C5 rear brake caliper seized

[garrydog]

Hi
I have had this car now 18 months now ,it's been very good apart from a new set of injectors ( my fault nasty fuel) ,and also fitted cruise control brilliant . after about 15,000 miles since I got the car I have a problem . Just got home from Scotland as I started to come home I got a vibration on the front end ,and low on power ,I got out of the car and the rear O Side rear caliper was smoking ,got back into the car and stated off again same as .I dabbed the brakes a few times as you do , and it when away drove home OK .whats the best way to sort this can it be freed off ,or will it need a new caliper ,any pitfalls with these calipers?

Thanks David.

[myglaren]

The usual problem is that corrosion between the calliper and trailing arm mating surfaces the pushes the calliper out of alignment so that the pads wear wedge-shaped.
Eventually the callipers contact the wheel. You will find it impossible to fit the spare when this happens.

The retaining bolts are very long, very tight and blathered their full length with threadlock, made worse by being bent and stressed by the out of alignment calliper. Removing the bolts can be very problematic and they have a marked tendency to shear. The callipers are frequently damaged in the removal process, if not before.

At the very least it is best to fit new bolts even if they do come out intact.

Dealers just cut the lot off and fit new callipers.

I have just had mine done - entrusted to a mechanic as I would most likely have caused more damage than enough. Both callipers and all the nonsense surrounding them renewed. Not cheap but should last a while.

There are quite a few threads covering this with advice on how to proceed. Essentially drown the bolts in Plus-Gas over the space of a couple of days then slowly turn the bolts with a short breaker bar, without shocking them, let them come free of their own accord as far as possible.

I had planned on having these fitted but the guy bought some more expensive ones locally to save time. more than twice the price

[garrydog]

Thanks for the reply ,got some plus gas on order think I may need it , I am also going to get new bolts for both sides .