Question on possible seized calipers

[Xploitn]

So my Eclipse sat for 6-8 months in the rain and snow. I just moved and I can finally park it where I live so I'm working on it again. I'm just now getting a good cover but when I went to put it on the trailer to move it, I could smell the brakes even after only moving it about an 1/8th mile. The guy that was helping me at the time said that I should just spray WD-40 on the calipers and they should work next time I go to drive the car.

Does anyone have any experience with this? (all brake components are OEM to my knowledge)

Thanks guys!

 

[92AWDHX40]

Possible since the car sat for so long i would pull them off and inspect them, then youll know for sure take off the wheel and look they could have froze up.

 

[brobo]

Possible since the car sat for so long i would pull them off and inspect them, then youll know for sure take off the wheel and look they could have froze up.

+++1 on that, you should take them off and inspect them

 

[Xploitn]

If I find one that is seized, will I be able to loosen it with WD-40 or some penetrating oil and my hands? I've taken calipers off before to replace brake pads and rotors, but its been awhile since I've messed with calipers

 

[92AWDHX40]

wd 40 dont think its that simple i replaced my frozen ones 40 bucks for a caliper and some new pads around 30, done.

 

[Xploitn]

I just checked my stock and it looks like I'm going to have to run to the store to pick up some brake fluid and some nice penetrating oil. Is there anything else I should grab?

 

[Lou98GSX]

sometimes its not the caliper piston that gets frozen its the long pins that hold the caliper on the brackets .they get rusty and pitted you can try to clean them and hone the holes out with a dremal and then reinstall them with some wheel bearing grease. if they don't move freely the brakes will drag.

 

[pauleyman]

The pins do not get installed dry. If the pins are stuck clean them up and put some caliper grease on them.

 

[jtmcinder]

sometimes its not the caliper piston that gets frozen its the long pins that hold the caliper on the brackets

I wouldn't say "sometimes"; it's about twice as likely to be the slider pins than the actual calipers, in my experience.

 

[Xploitn]

Thanks guys, I already the drivers side jacked up and the tires off. After trying to turn the hub by grabbing onto the studs, I found the left rear hub wouldn't turn at all, the front one did. I'll check the right side tomorrow and start tearing apart the ones that don't move. Good call on those slider pins.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[pauleyman]

Just a double check, you did release teh parking brake?

 

[Xploitn]

No I didn't now that you say it... I feel dumb. More updates tomorrow though.


Okay so I got every tire in the air today and both fronts spin with a little rubbing but I'm hoping that is just from the surface rust on the rotors.
One of the things that surprised me was that even in neutral (and the emergency brake off!) the back tires only rotated about 1/8th inch as if it was in gear. This is my first AWD car so this wasn't what I was expecting but I guess it's normal. I wanted to start the car up and the wheels rotating but the battery is dead and no one to help jump it.
Looks like none of calipers are seized. thanks for the help guys.