80 series Front brake calipers. What tools are folks using? (1 Viewer)

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What tools are you guys using to press in your pinstons while doing a front brake job without releasing the brake line?? I usually use a 4" clamp, but it's too big.
 
i use this
wood%20clamp.jpg


kinda weird, i know. but it works.
 
Big C-clamp, or if I'm not using the pads again, I'll use a large screwdriver to pry against the pads .
 
X2 on the large C clamp.:cheers:
 
The wooden handle from a small hammer. I reinstall the caliper and then slowly pry them open with the wood handle. Been doing it for years and haven't found anything easier.
 
Mega-sized Channel Locks. Amazed at how often I use them !
 
I must be doing something wrong here. I just cannot get a good angle to fit the 4" c-clamp in. I'm having a hard time thinking of how you guys are able to fit a large c-clamp in and I cannot a 4" c-clamp. Are you guys doing this while the old pads are still attached to the sliding pins?
 
keep a brake pad in there and use the c clamp to push in both pistons at the same time. Opposite two pistons may try to pop out at the same time so crack open the bleeder nipple and let some fluid out while squeezing.
 
Two pair of Sears channel locks.

Take one pad out of the caliper, squeeze in both pistons at the same time with channel locks, put in new pad, take out old pad on the other side, squeeze in both pistons at the same time, drop in new pad - done.
 
Opposite two pistons may try to pop out at the same time so crack open the bleeder nipple and let some fluid out while squeezing.

That can only happen if you remove the pad on the other side, so only remove one pad at a time.

No need to crack the bleeder, the brake fluid will run back into the master cylinder reservoir when you press in the pistons, so make sure you have room in the reservoir. As long as you didn't add brake fluid since your last pad replacement, you'll have all the capacity you need.
 
No need to crack the bleeder, the brake fluid will run back into the master cylinder reservoir when you press in the pistons, .

Not too crazy about returning cruddy fluid back up to the master cylinder.
 
Not too crazy about returning cruddy fluid back up to the master cylinder.

I'm not a brake engineer, but I don't see how it would make any difference. The only problem with old fluid is that it has absorbed water - and the H2O probably distributes itself throughout the system anyway. "Wet" fluid away from the caliper isn't going to get hot enough to boil, so the fact that it's "wet" higher up in the system doesn't matter - it's still the water content of the fluid in the caliper that will affect braking performance.

IMHO, the decision to flush the fluid in the lines is a separate issue from pad changes, either the fluid needs to be replaced or it doesn't. If it's bad in the calipers, might as well bleed all the calipers until the fluid runs clear. It doesn't take much fluid and only costs a few bucks to have 100% fresh.

But if I'm just doing a pad change and am okay with the condition of the fluid in the calipers, I see no reason to crack open the system. My $0.02 anyway.
 
If you have cruddy fluid, you're not flushing the system often enough.

While that is true, it's pretty impressive / depressing what all kind of crud you find when pulling the pistons & rebuilding the calipers. 160K on mine @ rebuild & there was very visible dirt/brakedust clods.

I have nothing to back this up with, but the closer the fluid to the caliper, the less I bet it really circulates, meaning the fluid out by the caliper might really be worse stuff than say the fluid in the master cylinder, just because the deadlegged fluid sits out by the caliper & experiences more of the environment than fluid trapped in the lines progressively closer to the master cylinder. Think how little the fluid really moves when the brakes cycle & that's what gets me thinking like this.

Again, no science behind this, just my thoughts since it's not a circulating system. I could be totally wrong.
 
when pulling the pistons & rebuilding the calipers. 160K on mine @ rebuild & there was very visible dirt/brakedust clods.

I doubt much, if any brake dust could get in there, probably just loose rust & worn metal (from piston thrusting) from inside the caliper.

the fluid out by the caliper might really be worse stuff than say the fluid in the master cylinder

Absolutely, that's where the heat cycles and bulk of the wear happens. The master cylinder gets a little wear but it's piston rides on seals instead of metal-to-metal for the most part, and it's aluminum so there's no rust. And no heat. The caliper pistons also have seals, but the piston "skirts" are still metal-to-metal.

As far as water absorption goes, I wouldn't be surprised if the master cylinder fluid gets "wet" faster than the fluid in the calipers. The master cylinder cap has a vent, so humid air can get in.
 
uggg

Take cap of master cylinder.....Then I used a screw driver to pry the pads open before I take them out.....slide in new pads. Done. When you take cap off wrap a rag around the master cylinder to soak up any brake fluid that runs out when you compress the pistons.
 

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