How Not to Use a C-Clamp
 

Swapped out brake pads for the first time yesterday, some of those pistons were really hard to push back! So I bought some C-clamps, and tried to make them work with the curvy calipers. In hindsight, what worked was pretty obvrious, but I thought you might get a kick out of my ignorance....

What worked:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1142018430.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1142018480.jpg

What didn't:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1142018516.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1142018549.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1142018569.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1142018590.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1142018605.jpg

Babak

if they were that stiff, you should rebuild the calipers. dragging brakes can cause enough heat to vaporize the fluid behind the piston and then you have no pedal. old fluid usually has some moisture absorbed into it and that makes it worse.

I'm able to pull the (old) pads out 1/2 way....and lever the pads against the pucks with finger / thumb against the caliper housings.....

...I have similar "A" and "M" style calipers....

..of course what helps is the yearly brake fluid change...keeps things from getting stuck too badly....

- Wil

That's pretty funny.

Channel locks are your friend,

ianc

Didja try opening the bleeder valve?

Also, once you get the one pad out, you get the piston retracted and install the new pad before going on to the next one. Otherwise, you run the risk of the piston(s) on the opposite side pushing the unencumbered piston all the way out to the rotor, at which point you will probably have to take the whole caliper off to sort things out.

Not that I've ever done that on 930 rears when installing track pads immediately before I head to the track on a hot day in July or anything.

The tool they show in the manual looks pretty good - anybody know of a source to get that inexpensively - or a close knock-off? I bought one that does not work at all?

Those are some nice looking 'C' clamps.

Thom: Nope, didn't try the bleeder valve... it was my first time and I was a little worried about getting air in there. Is the valve uni-directional? I've been reading that I should at least bleed some fluid out, just to get fresh stuff in the caliper. I'm guessing I do that by opening the bleeder valve and then pressing down on the breaks a bit and then closing off the valve while the brakes are depressed.


John: I found that once I got the pistons to move, they moved pretty easily (though not so easy that I could do it with my pinky toe, Wil-style) the initial sticking was the hard part. Also, once all was said and done the wheels turned by hand. Maybe I should order a rebuilding kit just in case...

Thomas: Thanks! Ace hardware, the only hardware store within biking distance.

Babak

some clamps can be turned around so they work like 'pushers'

never tried it, but that might work on the calipers...

I am not sure but I think stores have banned people for using tools like that ... Or maybe it was my wife that I banned from my tools ... Oh well never mind.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by BrokeMyCar
[B]Thom: Nope, didn't try the bleeder valve... it was my first time and I was a little worried about getting air in there. Is the valve uni-directional? I've been reading that I should at least bleed some fluid out, just to get fresh stuff in the caliper. I'm guessing I do that by opening the bleeder valve and then pressing down on the breaks a bit and then closing off the valve while the brakes are depressed.


That'll make it a 2 person job. Do it this way.

You can open the bleeder valve without worrying about getting air into the system.

Put your line wrench on the bleeder, take some fuel line (that fits snugly) and slide it over the bleeder. The shorter the hose the better. Run the hose into a clean container that has fresh fluid in it. Open the bleeder and either compress the caliper or give the brake pedal a squeeze. This will move the air out of the hose into the container, if there is any reverse flow it will only suck up fluid.