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Rear Caliper Piston Removal

TMG

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Messages
133
Location
NJ
Can somebody tell me how to remove the Piston from the rear Caliper? I tried the search but did not get anything close.

I think that it is a screw type and not a sliding type. I dont want to use a c-clamp to move the piston back if its suppose to be turned.

Thanks for the help.
 

atc250r

Staff member
Joined
Sep 11, 2003
Messages
13,235
Location
Orange County, NY
It needs to be turned in.

Are you removing the piston from the caliper or trying to push it back in?
 
Last edited:

TMG

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Messages
133
Location
NJ
Trying to remove it to do a rebuild. Manual is showing a special tool to turn it, what can I use to rotate it without this special tool? Thanks.
 

atc250r

Staff member
Joined
Sep 11, 2003
Messages
13,235
Location
Orange County, NY
If its stuck it'll be tough to move but I've used needle nose pliers in the past. There is a really inexpensive tool that is shaped like a cube and has a different spaced pair of prongs on each side to fit a bunch of different calipers. You use a 3/8" extension and ratchet to turn it.

John
 

TMG

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Messages
133
Location
NJ
Thanks John. I'll try that and see what I get. The piston is stuck right now and hard to turn.

Is it worth it to do a rebuild or just buy a reman? I heard things that after a self rebuild a lot of them leak. Not sure why.

Jojo
 

atc250r

Staff member
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Sep 11, 2003
Messages
13,235
Location
Orange County, NY
I've rebuilt calipers and generally it isn't worth it IMHO. If you get a rebuilt set they'll be nice and clean so you can shoot a nice coat of paint on them before installing them. I rebuilt the Camaro calipers I got for my Camaro/Cobra brake kit but it was only to make 100% they were perfect even though they looked fine when I got them. I also had a friend who got me the AC Delco rebuild kits at cost.

John
 

Wizardawd

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
1,323
Location
Franklin, NC
Not to mention they're fairly cheap for a reman, look pretty and they have a warranty.

click

You could just undo the caliper and hang it up with some wire, then push the brake pedal and see if it will push the piston out for you.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

And yes, they need to be rotated in, clockwise. Needlenose pliers with a slight push works ok for most.

Wiz
 

CP

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
8,938
Location
West Simsbury, CT
Those cubes suck, and needle nose pliers are even worse. You can rent/borrow this kit from most AutoZones. I own one of them and they're much easier to use than the other methods described.
 

icurunnin

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2006
Messages
1,668
Location
Fort Worth Tx
I just did the entire brakes (front and rear rotors and pads) yesterday and while one rear was easy to remove the other was a bit hard. I used needle nose pliers without to much trouble. I think the more frustraing thing to me was getting the front rotors off. Those things are like trying to milk a bull.
 

TMG

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Messages
133
Location
NJ
I will be redoing all brakes so I started on the rear but the first Piston is stuck and hard to take out using the pliers, the brake pad and rotor were metal to metal. I already took out the boot so I'll be ordering the Caliper Brake Kit to replace all the boots and seals.

What kind of grease do you use to put the pins and piston back? Can I just use a Lithium grease to spray on there?
 

iceman69510

Turn Right Racing
Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2001
Messages
10,964
Location
Michigan
Get some actual brake grease so it will handle the temps.

Before you rebuild the piston part of the caliper, make sure that the parking brake lever moves and functions OK. I have had calipers where this seized, and there are no parts available to rebuild it. You need that to work if you want your rear brakes to adjust properly as you use them.
 

boostedinaz

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
4,085
Location
Scottsdale, AZ
I just tried this on 1101 with no luck. My driver rear caliper was starting to freeze and when I pulled it off I found that it was 110% frozen. Nothing I did could get it out so I just had to pony up and by rebuitl calipers.
 

toybreaker

iconoclast
Joined
Apr 30, 2006
Messages
3,581
For the caliper body o-ring or anything that runs in brake fluid, I like actual hydaulic system grease. It's generally red, and lucas, girling, ate, castrol, and lockheed all service this application. Using grease in the bore, on the o-ring, and on the piston ensures that things will move freely for the life of the caliper.

Please note that the majority of the grease you are apllying will be bled out when you bleed the system.

The little that stays behind really does help a ton. I've taken calipers apart that I did ten years ago, and there's still a lil grease in, on, and around the o-ring.

The cool part is that the tackiness of the grease really helps the system do it's job. The brake caliper uses a square cut o-ring. The piston doesn't actually slide much in that o-ring every time you use the brakes. The o-ring kind of deforms when the piston moves. When the brake pedal is released, the o-ring will pull the piston back. This is a very good thing, as the brake pads will last longer, the car will roll more freely, and the brake pedal will be much more consistent. Using hydraulic grease will ensure that the edges of the o-ring stay sharp, and that the system works as intended.

It's also really cool when you can push the front caliper pistons back in with thumb pressure, or the rear pistons turn back easily when doing a pad change. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As far as the sliders and pins go, Sta-lube synthetic brake grease is the shizznit.

There are rubber guide bushings on the pins that will deteriorate/swell and do bad things if the wrong grease is used. Keeping the pins lubricated will go along way towards keeping the pads from dragging on the rotors. Please, be sure to remove all the old grease, and rust from the caliper carrier and caliper pin bores. I use a bottle brush, brake clean and long q-tips to get the schmeg out.

Also, please understand that too much grease in the pin bores will hyrdaullically lock things up. I find I have the best luck putting some sta-lube on a screwdriver tip, sneaking past the bootie, and wiping it inside the bore. Then just push the pin in all the way. The exccess will squeeze out. Wipe it off, and you're done and ready to assemble.

Don't forget to inspect the brake hoses carefully. (Now is the time to replace them, as the rears are prone to failure.)

Enjoy trouble free service.

Btw, all the service kits are available from the stealership. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Not cheap ( /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif ), but still cheaper than buying a pos reman with a pitted bore. Doing it yourself ensures quality control to your standards.

Cliffs /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hydraulic grease for the hydraulics.

Sta-lube synthetic brake grease for the sliders. (available in one use packets/tubes or lil buckets with a brush)
 

TWEAKD4

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2002
Messages
605
Location
Fort Wayne, IN
Quoting atc250r:
I've rebuilt calipers and generally it isn't worth it IMHO. If you get a rebuilt set they'll be nice and clean so you can shoot a nice coat of paint on them before installing them. I rebuilt the Camaro calipers I got for my Camaro/Cobra brake kit but it was only to make 100% they were perfect even though they looked fine when I got them. I also had a friend who got me the AC Delco rebuild kits at cost.

John



+1. I rebuilt my rears and they didn't last for more than 8000 miles. They were in bad shape to start with. I ended up getting rebuilt replacements at Advanced and no problems at all.
 

atc250r

Staff member
Joined
Sep 11, 2003
Messages
13,235
Location
Orange County, NY
DO NOT use any type of petroleum based grease on the pins. It will swell up the pin boots and the rubber collar on the one pin on each caliper. Then the pins will be more or less seized in there bore. You MUST use a silicone based grease like Napa SilGlyde (sp?).

John
 

CP

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
8,938
Location
West Simsbury, CT
Or anything that says "brake caliper grease" on the jar/tube. I use CRC.
 
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