What's a good tool for compressing four piston brakes? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Charlielj
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #2
I'm currently have this set and I don't see how this set is going to work in my situation.
Amazon product ASIN B071F1KPPX
Amazon product ASIN B071F1KPPX
CharlieS
GOLD Star
Lots if times you can mostly compress them with a screwdriver or small prybar. I have some novelty tool that has a ratchet in it that spreads all four and that might work too, but have never bothered with it. You just need to spread the load across two pistons on a side, put a pad in, then do the other side. It is faster to do than explain. 
nwfl4runner
GOLD Star
CharlieS
GOLD Star
That's the style of tool I have but have never used. It is fast and easy just to pry them back with the rotor in situ.
I haven’t tried on the land cruiser, but on my challenger you can do it by hand…constant firm pressure will get it moving. It’s just a piston sitting static.
bloc
SILVER Star
Two screwdrivers and the rotor.
Remove pad, put one screwdriver across a piston, use other one to pry at center of the first, against outer lip of rotor. If you don't go too fast it won't push other pistons out.
Alternately the pad as Teckis mentioned, prying against the rotor with a screwdriver. The force coming at the piston at an angle can make this tricky.
The above mentioned method with the two drivers puts the force right in the middle of the piston in line with the axis of movement. Works great, on every 4-piston toyota I've had for the past 20+ years.
Remove pad, put one screwdriver across a piston, use other one to pry at center of the first, against outer lip of rotor. If you don't go too fast it won't push other pistons out.
Alternately the pad as Teckis mentioned, prying against the rotor with a screwdriver. The force coming at the piston at an angle can make this tricky.
The above mentioned method with the two drivers puts the force right in the middle of the piston in line with the axis of movement. Works great, on every 4-piston toyota I've had for the past 20+ years.
Trick question! If it's a Toyota 4 piston caliper it's most likely frozen and needs replacement anyway!
When they are not frozen, a big channellocks pliers with an old brake pad to keep the pressure even, simply holding the other two back. Doesn't take much.
When they are not frozen, a big channellocks pliers with an old brake pad to keep the pressure even, simply holding the other two back. Doesn't take much.
C-clamp the old pad against the piston. No special tool needed unless you fancy.
This is the answer.
- Thread starter
- #12
While searching I found this tool too but unfortunately they don't sell this in my local store; however, Napa does sell one exactly the same but with Napa brand. I believed you can use old brake pads or c-clamp and various methods without using a specific tool but I'm a newbie in this so with the proper tool will make my life easier. Thank you for all the posts/suggestions, much appreciated. This forum has helped me so much in this new adventure of mine...hopefully one day I'm good enough to give back to the community.
Last edited:
I came here to say this, and saw all these other answers...so I got self conscious that I maybe shouldn't do it like this....then I remembered I did this for 20 years. I overthought it.
CharlieS
GOLD Star
You would need to remove the caliper to use this tool, which is completely unnecessary. Same with C clamp. The front calipers are bolted to the uprights, so if you are just changing pads (not removing the rotors) there is absolutely no need to remove the caliper. You're making extra work. Even if you do need to change rotors, the prying method is quicker and easier with these front calipers.
I use this one.. easy
Amazon product ASIN B005GLQCKA
for the rotors you just need 2 m6 bolts (10mm Heads anyway)
Amazon product ASIN B005GLQCKA
for the rotors you just need 2 m6 bolts (10mm Heads anyway)
That's what I use as well....
