Mystery part Car brake caliper , What is it ?

[BADGER.BRAD]

What is the barrel shaped thing at the top left ? It is connected to the hand brake cable bracket , it has no fluid connection and seems to do nothing ?

 

[ancient_mariner]

Could it be either a steering bump stop or some kind of damping weight to reduce vibration? Knowing what car this is from might help too.

 

[lindsay]

I was thinking some kind of counterweight?

 

[ancient_mariner]

A bit of research suggests they are probably counterweights to help reduce brake squeal. i.e.:

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-are-these-disc-brake-counter-weights-for.464753/

 

[Nod]

The counterweight theory is what sprung to my mind too.

 

[lindsay]

Crikey, I might know something about car mechanics! There's a turnup

 

[onomatopoeia]

It looks to be bolted on to the caliper as part of an adapter to form part of the fitting to the stub axle. I agree with others it's likely to be some kind of counterweight, though deliberately increasing the unsprung weight is a design decision taken by people that don't care about how the car handles.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Thanks everyone, I thought an anti vibration weight

agree with others it's likely to be some kind of counterweight, though deliberately increasing the unsprung weight is a design decision taken by people that don't care about how the car handles.

It's a KIA Picanto so you are most likely right ! since buying this car although it only covers about a 10th of the mileage of my other little car ( Peugeot 107) it has caused me way more expense and time fixing the thing, it seems like everything has become one part so no bolt or nut wants to be removed and just to make it even harder none of the bolts or nuts seem to have any corners on them due to being made from corroded chocolate ! As a sort of negative and positive it drives like something from the 1980/90s ( I like old things !)