[ksav]

I’m in the middle of replacing the rear pads and rotors on my 328xi. My rear caliper brackets and calipers are quite rusted (northern car) but the pistons still move without issue and are clean. The guide pins are also fine. The pads I’m pulling out do not travel well in the caliper bracket, and it looks like the inner left pad might have bound up at the ears (the inner pad was completely gone, the outer pad was about half worn).
1) Is there any reason to consider replacing the caliper or caliper bracket, or should I just go to town with a wire brush and some sand paper to clean up the slots where the brake pad ears slide in the caliper bracket?
2) Am I correct that I only need to worry about cleaning up the caliper brackets where the brake pad ears travel? Is there a location on the caliper itself I have to clean up as well?
3) Is there any reason not to use Evaporust or the equivalent to help speed me up?

Thanks for your help!

[tcphoto]

I cleaned the parts with brake cleaner then took a wire brush to the bracket and calipers. When I was happy with them I primed them and then used a heat resistant black spray paint.

[Brian86]

No reason to replace the torque arm/caliper bracket. Just go hog wild with a brush. No harm in using a coarse bastard file either. Or removing it from the car and taking it to the bench grinder.... The pads should slide axially by hand inside the torque arm. I can't think of anything else to dust clean.

I don't know what evaporust specifically is (although the name is pretty explanatory) but if it helps, use it. Probably a good idea to keep it away from the rubber boot and O-ring in the caliper just in case.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

Get yourself a wire brush and clean off the slide area of the caliper carrier as well as you can. Use a small screwdriver and scrape the inner areas that can't be reached well. Use a wire brush on the caliper, but be careful around the boot.

Spray it down with brake clean, use some caliper grease on the ears of the pads and the back of the pad where it rests against the caliper and you'll be all set.

[MightyMouseTech]

We use a sand blaster at the dealer to clean the brackets.

[ksav]

Thanks for the feedback. The calipers and brackets are cleaned up and back in, and seem fine.

[mweisdorfer]

If you can drive another car for a week or so, I'd take all 4 calipers off, and refurbish them with new piston seals and the like.

The seals for the rear are crazy, expensive for a piece of rubber but the front are tolerable.

Once you've got the pistons out, sand blast them & the hangers. Then have the hangers & calipers powder coated. The cost will be about $400.00 for this service.

You can continue to deal with rust & pads & pistons not functioning correctly or get them refurbished & powder coated. New BMW calipers are astronomically $$$ expensive.