Ive got a serious grinding noise from rear brakes when I hit them, bought new pads, and started to remove driver side, got all the way down to the step where you have to take needle nose and twist the piston clockwise to retract the piston to accommodate the new pads. The piston just spun but didn't seem to retract. also the outside pad was down to metal, and the inside wore unevenly. Do I need a new caliper or am I doing something wrong? I had to temporary put the old pads back in until I resolve the issue. Also could I get away with buying just the one caliper for now seeing that there $80 a piece, if the caliper is seized? and does a unloaded caliper have the piston installed?

 

If its spinning around chances are something inside is broken. Get a rebuilt caliper, i normally dont recommend autozone but theyre warranty is great and these rear calipers always have problems. So go to autozone and get a rear caliper, or any place else that gives lifetime warranty. Yes the unloaded caliper comes with the piston. You can get just one but chances are the other side might be the same. A loaded caliper means it comes with pads. Remember if u buy online its a pain to get a waranty replacement because u pay for shipping both ways and it normally takes a week so ur car will be down until the replacement arrives.

 

Get a 6" bessey clamp and give it a good squeeze, then take a set of channel locks and turn the piston. It will spin in. I had the same problem a few days ago.