Brake light came on last night while driving, got home and checked brake fluid which was low but just below minimum. Looked under van and rear drivers side is leaking from around a bolt and dripping on tire. Looks like the Caliper but want to make sure so if anyone can Identify to confirm I need a new caliper that would be great. Here's the pic, leaks (dripping) from where the orange circle is highlighting when brake pedal is pushed and pic is from the rear inside :

 

Yep, it needs a caliper. There are rebuild kits available if you prefer to go that route, but my position on that is if it fails after you rebuild it, you’re the one who has to pay to fix it again. If you buy a new or reman caliper and it fails, at least it’s covered by a warranty. Also you won’t have the extra down time rebuilding it if you’re dependent on the van.

Either way, replace the hose at the same time as well. It’s been on there as long as the caliper and there’s no way to know for sure what the condition of the internal wall is like.

 

Great, have ordered the caliper already but will also get the hose, thanks for mentioning that, I have read the hoses sometimes collapse inside and its not an easy thing to diagnose. Are the new hoses built differently so they don't collapse?

 

Not to my knowledge. The materials and exact construction have changed some compared to several years ago and they do vary between manufacturers, but basically they’re all just reinforced hydraulic hoses.

Whether or not the inside wall breaks down depends on many factors. Age, mileage (more specifically the number of times the hose has flexed due to suspension movement or steering), condition of brake fluid, and frequency of caliper removal for service can all be a factor.

 

1) With regards to setting up the brakes, I read that when installing the new caliper the piston should be wound down until the pads just clear the rotor so the brakes adjust themselves properly - is this correct?

 

It wouldn’t hurt anything to do that but it’s not necessary. Once the caliper is changed and the brakes bled, pump the brake pedal with the engine off until you feel significant resistance in the pedal. That’s when the caliper has adjusted properly.

You can also actuate the parking brake to adjust it. Do this by holding the release lever (if it has one - some are push to release) and pumping the parking brake pedal several times until you feel resistance.

 

Is there a special setup for the parking break or will it self adjust as well?

 

In your pic - the area you circled as the source of the leak - that seal for the bolt (and lever attached to it) are the parking brake mechanism in the caliper.

The caliper piston has threads in it - that’s what the bolt is attached to. As the piston extends out it threads off the bolt. Then, when the parking brake is set, the cable pulls on the lever and the bolt turns just enough to force the piston out and clamp the pads onto the rotor.

Pay attention when you remove the caliper - you’ll see the inside pad has nipples on it that line up with divots in the piston. This keeps the piston from rotating as it extends which allows for the threads to adjust accordingly - it’s no different than holding a nut while turning a bolt.

 

When changing the caliper and hose, which I've completed, a notice in the new caliper instructions warns to reset the parking brake as a final step. Looking up instructions for doing this, it is a bit confusing - it says :


1. Raise the vehicle to a comfortable working position and support.

2. Wipe the front parking brake cable strand clean at the intermediate bracket area.

CAUTION: Do use any type of sharp instrument directly on the cable strand to hold it in place. Damage to the cable strand or coating can occur.

3. Clamp an appropriate pair of pliers on the front parking brake cable button only and pull the cable stand rearward until it stops, then grasp the front cable strand and hold it in this position. Remove the pliers from the button.

4. While holding the front cable in this position, install the equalizer (attached to both rear cables) on the front parking brake cable.

5. Release the grasp on the front parking brake cable.

6. Lower the vehicle.

7. Apply and release the parking brake lever one time. This will seat the parking brake cables and allow the auto adjuster in the parking brake lever mechanism to correctly tension the parking brake cables.

I understand all of it except the part where it says "Install the equalizer" - what is this equalizer and where is it?

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The equalizer is what allows the left and right cables to be evenly tensioned when the parking brake is applied. Follow the cable from the driver side toward the front and the point where the cables meet is where you’ll find the equalizer.

If you didn’t remove it, don’t worry about it. Oftentimes it’s easier to remove parking brake cables if the equalizer is removed but it’s not always necessary. The instructions you posted describe installation of the equalizer if it had been removed.