i've done brakes in the past, but only on cars with single piston calipers.

with the 4 piston ones do i have to push both sides back together?
and do i need a hex socket or torx or anything special to get the caliper off?

i just dont wana get ready to something and have to stop and buy tools

 

You mean for changing just the brake pads? If so, you do not need to remove the caliper. there are spings and slide bolts you need to remove off of the caliper and the the pads pull out through the top. As far for special tools, I use a c clamp and old pads to push the pistons back into the caliper

 

do you have to split the caliper in half to use the c-clamp?

 

i'm changing brake pads and rotors

and to do brakes you need to take the caliper off the mount to the spindle. some cars take a special size hex key to take it off.

i'm talking about pushing back the pistons of the calipers to fit the larger new pads in caliper

 

If you are changing the brake disc rotors, yes you will need to remove the brake caliper from its mount. It is not a special tool, I beleive its either 14mm or 15mm bolts.

As far as pushing the pistons back, again I have used a c clamp with old pads to push them in.

 

get a haynes manuel and do it the way it says in it, dont take the hold braket off, just the caliper itself.. trust me. trust everyone...but no not much diffeence

 

To change just the pads, you need NOT remove the caliper. I put a heavy screwdriver between the old pad and rotor and the pistons slide back in very easily, unless you find the lowers frozen. Condensation resides at the bottom of the caliper so the lower ones become affected first. You can crack open the bleeder when you push the pads back to make life a little easier, rather than pushing the fluid back into the master cylinder.
Naturally if you're changing rotors you'll need to remove the calipers first.

 

You can also use the old brake pad as a pry bar to push the pistons in. Just do one side at a time with a pad in the other side, and push on both pistons on that one side, otherwise you could just be pushing one out when you push one in.

 

it's as easy as looking at lastphaseofthis' avatar.... or for some as difficult

doing the pads is easy, rotors may be fun but hey we like working on our cars!

 

PB blaster those slide pins! Or is that a minnesota thing?

 

oh we know all about the blaster down in florida...

i think i got all the info i need on brakes for the time being