Disc Brake Caliper Spreading tool help

[cptzippy]

Going to break this out from a thread where I was asking for general stuff. I need to do the brakes on my car soon.

Big caveat: I haven't done this before!

I'm wondering what tools would make this job easier. I was pointed to three different kinds on tool. Most common 'tool' seems to be a big c-clamp, that seems unwieldy to me.

So what kind of caliper spreading tool makes the job the easiest?

I ask because I've had health problems that make my hands numb and weaker than they should be.

BTW, on another forum I found this tool: http://www.zeckhausen.com/Tools/caliper_piston_spreader.htm

 

[Russian]

C-Clamp, creative use of spacers and a vise or channel locks.

 

[cgv69]

I've done a lot of disk brake jobs and never used anything more then a C clamp and one of the old pads. I understand there are certain calipers that can't be done that way (a special tool is needed to screw the piston back in) but I've never run across one like that.

 

[cptzippy]

BTW the car I'm working on is a 1994 Jaguar XJS so no floating calipers. I'll probably due my wife's 1997 Acura MDX eventually.

I actually don't know if I have any C-clamps. What size would I need if I go down that route?

 

[rmsg0040]

I use to use c-clamps before, but then I bought one of these, much easier IMO

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200396091_200396091

 

[RKA]

In general, the C clamp is clunky, and the threads are course, so without a cheater bar, you'll probably find it difficult to wrangle the clamp. Something like this may work a little better, but I've not used these trigger style spreaders before, so I'm not sure how much force is required.
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-24300-Speedy-Brake-Spreader/dp/B0009OR8V6/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1335534062&sr=8-11

Alternatively, a basic brake tool kit may also work. You may need a 6-8" cheater pipe to wrestle the caliper tool, but the threads on these tools are much finer than a C clamp and the tool is lighter than many 5-6" C clamps so you should find it easier to work with.
http://www.amazon.com/Astro-Pneumatic-78618-Caliper-Tool/dp/B002RDGMNM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1335534062&sr=8-3

 

[03silvergt]

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/breggin-enterprises/Econo2.jpg
I use something like this. They are not expensive and work great.

 

[Davefr]

Whatever you do don't buy the HF pad spreader. It's total junk. (a piece of tin with a bolt thru it)

The pad on the bottom of the bolt is too wide to bottom out in the caliper piston. The frame is also not aligned properly.

A C clamp is far superior.

 

[cptzippy]

This is one that was linked in the original thread that I kinda liked the look of:
http://www.ustoolman.com/index.php?...cts_id=19248&zenid=2ejarblc8qahqk5lev96cllmc1

 

[chrisexv6]

Why not the whole break disc tool set from HF?

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-piece-disc-brake-pad-and-caliper-service-tool-kit-97143.html

Advantage is that it will also turn back rear pistons.

Ive used the loaner version of this kit a few times from AutoZone and its always done the job. I picked up the HF version when it was on sale and had a coupon.

Otherwise, in lieu of a C-clamp, Ive found Irwin speed clamps (blue plastic with yellow pads) work well and are easier to keep in place as you retract. Bonus is the soft pads wont mar anything on the piston or caliper.

 

[crucible]

Why not the whole break disc tool set from HF?

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-piece-disc-brake-pad-and-caliper-service-tool-kit-97143.html

Advantage is that it will also turn back rear pistons.

Ive used the loaner version of this kit a few times from AutoZone and its always done the job. I picked up the HF version when it was on sale and had a coupon.

Otherwise, in lieu of a C-clamp, Ive found Irwin speed clamps (blue plastic with yellow pads) work well and are easier to keep in place as you retract. Bonus is the soft pads wont mar anything on the piston or caliper.

After struggling with c-clamps, large pipe wrenches and sliding clamps the last time I did this on a car that had spinning caliper pistons as they retracted, I bought the HF kit as above. It's very well built and works great, and has a variety of adapters to cover most things I'd probably encounter as a weekend family car mechanic, and has saved me time and blood pressure well more than the price I paid for it.

C-

 

[Zephyr]

I've always used a C Clamp until I ran into rear calipers that have the emergency brake integrated then you either need the "cube" tool or buy/rent a spreader kit. I personally have the Cornwell CTGBC18 which is just rebranded - forgot the company but its up to youths route


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[mike7]

I take a pair of needle nose vise grips fitted with two short lengths of hose and pinch off the brake line with them. Then I open up the bleeder and take a big pair of Channellocks (16 in. ones usually do the trick) and an old brake pad and compress the piston. Close the bleeder, remove the vise grips, and you're good to go. Never had any trouble with this method and you don't have to bleed the brakes afterward either.

