I'm doing my rear brakes today. I have already put the new pads in. My problem is that I can't depress the caliper inorder to place it back over the pads...I have that funky brake tool thats pictured in the haynes manual, but its not helping.

Any advice?
Could my caliper be shot? (I have 200k+ on my car and the inside pad was grinding metal to rotor)

 

Funky brake tool not working? Try putting your old brake pad in front of the piston then compress it using the brake tool. Also try opening your brake fluid resvior. Put a cotton towel around the resvoir to catch any fluid that may come out.

ZuM

 

The rear caliper piston has to be turned in using the tool, not pressed in.

Take the new pads out and turn the caliper in using the tool. Reinstall the pads and you should be all set.

Tim

 

The caliper may be seized, mine was, i got a new one from autozone for 65 dollars. But the guys above are correct the piston screws in. If you dont have the tool take a pair of needle nose pliers and orient them in such a manner that the axis of symetry of the pliers is inline with the piston centerline axis. Put the tips of the pliers into the cutouts in the piston and squeeze. Now take a screwdriver and put it between the already spread jaws of the pliers to use as leverage to turn the piston and pliers. Or rent the tool from autozone.

aslso, spray some silicone based lube in the boot. This will keep it from ripping out of the caliper assembly.

 

Good Advice. Thanks guys. I don't think I have the right tool. It looks very similar to the one in Haynes, but it doesn't have any "grooves" to fit into the cut outs on the piston. Mine is just flat...I'm going to buy the correct tool, and if that doesn't work I'll have to buy a new caliper i guess....thanks again.

 

Make sure your e-brake is not on.

 

You can use pliars, just be careful not to twist the rubber boot surrounding the piston.

 

I've seen these tools in AutoZone for about $6-7. Never tried one however. I just use the pliers approach - not the easiest way to do this though.

I will pick up one of these the next time I do the rear brakes.

Tim

 

I had the same problem. My caliper wouldn't budge!!! I just had to
theow a few hundred bucks for new set of calipers.
Sometimes they get stuck, and won't retract!
Good luck

 

Ouch!

I never had that problem. Still have the originals all the way around on both my 90 and 95.

Tim

 

get a big c clamp..mount one near a solid part next to the brake line nut.. put one of your old pads on the other side of caliper to get even pressure pushing. put other end of c clamp on the old pad..and tighten the c clamp.. really big pliars also work..

 

Well, I finally got it. I bought a tool at the local auto parts store which fits on the end of a rachet. It has groves to fit into the piston. Turning the piston took two people - - -It was ridiculously hard. I also bought a new rotor for $40.
Basically for anyone doing your rear brakes, make sure you have the right tool. It was so hard to turn I don't think I could have done it with pliars. Thanks for all of the replies...

 

the rear calapers are not piston type calipers you need to turn them the tool you can rent at autozone or use a good set of needle nose pliers... i have seen people go and spend money on new calepers just becuasse they dont realize that they cant be compressed with a c-clamp and think they are siezed..

long time ago i was one of those people