aaarggh, help please, typ 89q rear calipers

[Franco Barber]

You need to push in on the piston with considerable force while turning
it at the same time.  I find that it is pretty much impossible to do
without mechanical assistance.

There are special tools available that can be used to turn while
pushing, or you can use a simple disc brake pad spreader tool
(for example NAPA tool number SER3376, but the one I used I actually
got at Sears -- Don't know it's number however) to push
on the piston while carefully turning the piston with a pair of
slip joint pliers.  Be careful not to nick the boot over the piston.

If you have a disc piston tool (like NAPA SER3355) you can use the
pad spreader to hold the disc piston tool over the piston while
turning the disc piston tool with the slip joint pliers.
Less danger of scoring the piston or nicking the boot this way.

What I do is put pressure on the piston with the pad spreader,
and then turn the piston/disc piston tool.  As it turns, the pressure
will be relieved by the piston going in, so then I have to dial in a
little more pressure.

It may take a lot of pressure before you feel the handbrake
mechanism start to engage, and then at that point turning the
piston will start to pull it in with less pressure required.

After making a few turns in this way, I am able to release
the pressure on the pad spreader, put the disc piston tool
onto a ratchet with an extension, and then crank the piston
in using the disc piston tool alone.


Franco

On Thu, Aug 14, 2003 at 09:04:33AM +0100, Alan Pritchard wrote:
> Ok, tried to fit new pads last night, how the h**l do you push the piston
> back in the caliper? it rotates freely, but i figure the handbrake cam has
> some kind of ratchet on it. please help!!!!
> thanks.
>

--
Franco Barber                   feb at febsun.cmhnet.org
95 A6Q w/Gamma CD mit RDS!      Columbus, Ohio  USA
95 A6Q 5spd w/HCB-30 bluetooth car kit!