Anyone change their own brakes on a MINI?

[speeder]

My god daughter has a new-ish MINI, (2012?), that might need brakes. I want to do them for her but I remember from another friend's MINI that you need a special tool to compress calipers...where can I get this? How much? TIA.

[Rick Lee]

You're thinking of my old thread. Mrs. Lee's Mini was 2006. I don't know about the newer ones, but you can borrow the caliper press kit from AutoZone. You can't use a c-clamp for this, as there are two notches in the piston, into which you lock the tool and I think rotate cw as you tighten down. Can't recall, but it will be immediately obvious to you and the tool is free to borrow.

[Don Plumley]

I've done it on my 05 MCS. The rear calipers need to rotate as they go in or out (related to the parking brake, I believe). I just picked up the cheap harbor freight kit just to avoid having to go back and forth to AutoZone. But that's a good option too.

[stomachmonkey]

Hate that tool. Had to use one on my Starion. Always slipped making it a knuckle buster. I resorted to a pair of needle nose, they work in a pinch.

You are looking for this.

[HHI944]

The brakes on the jag are the same way.
I just borrow the tool from advance auto....it's about two miles away.
The kit has a bunch of different fittings for a variety of calipers....
Really doesn't add any time to a brake job other than bleeding it out a little more thoroughly.
Jag shop manual calls for installing the caliper with only the piston side pad in and a rag between the outer fingers and rotor. Pump til stiff, bleed, remove, compress, install both pads, install caliper and bleed again.
If it's an electronic parking brake, there's probably a calibration sequence required as well

[carreraken]

you can also find a 'brake caliper tool' from harbor freight....

[froggert]

autozone had the tool that looked like a cube with various pins sticking out of it. iirc it was under $10.

[Radioactive]

This

Four Wheel Disc Brake Piston Tool

Better

18 Piece Disc Brake Pad and Caliper Service Tool Kit

[speeder]

Thanks! I assume that the electronic parking brake reference was for a Jag, not MINI? The Jag I drow recently had a button for e-brake, MINI has normal lever.

[speeder]

I've done it on my 05 MCS. The rear calipers need to rotate as they go in or out (related to the parking brake, I believe). I just picked up the cheap harbor freight kit just to avoid having to go back and forth to AutoZone. But that's a good option too.

So it's only the rear calipers that need to rotate pistons to release/retreat? Do pistons need only be turned or compressed at same time? Thx.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by speeder

So it's only the rear calipers that need to rotate pistons to release/retreat? Do pistons need only be turned or compressed at same time? Thx.

Turn and push.

Watch the seal as sometimes it can pull.