Suparslinc

Do I need a special tool to turn the pistons back into the caliper? After I slid the assembly off the rotor and the old pads fell out, I could not get the new outside pad back in. It looks like the parking brake pulls the piston snug, then you need one of those tools to turn it back in. Why oh why is this such a PITA! If i need this tool, does Autozone rent?
Now its going to be another couple weeks, after my car sat since August and I've been driving two days, before I get back on the road.

SoRRoW

Some pistons have slits cut on the side of it,if so put a srew driver there and turn it and push in,

If not..just go by the dam tool for $15. its a block you put it on a 3/8 drive wratchet..

Push and turn

specRX7_22

needle nose pliars are what i use when i dont have access to that tool. its really not a pain in the *** at all IMO. changing pads takes maybe 20 mins to do all 4.

Suparslinc

20 minutes?
Well we tried the screwdriver trick, either the piston is seized or its too tight.
What gives with these calipers? I've replaced 5 or 6 of them in the span of 7 years.

jutny

i generally use a C clamp...

*shrug*

specRX7_22

i dont see how the piston could be seized, as everytime you apply the brakes or e-brake, its movin. it IS hard to turn, but its do-able.

also remember when putting the caliper back on, grease the slide pin. if you dont, you could see uneven pad wear, and ya dont want that on those new pads, now do ya?

rxtasy3

iTrader: (2)

That only works for the front. The rear has to be screwed back in.

Cortex

I ran into similar trouble this weekend when I changed all my pads. The front caught me out with the anti-rattle spring. You have to love the seach on this forum! It's saved the day many times..

I just used a large set of pliers to screw the piston in (clockwise). There is a tool you can get but I couldn't drive with the wheels off the car so I made do

BTW.. You have unhooked the park brake haven't you? I just realised that might be why you're having trouble...

specRX7_22

yeah he must have, because that has to be done before even pivoting the caliper up and sliding it off.

Pele

iTrader: (28)

Really?!? I did the rear brakes on my RX-7 without taking the parking brake cable off...

Had to do it with needle nose pliers too. I found it nice to put an adjustable wrench on the pivot point of the pliers...

Now I own the rear brake cube... Works nicely... about $10-20 from PepBoys.

specRX7_22

you must not remember right. you cannot get the pads off without removing the caliper fromt the slider pin. and doing this requires the disconnection of the e-brake cable.

Suparslinc

Okay, here is where I am now.
I ordered two new rotors and pads from a local parts store. The rotors were only $23 and some change each, I thought that was a pretty good price considering victoriabritish.com wants $50 for them.

I'm pretty sure the rear rotors don't have bearings and subsequently will not need to be repacked.

So the process is to remove the cable for the e-brake, take the top mounting bolt out of the caliper, and the rotor should slide off. Is that correct?

Then I use a screwdriver and a hammer to turn the piston in clock-wise fashion, and place the new pads.

I completely remove the caliper, and the old rotors should come off when I remove the two #3 phillips head screws and bang the rotor out with a mallet.

Assuming all that goes well, how difficult is it to change the front pads? I seem to remember having to loosen a control arm in the past, but perhaps that was just the time I replaced the rotors.

I'm going this morning to pick up the rear rotors and pads, and I plan on replacing the front pads as well. Any help on anything I have wrong or missing would be very useful.

gamble302

front pads are a breeze, but yeah you have to loosen the strut assembly and swing it out a little to access the bottom bolt that holds in the caliper, unless you ground the lip off like me to make it easy to get to with a wrench. will take pics if anyone wants to see what im talking about

gamble

Suparslinc

Well I was running short on time, and as a result did not get the piston turned in all the way on one of the calipers. So I'll be back at it tomorrow.
Question: How bad is it if the rubber seal around the piston was torn off while I was turning it in?

Rotor13B

Uh, that's bad mmkay? No seriously, you will lose brake fluid if that rubber ring is not intact on the piston. If you even think you have a rip or tear in it, it's better just to rebuild it. You can get rebuild kits from Checker for dirt cheap.

Rotor13B

Oh, I don't know if the brakes are the same, but I have the part number for the 83" rear brake piston if you want/need it.

Suparslinc

**** **** ****. . .

Suparslinc

what is the part number please? And what/who is checker? I guess I need to get this done is it hard?

REVHED

Rear calipers are apparently a bitch to rebuild as they incorporate the hand brake mechanism.