosion solution coating for superior protection and longevity.
• All threaded ports and bolt holes on calipers and brackets are chased to restore the threads, and guide pin holes are cleaned. This reduces the chances of galling or cross-threading.
• Hydraulic connections are knurled to ensure a tight seal between the brake line to the caliper body to eliminate leaks.
• Pre-assembled using synthetic lubricant formulated exclusively for these calipers.
• A perfect fit that end users expect from safety-critical parts.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a Brake Caliper?

Brake calipers are an essential component of your vehicle’s braking system. Older cars and trucks used drum brakes, which slows the vehicle by applying friction between a brake shoe and a rotating drum. Most modern vehicles are equipped with a disc brake system, which is made up of a brake caliper, brake rotor, and brake pads. These ensure better ventilation, so heat doesn’t build up as quickly and dissipates faster. For this reason, drum brakes have largely been replaced by disc brakes.

The brake caliper fits over the brake rotor, acting like a bracket that houses the brake pads on either side. When braking, hydraulic pressure is created by the master cylinder and brake lines. This compresses brake fluid to push the brake piston out and forces the brake pads onto the discs to slow your vehicle. When you take your foot off the brake pedal, the drop in brake fluid pressure causes the brake piston to retract, and the caliper releases the brake pads from the rotor.

How to Tell if you Have a Bad Brake Caliper?

Unlike brake pads and brake rotors that wear out over time with normal use, brake calipers don’t need to be replaced as often. However, if worn out brake pads and warped rotors fail to insulate the caliper from excessive heat and vibrations, your caliper seals may become damaged. Rust, salt, corrosion, and other debris could then contaminate the brake fluid and cause the caliper to leak. As a result, a damaged or corroded piston may stick or become seized, which could cause your brakes to fail.

If the caliper gets stuck in the retracted position, that wheel will have no brakes, whereas if the caliper gets stuck in the engaged position, your brake pad will create excessive heat and wear down quickly.

Any of the following signs may indicate that you have a bad brake caliper that needs to be replaced:

Ignoring any of these signs can cause more damage to your braking system, which can increase your costs significantly.

Can you Paint a Brake Caliper?

Painted brake calipers are an easy way to make your wheels stand out. Just like high-end sports cars, you can use a brush or spray paint to change the colour of your brake calipers and make them look brand new. By taking the time to properly prepare your calipers, you’ll be able to enjoy a nice paint job that will last a long time and help prevent rust.

Because brake calipers produce a lot of heat, they require special high-temperature paint. Brake caliper paint is available as an aerosol spray or a self-levelling brush-on paint. Whichever one you choose, make sure to only use paint that’s designed for brake calipers.

Some of the more popular brake caliper paint colours to choose from include:

Although painting your brake calipers won’t give you more stopping power or a shorter braking distance, they’ll make your vehicle look like a sports car. If you want to customize your car, this easy mod might just be for you.

Proper Brake Caliper Maintenance

Canada has some of the harshest winter weather conditions in the world, with extremely cold temperatures and a lot of snow and ice. The roads are often salted to make winter driving safer and more efficient. However, salt can cause corrosion and cause brake calipers to rust and stick.

For this reason, make sure to clean your brakes thoroughly with brake cleaner solution and lubricate all lubrication points to help prevent stuck calipers.

Every caliper sliding pin should be lubricated with a silicone-based or high-temperature lubricant specially designed for brakes. In some cases, you might want to add copper anti-seize or ceramic grease to the contact points between the brake pad and the caliper. You should also inspect all brake lines and hoses and replace any parts that are cracked, rusted, or visibly damaged.

In some cases, you can repair or rebuild a brake caliper. Just like you can change a sliding pin, you can also replace a caliper piston seal or the piston itself. However, a rebuild kit may not be enough to restore proper braking power if your caliper is heavily corroded. In such cases, replacing the caliper can be a safer, more long-term solution. Plus, new calipers undergo professional testing and are easy to install.

Whatever your driving style is, you should have your brakes inspected on a regular basis. When you need a replacement brake caliper, make sure to install only the best brake parts on your vehicle.