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How to Inspect your Audi S8 Brake Caliper for Signs of Wear or Damage

The Audi S8 brake caliper works like a clamp on the disk rotor in stopping the wheel from turning whenever you apply the brakes. Because stopping your car is one of the first actions to prevent collisions, this component always has to be in top shape. So once you notice a change in your vehicle's braking, immediately check for signs of a broken caliper like:

Uneven brake pad wear

This is usually caused by the brake caliper slides sticking. When the component gets dirty or is starting to rust, it binds the braking process. This causes uneven force to be applied to each brake pad and then leads to uneven wear. Remove the brake caliper and check for rust or dirt. The component will only need to be cleaned regularly to avoid this from happening again.

Pulled braking

When you notice your car darting to the left or right the moment you hit the brakes, one of the calipers might be defective. To determine which one is faulty, observe where your vehicle is pulling-if it does to the left, then the right caliper needs to be replaced, and vice versa. Once you find which caliper is failing, open up its housing's bleeder valve and then close it off. Next, raise your car a bit using a mechanical lift and press the acceleration pedal. If the wheel assembly doesn't spin freely, then the caliper piston is most likely frozen and the brake caliper itself needs to be replaced.

Squealing

Drive around and take note of how your total brake system performs. If you can hear the brakes squeal whenever you stop suddenly, there is a possibility that the hardware attaching the brake calipers is worn. The squealing noise is usually caused by vibration, and you must buy a new attaching hardware right away.

Locked-up caliper

Most drivers know that if their car's brake pedal is too soft, they have to tighten their calipers. However, not many of them have any idea about the dangers of overly tightening the component. When you tighten the caliper's screws too much and you hit the brakes too hard, the calipers lock up and cause your car to turn, which can lead you into an accident. To check if one of your calipers is screwed too tight, check how hard it is to brake when you step on the pedal. It is also much safer to release their screws about a half-turn, so that the caliper has some room to move.