well i decided to change my rear brake pads today and everything went well until i tried compressing the calipers. why are they so hard to compress. does anyone have any idea how i can compress em all the way down. i put the e--brake down and even opened the bleeder. any ideas.
rear brakes
- Thread starter errray's 03 svt
- Start date
You need a tool that rotates the piston to get it to go back down - I had the same experience you did. NAPA carries the tool - but I'm sure others do too. It looks like a flat plate with teeth that go into the notches inthe piston - it has a 3/8 square hole to put a ratchet or extension into it.
thanks j card. you think kragen might have em.
Yup. Snap on makes a really nice one for around 200 bucks. I used it last week. Its easy.
200 Bucks? I think I got mine at NAPA for $20 or less. It's not like you need to use it every day for a living..... I'll use mine maybe once a year. I've purchased a lot of Snap On tools, but I'd go cheap on this one.
ok , i just got back from kragen and their tool sucks. it slips out of the notch every time i try to turn it.
The piston ratchets in place to roughly maintain the last "squeezed" position so the manual mechanical parking brake works (If it didn't do this, when you applied the parking brake it would shove the piston back into the caliper). This is common to all rear disc brake cars.
IMPORTANT NOTE for all that are inexperienced with rear discs: Make sure one of the notches on the piston face is lined up with the nub on the back of the bake pad. On a Cobra the notches should be at the 0 or 180 degree position when the caliper is viewed horozontally. :beer:
IMPORTANT NOTE for all that are inexperienced with rear discs: Make sure one of the notches on the piston face is lined up with the nub on the back of the bake pad. On a Cobra the notches should be at the 0 or 180 degree position when the caliper is viewed horozontally. :beer:
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Yes, you need a special tool to push AND turn the piston back in. The one I have is a little square piece of metal with different "nubs" on it for different cars. And I still had to modify it to work on 00 GT when I was changing the brakes.
You already did it, but make sure the bleeder valve is open so it is easier for the piston to turn back in.
You already did it, but make sure the bleeder valve is open so it is easier for the piston to turn back in.
You already did it, but make sure the bleeder valve is open so it is easier for the piston to turn back in. [/B][/QUOTE]
This would work HOWEVER it makes a mess (unless you connect a handy-dandy hose and catch can to the bleeder).
ANOTHER HOT TIP: Half of the time if you use an old rusty "C" clamp the piston will rotate with the clamp pad as you compress it. If not try lightly tack welding the clamp pad so it is fixed as you turn it (for those of us unwilling to put the Snap-On mans kids through Harvard):read:
This would work HOWEVER it makes a mess (unless you connect a handy-dandy hose and catch can to the bleeder).
ANOTHER HOT TIP: Half of the time if you use an old rusty "C" clamp the piston will rotate with the clamp pad as you compress it. If not try lightly tack welding the clamp pad so it is fixed as you turn it (for those of us unwilling to put the Snap-On mans kids through Harvard):read:
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Yeah, I used a bleeder thingy I bought. Hose attach's to the valve and then goes into a little bottle to collect the fluid.
thanks for the 411 guys.
well i finally finished the rear brakes and went for a test ride. the brakes don't grab as hard. should i bleed em. the grab good if i pump em though. anyone know what i should do.
I would try bleeding them again. Air may be in the lines.
Follow the procedure to break in your pads.
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