# Replaced front brake calipers and now front brakes are stuck.



## 88Comjet (Jun 25, 2012)

I've got a '88 Jetta GL that I had to replace the metal brake line to the passenger side front. When it came time to bleed, the blender valve was broken off at the base of the caliper. I couldn't get it out, so I replaced both front calipers. I removed the two 6mm hex bolts that hold the calipers on, disconnected the brake lines, replaced the pad clips, hooked up the lines to the new calipers, bolted them back up, and bled them. Now it's like the calipers won't release and the front brakes are locked. I jacked up each side to make sure that both wheels couldn't be moved. Any ideas as to what I could (or couldn't) have done to cause this? Thanks!


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## witchcraftz (Aug 28, 2011)

Perhaps you didn't compress your brake pistons properly?


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## germancarnut51 (Mar 23, 2008)

Sounds to me like the pad clips or the brake pads are hanging/jammed in the caliper carriers.

Where did you get the replacement calipers from?

Did you replace the pad clips or the brake pads?

Did the brake pads drop in with a problem, or were they a tight fit and you had to force them in?

Did the pad clips look and fit exactly the same as the old pad clips?

Did you replace the rubber hoses? When rubber hoses age, they can swell internally without any indication on the outside, and restrict flow in one direction, or in both directions.


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## radlynx (Jan 4, 2007)

did you fix this yet? i'm just curious. 



88Comjet said:


> I've got a '88 Jetta GL that I had to replace the metal brake line to the passenger side front. When it came time to bleed, the blender valve was broken off at the base of the caliper. I couldn't get it out, so I replaced both front calipers. I removed the two 6mm hex bolts that hold the calipers on, disconnected the brake lines, replaced the pad clips, hooked up the lines to the new calipers, bolted them back up, and bled them. Now it's like the calipers won't release and the front brakes are locked. I jacked up each side to make sure that both wheels couldn't be moved. Any ideas as to what I could (or couldn't) have done to cause this? Thanks!


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## 88Comjet (Jun 25, 2012)

Yes I did actually. I compared the old calipers to the new calipers and I put the bolts through the old and new calipers and I saw the problem. The new calipers didn't have the metals bushings that the bolts go through. D'oh! I took them out and placed them in the new calipers, and they've been working fine.


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