What Does a Brake Caliper Look Like on a Car?

Q: What does a brake caliper look like on a car?

A: A brake caliper looks like a thick, U-shaped block that fits over the brake disc’s edge. A stock caliper in a baseline vehicle often goes unpainted, while a performance part in a luxury or performance car might be painted in black, red, silver, or yellow.

The brake caliper houses the brake pads in the brakes. It helps convert hydraulic pressure into mechanical force that moves the brake pistons, pressing the brake pads into the brake disc.

There are three different types of brake calipers.

The most common, simplest, and affordable type is the floating caliper, which has one or two pistons on one side of the brake disc that slides inward.

Next is the fixed caliper, which places pistons on both sides and prevents flexing to distribute pressure on the disc more evenly.

Finally, there’s the sliding caliper, which gets its name from the sliders that allow the caliper to move back and forth while braking.

Tips on How to Access the Brake Caliper

Always take steps to ensure your safety before working on the brake caliper. Park your car on a level surface to reduce the chances of rolling while you’re underneath it. Then, shift to park and set the parking brake. Finally, place wheel chocks behind the tires.

Take snapshots of the brake caliper for reference before removing them from the brake rotor. The photos will help you reassemble the caliper.

Avoid using the brake hose to hang the brake caliper. The hose isn’t designed to bear the weight of the part. Instead, use a sturdy rope or wire to support the caliper while working on it.