 

[cptzippy]

I've always used a C Clamp until I ran into rear calipers that have the emergency brake integrated then you either need the "cube" tool or buy/rent a spreader kit. I personally have the Cornwell CTGBC18 which is just rebranded - forgot the company but its up to youths route


Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

The Jag has a drum brake under the rotor, not sure about the Acura.

FWIW, most of the guys on the Jag forum us a c-clamp. Also, I'm doing the rear brakes.

 

[bw77]

I use to use c-clamps before, but then I bought one of these, much easier IMO

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200396091_200396091

One of the reviews for this tool made me laugh:

"I purchased this tool to help in replacing my brakes. I didn't use it, but it looks like a quality tool and I intend to keep it in case I need it in the future"

 

[cascivic]

For the spinning rear
http://www.harborfreight.com/automo.../four-wheel-disc-brake-piston-tool-95713.html

The northern one doesn't really look much different than hf one.. I guess whatever store you have closest. I've noticed that the only calipers I've come across tht wouldn't push back with the tool were so gummed up and frozen that I had to replace the calipers ( they actually cracked my c clamp in half)

 

[chrisexv6]

Ive used the cube a few times and it was borderline an exercise in futility. If the rear pistons are even a little dirty the prongs on the cube just keep slipping out. Ive tried cheap versions and good versions and still had the same problem.

Switched to the HF kit and all is well.

I have an Acura at home and it indeed does have a "drum in hat" setup for the parking brake. My other two vehicles do not, so the kit is still useful to me. It also has the blank round plate you can use to push back a non-winding caliper piston, so it works as a spreader as well.

 

[teletekman]

Going to break this out from a thread where I was asking for general stuff. I need to do the brakes on my car soon.

Big caveat: I haven't done this before!

I'm wondering what tools would make this job easier. I was pointed to three different kinds on tool. Most common 'tool' seems to be a big c-clamp, that seems unwieldy to me.

So what kind of caliper spreading tool makes the job the easiest?

I ask because I've had health problems that make my hands numb and weaker than they should be.

BTW, on another forum I found this tool: http://www.zeckhausen.com/Tools/caliper_piston_spreader.htm

Not sure what your budget is but I bought one of these off the truck a while back and from everything I have used in the past, this beats them hands down. Plus if you ever run into anything that is a dual piston setup the ability to apply even pressure on both sides is a extreme plus.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=675710&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[Mr Ratchet]

Again, I just the ViseGrip C clamps that I linked to your other post. You don't need any spacers, just the clamps. I start them off with just a little pressure and let them set for a few seconds. The I open them and twist the adjuster a little and repeat untill they are fully compressed.

For the screw in type that I have only seen once or twice I use one of these or just like it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JEGS-Perfor...0279052294&pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr

 

[Lotek]

I take a pair of needle nose vise grips fitted with two short lengths of hose and pinch off the brake line with them. Then I open up the bleeder and take a big pair of Channellocks (16 in. ones usually do the trick) and an old brake pad and compress the piston. Close the bleeder, remove the vise grips, and you're good to go. Never had any trouble with this method and you don't have to bleed the brakes afterward either.

OK, pinching brake hoses is a bad idea, that's been discussed before, Channellocks, C-clamp, fancy tool, the idea is to do it slow, give the fluid a chance to move. Crack the bleeder if you must, don't worry about a small amount of air getting in the bleeder, you want to bleed a little off each caliper after you are done anyways, or Horrors!! flush the brake system.

 

[idoitproject]

I didn't read the whole thing....BUT DO NOT open you brake line unless you feel like taking your car down to the shop later and dropping some real change to fix your goof up. Seeing how you asked what tool you need, pinching and opening your brake is a NO NO. As I listed in your other post...go down to Autozone and rent the loaner tool below, you get your money back when you return it if you don't wont to keep it.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...-Tool-Set/_/N-264a?itemIdentifier=298604_0_0_


EDIT:::
NEVERMIND the tool above, you have 4 piston calipers, see below.

Try not to open the bleeder, I never do.

The correct tool is something like this:
http://www.diytools.co.uk/draper-52335-expert-1-2-square-drive-caliper-piston-retraction-tool.html

But honestly I have always been able to wedge the piston open with the prybar method he mentions in the video. Leave the pads in on both sides, slowly wedge one side between the pad and rotor until the piston is fully retracted. put new pad in, do other side. You want the edge of the pry bar on the pad and the shaft of the bar on the edge on the rotor when doing this or your rotor will be marred. The old pad is trash anyway.

