My old caliper would not release. I ended up replacing it. I wonder what could have been done if this had happened in the backcounty. In the back country I would not have a spare caliper. Is there any trail hack that might work?
CK5
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what would you do if your brake caliper locks up in the backcountry?
- Thread starter wazzabie
- Start date
Vise grips on rubber hose and release pressure on caliper. Drive home with vise grips in place.
rampage
3/4 ton status
My first thought would be to remove/pry the caliper off and hang it out of the way. Then take a pair of vise grips and clamp the rubber hose closed. Then CAREFULLY drive to the nearest parts store or shop. I’m sure someone will have a better solution.
rampage
3/4 ton status
Guess I’m a slower typer.
Don't feel bad--Franklin beat me to it while I was typing!..
I had to do just that once,it resulted in a scary trip home,with 3 wheel brakes,the truck wanted to head for the ditch every time I applied the brakes...had to replace the rubber hose when I got home too,it cracked where the vise grips were clamped to it..
I've had success getting a stuck caliper freed up by blasting it with cold water from a garden hose once too...
Another time I ended up removing the caliper and stepping on the brakes until the piston came out,and I was able to use sandpaper on the caliper bore and piston to take off the rust and crud,and got it back together (with no more protective boot!) and was able to bleed the brakes and get home...it didn't seize again for almost a week going to work and back,till I could afford a rebuilt caliper and had time to install it..was lucky I had a can of brake fluid in the truck!..its a good idea to keep a quart with you at all times..
I'm tempted to start carrying my double flaring tool in the glove box and a roll of brake tubing in 1/4" and 3/16" so I could repair a rusted brake line "on the road"...had more than one fail unexpectedly in a hidden area when the rest of it looked fine...I've used compression fittings in a pinch to limp home,though its "illegal" to use them on brake lines...(never had one fail on me)..
I had to do just that once,it resulted in a scary trip home,with 3 wheel brakes,the truck wanted to head for the ditch every time I applied the brakes...had to replace the rubber hose when I got home too,it cracked where the vise grips were clamped to it..
I've had success getting a stuck caliper freed up by blasting it with cold water from a garden hose once too...
Another time I ended up removing the caliper and stepping on the brakes until the piston came out,and I was able to use sandpaper on the caliper bore and piston to take off the rust and crud,and got it back together (with no more protective boot!) and was able to bleed the brakes and get home...it didn't seize again for almost a week going to work and back,till I could afford a rebuilt caliper and had time to install it..was lucky I had a can of brake fluid in the truck!..its a good idea to keep a quart with you at all times..
I'm tempted to start carrying my double flaring tool in the glove box and a roll of brake tubing in 1/4" and 3/16" so I could repair a rusted brake line "on the road"...had more than one fail unexpectedly in a hidden area when the rest of it looked fine...I've used compression fittings in a pinch to limp home,though its "illegal" to use them on brake lines...(never had one fail on me)..
I like the vise grip ideal. Rather then removing the caliper I think I would try to loose the bleeder valve and see if that freezes the caliper. I may not have a big c clamp so I may have to hit the brake pads with something (rock, stick) to push the piston back in some... or just remove the pads all together.
When the caliper locked up on the road I was still able to drive but the brakes were super hot and making a chirping noise as they cooled down. I drove it about 10miles like that with the caliper not releasing.
When the caliper locked up on the road I was still able to drive but the brakes were super hot and making a chirping noise as they cooled down. I drove it about 10miles like that with the caliper not releasing.
BFH (Big F'ing Hammer) 
I have caps for the brake lines, in my tool bags. I can cap any one line and remove that caliper. But I have ran all AN fittings.
I believe the brake system has two separate circuits. So if I were to disconnect the rear line and not close it the front brakes would still work.
Exactly. Which is where the aftermarket proportioning valves (generally) lack. Disconnect one "end", you've got the other that will work with the dual isolated circuit design.
Plus, you DO have a parking brake that can be utilized. It's pretty darn tough to use the trucks parking brake (moreso with a manual trans vehicle), but even that can be done.
Some bros of mine drove a $300 bus from Portsmouth VA to Daytona with the front brakes crimped & vise gripped. And back. Glad they did, it was my crash pad while I was there! You know it was safe, they hauled their bikes in it!
A combination of caps and plugs will work on just about anything and is handy to have in your spares bag. A spool or manual locker is nice too since you can just spool up the axle with 1 brake and party on. We did that with a front caliper that we broke off the car in a desert race. Cap the line, lock the ARB and raced it in. Seemed a little weird running 90 down dirt roads with 1 front brake but it did OK. Another car with that same problem earlier that same day tumbled when the driver forgot he only had one front brake and that they had take the air locker out since they "didn't need it for a desert race".
Shoot the sh!t out of it for locking up on ya. Teach that B hive a lesson 
...
or just fix it lol!
...or just fix it lol!
runamok151
1 ton status
Does uber uses 4x4s?
If you carried a nut that threaded onto a banjo bolt you could cap a standard caliper fitting with that. You could also carry a flare fitting cap for a wheel cylinder. If the line nut breaks or strips trying to set this up, you'd have to undo a fitting further up, or back to vise grips.
There are multiple problems with just leaving a circuit open to drive. First of all you'll have too much pedal travel and probably can't get full use of the good brake circuit. Then after the repair, there's lot of bleeding to do. Plus, bottoming out a MC is often the death of it.
Getting the caliper off the rotor will be the hardest part, but that's where the hammer comes in. Hammer the back of the caliper so the pad pushes the piston back into the bore.
I've it's just dragging and not really "locked", you can drive on it by stopping to let it cool, but if you have very far to go this may take longer than a trail fix.
There are multiple problems with just leaving a circuit open to drive. First of all you'll have too much pedal travel and probably can't get full use of the good brake circuit. Then after the repair, there's lot of bleeding to do. Plus, bottoming out a MC is often the death of it.
Getting the caliper off the rotor will be the hardest part, but that's where the hammer comes in. Hammer the back of the caliper so the pad pushes the piston back into the bore.
I've it's just dragging and not really "locked", you can drive on it by stopping to let it cool, but if you have very far to go this may take longer than a trail fix.
H20 Toie
1/2 ton status
I broke a front brake line once so just clamped off the line, right after that a buddy rolled his jeep so had to take him 100 miles to hospital, stopping was never an issue because it was easy to compensate when it would pull to the side what was scary was letting off the brakes, never did get the hang of it
