hey fd peeps,

when you install the rear pads, how do you retract the caliper piston if you don't have the sst? i know it can be done 'cuz i've come across threads on this before but couldn't find it now. or, is the sst readily available from places like mazdatrix or mazda dealers?

the fronts are so easy, why didn't they design the rears just like the fronts...

 

The rear pistons screw in... Some people have been able to use pliers and such to do it. I use the "square block tool" you can get from just about any auto shop:

 

If you dont want to purchase the break toolkit, you can rent it for free from autozone (provided you bring it back)

 

i got that square tool and it worked, got the right side done. thanks

but on the left side the pins on the caliper is dead tight, i just couldn't get it loose for the life of me. any suggesstions on loosening stuck screws?

 

remember the caliper bolts are marked with letters dont put them in the wrong spot >:O

spray a little liquid wrench and let it soak for 30mins.

be sure to grease em back up when u install them.

 

liquid wrench? would wd40 work the same?

whoever did the previous brake job (this is my first time doing this since i got the car) actually got the bolts mixed up; l's in the g and g's in the l, i'm pretty pissed

anyway, how much do i have to spray? i sprayed a lot of wd40 but i didn't wait nearly as long as 30 min. should i just get a bottle of liquid wrench?

 

You can use a pair of pliers to turn the pistons back into the caliper. But some times they are hard to turn. Make sure to line back up the slot of the piston so that is perpendicular to the body of the caliper. This lines up the piston to the brake pad. There is a little stub on the back of the brake pad. The rears are different because it has a parking brake incorporated into the caliper.

 

I just started changing my pads and rotors today. The front pistons moved back with little effort. Put the rear left rotor on, and then tried to put the pistons back, no luck. Finally found a tech manual online and read that a SST (special service tool) was needed to screw the piston back down. Yikes. Luckily I do not think any damage was done when trying to put it back down. I had a helper who had more knowledge about cars than I did. He had never seen this before. Unfortunately he decided to bleed the brake line to try and get the piston back down. So now I get to bleed the lines too. I will be trying to locate the "square block tool" that will solve this problem.