I'm trying to turn the rear caliper pistons into the calipers but they are stuck. In an effort to help them move, I pumped the brakes which pushed them out a little more. When I tried to turn them in they still wouldn't budge. After much frustration I hammered one of the calipers to the point where I could get it back over the old pads, but it absolutely wouldn't move another centimeter. To avoid having to do this to the other piston, are there any suggestions to get it to turn?

I read through similar posts but most seem to indicate that the piston turns with ease. I just need to get it back over the old pads so I can drive the car to RotaryRX. Is beating the piston back into position like I did to the other caliper advisable or am I destroying the inside mechanism? I looked at the detailed breakdown of the piston in the shop manual and can't figure out why it must be turned down (it pushes straight up). Can it be pushed straight down as well?

BTW I had the first piston in a vice and it wouldn't move. I didn't want to totally destroy it so I quit tightening the vice but it was so tight that I had to beat the vice tightener with a hammer to get it loose.

 

wait, you turned them with pliers right??? there are 2 notches made in the cylinder where you have to turn... if you go one way and its stuck, try going the other way to make them move a little... also, if your piston is stuck, you should hear a clicking noise when you press the brakes from the rear.... i have that now but its because the car has been parked for over 6 months 2 times... mine are old and rusted i think. (just buy a big break kit )

 

LOL...big brake kit.
I am trying to turn with pliers but it won't move either direction. They did move when I applied brake pressure to them though so I know they aren't completely seized.

 

you DO have the parking brake released correct?

Head to NAPA or equal store and buy the tool for the job. it is cheap and will make your life easier. It is a little dish with 2 studs to go into the grooves in the piston. Attach ratchet and turn to the right.

Worst case is you call mazdatrix and order a rebuild kit for the rear calipers. pretty cheap. and not too difficult to perform th ejob yourself.

 

Dish with 2 studs to go into grooves...I'll call around first thing tomorrow and get this thing. I was using a pair of needle nose pliers but they kept slipping. If this doesn't do the trick perhaps I will rebuild the calipers myself but they didn't look very easy to take apart. Thanks for the info.

 

http://store.autotoolexpress.com/reardisbrakp.html

This is a multi application tool but you can see the studs I am talking about

here is a whole variety pack. These are just examples of the tool I am not recomending these specific brand tools. just what a quick search of the web turned up. I personally use snap-on and MAC.

But, i use them alot for aliving so they need to last.

 

wait, you can rebuild them yourself??? how about the front ones? sorry but i must ask:
i get popping calipers in the back... they get stuck and pop out after i press the break.... i think they are rusted and will rebuilding fix those?

 

for the rear rebuild kit is as follows. It does the set of 2 calipers.

rear rebuild kit part # 26-44ZO-FDY1

Front rebuild kit part # : 49-2400-FB05 It does both calipers as well

 

Did you try holding the piston with nose pliers and rotating the caliper ?
I was doing the job over the weekend and I had bigger success holding the pliers and rotating the caliper.

I'm so glad I'm done with it though, althought I do know what to look out for when I do my next set of pads.

 

If you're really having trouble holding everything just temporarily remove the rotor and bolt the caliper back onto the upright. That way you can just concentrate on turning the piston and don't have to hold the caliper.

 

I had a caliper on an FC stick real bad on me once. I screwed the piston all the way out and removed it, cleared all the junk out from inside the caliper, then re-installed the piston. Caliper worked VERY easily after that.

Dale