Trouble w/ rear Brakes

[MorpheusGPR]

I got the new rotor on and the old pads out but now I am having a lot of trouble getting the caliper piston to push back in so that I can get the new pads slid in.

I went to autozone and picked up one of the tool kits to screw the piston back in. They said I can just not return it to keep it if I want.

At any rate the problem I am having is that the thing will turn a little bit and then get so tight its impossible to turn. Its like the pressure is so high it won't let the piston screw back in.

Any suggestions?

 

[SHO Continental]

with the rotor off bolt the caliper back on so it's held in place then put the cube tool on a 1/2 ratchet and puuuush as you turn.. last time I did my rears I got a giant pair of pliers and squeezed as someone turned the piston..

good luck..

 

[kickeralpine]

if i remember right one screws in clock wise and other turns counter clock wise

 

[dstig1]

Pretty sure I recall they both turn CW. Could just be fluid back pressure that is hurting you. Loosen the bleed fitting on the caliper (I like to put a small tube over it and run it into my drain bottle for brake fluid to keep the mess down) then start screwing/pushing the piston back in. There is a reasonably priced "proper" tool for this that braces against the other side of the caliper to push the piston as you turn.

Could also be seized inside the piston, but try the bleed fitting first. Let that fluid out rather than trying to pupsh it all the way back to the Master cyl.

 

[MorpheusGPR]

I think I got the front brakes done today, or I hope so anyways.

Now its just these rears.

I have that tool you mentioned, rented it from autozone, said I wanted to buy one not rent it and they said thats ok just don't take it back? ok then so $35-37 bucks and I have my universal kit.

I will be trying in the next day or two these suggestions. I appreciate it, if anything else comes to mind please post them up!!!

 

[Redline]

A c-clamp will also work well in place of a special tool and it only costs ~$5.

 

[wood_e]

A c-clamp will also work well in place of a special tool and it only costs ~$5.

Not for the rears... you need to TURN them as you press them back into their positions. Not turning them will cause damage to the piston.

 

[SHO SPD]

You can buy a better tool not the cube. Go to a cheap tool place and buy a kit for turning rear calipers. It works great.

 

[rlw001]

Not for the rears... you need to TURN them as you press them back into their positions. Not turning them will cause damage to the piston.

Dunno about that... my C Clamp turns as it "presses". Of course you must have the clamp's screw in the piston. I have done it many times on all 3 of my SHO with no problems.

 

[hawkeye18]

OPEN THE BLEEDER SCREW! the most common problem on rear brakes is that the rear hose swells shut and makes turning the piston in really tough. Open the bleeder screw and this will be much much much much easier. Like I said on the other rear brake post, if the cube of doom doesn't work for you (and it didn't work for me), just use a pair of vise grips - the universal tool . Works like a charm every time, but you mess up the rear piston cosmetically. It's not a part that people see so don't worry about it. the part you should be gripping to twist it (CW on both sides!) should be on the outside of the piston above the dust boot. Please make sure not to tear the dust boot. if you do, you need to get a new one as the piston will stop working fairly soon after that.

 

[Frankiek3]

I think you can get the same tool cheaper than keeping the "rented" one

I used the cube with the 4 point side, with 2 of them grinded off
it was either 5 or 10 dollars, but you can do what ever you like

 

[inverse1216]

idk if this applies at all to the SHO, but when we did my brothers trans am (front disc brakes) we ran into the same problem the piston would not depress for the life of us we tried the c clamp method and ended up bending 3 of them. after bout an hour of screwing with it, for some reason we decided to turn the key to the on position (i think so we could listen to the radio) and when we did that, it released all the pressure holding the piston and we were able to depress it by hand.

 

[awb85]

taking the cover off of the brake fluid resivoir under the hood could help also...

 

[MorpheusGPR]

Well I still don't have it done but I need to get this thing done so I can drive it, truck uses too much gas to be a DD anymore.

The top is of the master cylinder cover in the engine bay, I think I am going to buy a bleeder kit....I need to bleed the brakes in my truck anyways. Would this be something to hook up before I open the bleeder screws?

 

[89SHOMike]

arg!

O man, do I feel your pain. I just put new pads and rotors on the rear of my 89 in preparation for the convention. I thought everything was going just fine because bolts were not stuck like they should be on an 89... The driver’s side was done in no time. Then I got to the passenger side. Without even reading this thread, I took the rotor off, bolted the caliper back up and turned the piston with my home-made tool (needle nose pliers open just enough clamped with vice grips at the joint so they don't move and I have some leverage).... I turned it..... turned it... tuuuurrrnnneeeddd it... I was turning it clockwise and the piston never seemed to go back in. I then attempted to turn it counter clockwise and it came out a bit. I now knew I was at least turning it the correct direction the first time. After about 30 complete revolutions clockwise I wasn't even back in as far as it came out on 1/4 revolution counter clockwise. I then gave up and went to my local auto parts store and purchased a new caliper. Got the new caliper on, bleed the brakes, and went for a drive while enjoying the smell of new pads and rotors getting to know each other. I think if you have tried everything suggested above, then you may have a bad caliper also. Because of the unexpected parts needed, it is now 4:30 and I need some sleep. Good luck!

 

[SuperG]

O man, do I feel your pain. I just put new pads and rotors on the rear of my 89 in preparation for the convention. I thought everything was going just fine because bolts were not stuck like they should be on an 89... The driver’s side was done in no time. Then I got to the passenger side. Without even reading this thread, I took the rotor off, bolted the caliper back up and turned the piston with my home-made tool (needle nose pliers open just enough clamped with vice grips at the joint so they don't move and I have some leverage).... I turned it..... turned it... tuuuurrrnnneeeddd it... I was turning it clockwise and the piston never seemed to go back in. I then attempted to turn it counter clockwise and it came out a bit. I now knew I was at least turning it the correct direction the first time. After about 30 complete revolutions clockwise I wasn't even back in as far as it came out on 1/4 revolution counter clockwise. I then gave up and went to my local auto parts store and purchased a new caliper. Got the new caliper on, bleed the brakes, and went for a drive while enjoying the smell of new pads and rotors getting to know each other. I think if you have tried everything suggested above, then you may have a bad caliper also. Because of the unexpected parts needed, it is now 4:30 and I need some sleep. Good luck!

That's exactly what happened to me...hello new caliper!

 

[oh_SHO]

$35-40 for the cube is a rip-off. I had a cube (what a nightmare) but then I got the non-universal tool from Napa for $20 which works MUCH better.

For those of you who have pressed the rear piston in with out turning it; how are your brakes working? I mis-aligned the adjustment pins in regards to the pad and they did not work very well. I am just curious here. From what I understand about how it works I just don't see how it would still work after being forced back in...

 

[Frankiek3]

I never saw a $35-40 cube (more like $5-10)

The people "forcing" the piston back in are turning it with the c-clamp so its being turned in while pressure is pushing in (at least that’s what I’ve been told, but I’ve never done it this way)