Real time help, compressing caliper pistons (1 Viewer)

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Didnt think of this till after my only truck is apart in the driveway, but what can I use to spread them apart? Ive got a caliper compressor, but it wont work on these since the oposite side is shielded. An old pad and a C clamp?
 
c clamp will work fine.
 
All I have ever used is a socket from a socket set (box spanner) have to remember you Americans use different names...lol

Just use a box spanner of the right size and a g-clamp if the second piston starts to move out when you compress the piston in, just jam it up with somthing to stop it moving out.
 
I open the bleeder, clamp down with channel locks between the edge of the pad and the outside of the caliper just enough to get a flat prybar between the pad and the rotor and ease them back. The open bleeder allows easy compressing, makes the opposite pistons not move in so much and flushes some old fluid out. it also does not allow the fluid to be forced the wrong way through the system. I have seen masters fail from this.


All done with the caliper on the knuckle, of course.
 
Same as Gumby, using a large screwdriver to ease them back. As long as the tip of the screwdriver is gouging the pad material rather than the rotor, you can use a surprising amount of force delivered steadily while tapping with a hammer. Just recognize your goal is even pressure on both pistons so you don't jam one and then keep jamming it worse. In perhaps 50 brake replacements, I've never deviated from this technique and never had a problem getting the pistons retracted. That includes some serious beater college cars I bought as well.

DougM
 
IdahoDoug said:
Same as Gumby, using a large screwdriver to ease them back. As long as the tip of the screwdriver is gouging the pad material rather than the rotor, you can use a surprising amount of force delivered steadily while tapping with a hammer. Just recognize your goal is even pressure on both pistons so you don't jam one and then keep jamming it worse. In perhaps 50 brake replacements, I've never deviated from this technique and never had a problem getting the pistons retracted. That includes some serious beater college cars I bought as well.

DougM

I use a similar technique. It didn't work on my beater Subaru though. Those you actually had to twist to get them to screw in. I like the simplicity and easy of Toyota calipers.
 
Those screw type calipers are an absolute nightmare. They are also on Ford Taurus rears, and it's more time/cost effective to simply buy fully loaded calipers (new calipers with pads) and replace the whole unit.

DougM
 
My RX7 rear disc brakes calipers had the integrated parking brake that requires rotating the pistons in order to back them into the caliper. There is a very simple tool I purchased to do the deed, quick and painless.

I also got what amounts to the world's smallest sissors jack that, for the regular (non parking brake) calipers, is inserted between the pads and used to push the pistons back in.

No muss, no fuss.
 
I just use a couple of large screw drivers one side at a time and as IdahoDoug states just don't gouge the rotor!

That's this Saturday's project before heading to SnT the following weekend. Pads from the parts master have been sitting on the work bench for a couple of weeks now.
 

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