The_Dude

How the hell can you do it ? lol .. I'm not trying to install my new pads, got all the rest done NP ... but now, how can I uncompress them !! ... the don't seem to be budging AT ALL !:/

Thnx alot guys ! (and gurls :P )

mar3

iTrader: (8)

Just install the calipers on the brackets and press on the pedal so they can seat on the rotor

RXTbone

You need to buy a tool to compress them. Look at the piston and you'll notice a couple of V-shaped indentations - this tool seats in those indentations. You can usually find a universal caliper compression tool for about $20. They rotate clock-wise... Don't try to compress them by any other means or you will damage the piston! Good luck!

The_Dude

even if I put the old pad on and use a C clamp ?? everybody here seem to be doing that!

Rx7carl

Hes talkin about FRONT brakes, not rear! You only need the tool for rear brakes.

The_Dude

Meh ! .. I got 4 disks on mine so I figure rear breaks will be the same ... but actually . I wanna COMPRESS them .. not uncompress .. my mistake !

Rx7carl

Yea but you been talkin about front brakes all this time. Rear brakes are different and require the tool, or a needlenose pliers to turn the piston in to retract them. Fronts, just squeeze them in.

The_Dude

I got em' in perfectly ... my problem isn't there lol .. it's just I gotta find something that can simulate a c clamp , OR .. a c clamp itself ... everything is closed at this hour though .. IM SCREWED !

The_Dude

Could I have a bit more details on the "prybar" technique ? lol like a couple of details ? After I've done all of this I'll post up a "how to" thing :P

Rx7carl

So the pads are in? Then you dont need the prybar. Dude, you need to be more detailed in what you need/where your at. If the pads are in, pump the pedal and they will seat. If you need the prybar technique, here goes. Put an old pad on to protect the caliper. Put the caliper back in place. slide the prybar between the pad and rotor and pry. constant pressure will allow the poston to slowly retract.

The_Dude

Ok ok .. I'll be real precise ... I can only get one of the 2 pads in so that's why I needed to pry it (don't think I'm this stupid lol, I just don't express myself right on this :P ). I tried prying it and actually bent this 17mm rench I was using... So that planned screwed up. I'm actually now thinking the piston is seased inside the caliper, which would actually make alot of sense cuz the old inside pad was worn all the way down to the metal, ( on the passanger side), and the other side still relitivly brakes good ..
Meaning I've probably ben running on the brakes in the last couple of weeks lol... Nevertheless, I'll try using a "c clamp" tomorow morning when good old wal mart opens ( at 8 :P ). If that don't work , I got this guy that has rebuilt ones he could sell me real cheap.

Does this all make sence to ya ?

Rx7carl

Yes. One last resort you could try is to do the prying thing, but open teh bleeder like Mark said previously.

The_Dude

WAIT a minute ... bleeder ?? I gotta open the bleeder ? lol that might be a VERY usefull thing actually ! :P is the bleeder the little "nipple" thing on top ? if so , how to I open it ?? unscrew it ??

Rx7carl

Yes, its the nipply thing on the caliper. Unscrew to open. You shouldnt HAVE to open it though. But it might make it easier to compress the piston. But it will be messy as brake fluid will flow out teh bleeder.

The_Dude

meh ! ... my dad "said" he'd "eventually" change the driveway ... this will just push him to do it faster ! Thanks SOO much carl lemme know if there's NE thing I can do to help ya sometime !!

Rx7carl

Good luck. Glad to help.

Ritch

If you don't open the bleeder the fluid just goes back to the reservoir. No big. I only open the bleeder to actually bleed the brakes.

Let me check and see if I get what you're looking for. You want to compress the piston into the caliper so you can get the second pad in right? C-clamp, c-clamp, c-clamp. Bum one off a neighbor if you don't have one. Once the piston is in you can take it right off. It will stay in until you push the brake pedal again.

One other note. If I understand right your pad was completely worn down on the piston side and virtually untouched on the other, both on the same caliper right? Looks like your caliper is what was seized. Make sure you lube and polish up the slide pins when you re-install the caliper to it's mounting bracket. The caliper needs to slide left and right to function properly. If you burned the one pad down to the metal maybe you generated enough heat to seize the piston but I'm thinking probably not. The c-clamp works great, but only if you have one.

The_Dude

that's odd lol .. I wwent to unscrew the bleeder vavle ... it was so rusty it snapped in my hands ! :P lol .. I'll try the c clamp in the morning, but, I think the caliper is seized .. it too has a bit of rust on it and both pads are used, the inner is used up more ( which I'm told is very normal for NE disk brake application ) , so that's no concern ... I was comparing the passenger's side braking to the driver's side. The car actually swerved so much to the left I had a hard time holding it back loll

Ill try the c clamp in the morning, if that don't work, YAAY NEW CALIBERS !! :P

Northern 7

iTrader: (3)

Probably seized.
Happens a lot on old cars that have had worn pads on for a while. What happens is this.. because the pads are worn down, you wouldn't have been using the complete depth of the cylinder. During the braking process, the piston would not have seated itself all the way back in the cylinder due to the thin pads. The deepest part of the cylinders would therefore not have been getting any wear from the piston and usually will rust. Once this happens, you will have a very tuff time getting that piston to travel all the way in now that you have the thick pad and require the full depth of the cylinder. Make sense? Anyway, rebuilt calipers are cheap - buy some new ones

The_Dude

Well .. actually .. thisguy's pretty good ! .. my friend got some for his FB and I could swear they were new .. he actually had to show me his receipt saying rebuilt on it loll .. I'll go with his cuz he's good ! ... Nevertheless, I'll still try to get it working on these simply because I *need* my car :P
Plus it might take 2-3 days before I get the other calipers ..

GavinJuice

I don't know if anyone read the part where he said he snapped off the bleeder screw? Yea, i think thats pretty vital to the caliper so it looks like your gonna need a new pair of calipers anyways. Always use penetrating oil on the bleeder valves or else your screwed with air in the lines. silly silly

xlversatilelx

well waht i did and seemed to work, i just got a metal pipe and stuck it between the caliper and steped on the pipe and yeah it went back