vietboyjl

How the hell do you retract that thing?!? I just spent 3 hours trying to retract it with no luck. I attempted to do my own brake change today and completed only 50% of the job.

I was able to change the rotors out but not the pads, I had to put the old pads back on since I couldn't get the piston to retract!

Can anyone help?

Thank you

jayzero51

Are you doin the front or rear? the rear need to be rotated to make it retract.

you need a tool for the front to push it back in.

21k

you can buy the tool but what i do (and every goodyear and muffler man mechanic) is take the old pad and lay it flat on the piston. then take a c-clamp and put one side on the back of the caliper and the other on top of the pad and twist the clamp and watch that bitch retract.

MurderS2K

always used a small C clamp. the ones that look like this -


i


just put one end on the other end and start screwing it in, once the piston is pressed it - you can remove the clamp and the piston will hold in that position

SpitfireS

Front : just push them back in - no tools needed.
Rear : HAS to be turned in CLOCKWISE - there are special tools for it, some use a 1/4" extension (IIRC) or anything that will fit in the cross slots to make it turn.
Be carefull not to damage the boots if whatever you use slips.
Align the piston with the pin on the rear pad during install.

If you can't push the fronts back in they are pretty seized, you could press on the brake without a pad in the caliper to break the piston loose but if they really are that seized the piston might be corroded and/or the seal damaged.
(not likely though)

If the rears don't turn you not using enough force.

One other thing; check brake fluid level before pushing pistons back in.
It should not be too high, if it is it will overflow and make a mess.
Brake fluid eats paint!

vietboyjl

Yes it is the rear that I am working on. I did try to use the C-Clamp method, I had no luck with this. I'll give it a try again, I didn't try using the hold pad to compress the piston, I'll give that a try today.

Thank you all for your help!

szkf22c1

Based on your last response, you need to reread the thread carefully. As everyone have already stated, if you are trying to compress the REARs, you will need to rotate the piston clockwise. DO NOT TRY TO COMPRESS THE PISTON USING THE CLAMP METHOD, YOU'LL BE WASTING MORE TIME. THE CLAMP METHOD WILL ONLY WORK ON THE FRONT BRAKES....

Good Luck!

negcamber

Go to your nearest parts store and ask for a rear brake piston retract tool. They will know exactly what you're talking about. It looks like a cube with prongs on it. It fits on a 3/8 drive and will allow you to turn the piston back into the cyl.

INTJ

I always put a line on the nip and crack the bleeder. I do not like reversing fluid back into the MC.

Ness2000

Or just take a 3/8" extension and use that to retract it. Works equally as well.