Brake caliper

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The brake caliper is a crucial component housing the brake pads and pistons, made from materials like plastic, aluminum or chrome-plated steel. Calipers can be fixed or floating; fixed ones don't move relative to the disc and are less tolerant of imperfections. They use opposing pistons to clamp from each side of the disc but are more complex and costly than floating calipers. Floating calipers (also known as "sliding calipers") move parallel to the disc's axis, applying pressure on both sides. However, single-piston designs can suffer from sticking failures due to dirt or corrosion. This may cause reduced fuel efficiency, excessive heating of the disc, or pad wear. Sticking front calipers can also result in steering vibration. Another type of floating caliper is a swinging caliper that uses a vertical pivot bolt and wedge-shaped pads due to its piston angle change relative to the disc.