 

[scott37300]

The tool linked to in the original post is almost two feet long and 225 bucks! Looks like it might be hard to handle being so long.

I like the looks of that blue point, rebranded kastar.

 

[cptzippy]

Yeah that original long handle thing does look like a monster but apparently works exceedingly well. As far as budget goes, good enough to get a tool that works and lasts but doesn't have to have a certain name on it. I also prefer American but not to the extent of common sense.

My main goal is to get something that will allow me to work the easiest when I'm not doing well health wise - i.e. weak.

 

[Jagmandave]

If you need a cheater bar to run the caliper pistons back in either you're doing it wrong (you've managed to **** the piston in the bore) or there's something wrong with the caliper and you need to replace it.

The easiest way is to open the bleed valve as you push the piston back in, using the C-clamp. Since the Jag has a separate emergency brake system, the piston should slide back in with little effort. Make sure you clean the dirt off from around the exposed part of the piston before you try to shove it back in - no sense in pushing dirt into the seals and ruining them. If everything is clean and not cocked, you normally can push the piston back in with just your fingers (bleed screw open) - for sure with a C-clamp.

Chances are the fluid hasn't been changed in a dogs age if ever so losing the fluid out of the caliper is not an issue, you shoud replace and bleed the system anyway. The best and by far easiest way to do that, especially if you're working by yourself is with a pressure bleeder. You put the new fluid in it, attach the vessel's hose and cap to the master cylinder, pressurize the vessel and open the bleed screw furthest away from the master. The nasty brown fluid gets pushed out by the clean fluid, once you see clean fluid coming out of the bleeder, you close it off and move to the next furthest one and so on. Easy peasy.

If you're so weak (been there, know what you mean) do you feel confident that you can do the rest of this job, including breaking the lug bolts loose and retorquing them?

 

[SARG]

But do remember to open the master cylinder cap so that when you press the pistons in the fluid pressure has somewhere to go. I always place a rag under the cylinder to catch any overflow.

 

[MattPersman]

honestly you might try to get someone with some tools to help you and teach you how to do this. brakes are pretty important and the last thing you want is a safety issue or a tow bill to get it done.

 

[idoitproject]

honestly you might try to get someone with some tools to help you and teach you how to do this. brakes are pretty important and the last thing you want is a safety issue or a tow bill to get it done.

+1 What he said.

 

[darkk]

I need to do the brakes on my car soon.

Big caveat: I haven't done this before!
So what kind of caliper spreading tool makes the job the easiest?
I ask because I've had health problems that make my hands numb and weaker than they should be.

If you own a VAG car (Volkswagon/Audi) you will need a caliper tool that twists/spins the plunger in rather than just push it in straight.

 

[Skin]

I didn't read the whole thing....BUT DO NOT open you brake line

Try not to open the bleeder, I never do.

Disagree with this completely, you should always crack the bleeder so the fluid is going out instead of back into the master and depending on the vehicle some even require it in order to get the piston back in.

 

[chrisexv6]

Disagree with this completely, you should always crack the bleeder so the fluid is going out instead of back into the master and depending on the vehicle some even require it in order to get the piston back in.

Totally agree with your disagreement.....dont open the bleeder and all the potentially dirty/bad fluid in the caliper goes back into the system instead of out the bleeder.

If you do it right you wont introduce any air, but at the rate brake pads last you're probably better off replacing all of the brake fluid when you change pads anyway.

 

[cptzippy]

Plan to replace and bleed the system and have been told with the Teves III system on the Jag that opening the bleeder is vital. Fluid isn't that old because the dealership changed the MC before I got it but they did the usual half-way used dealership job so it won't be bad to change out.

BTW, narrowed it down to the kit type for a c-clamp - either one I'll have to buy.

 

[fourtythree]

+1 on the Harbor Freight brake kit. It's well made, works great and is 32 bucks with a 20% off coupon.

 

[jdjm]

I never push the brake fluid back in the system. Dirt may be in the fluid and get in the abs controller and then you have a abs light on. Always crack the bleeder and push the fluid out. Probably needs to be changed anyway.

 

[wornoutoldman]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002SQUHW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[captmoto]

BTW the car I'm working on is a 1994 Jaguar XJS so no floating calipers. I'll probably due my wife's 1997 Acura MDX eventually.

I actually don't know if I have any C-clamps. What size would I need if I go down that route?

The Acura may need to be screwed if it is like my wifes 2003 Accord. And I think you may only need to screw in the back calipers. I've used ther old pad and a c-clamp without too much hassle. You may need a 6 to 8" c-clamp. If it's only an occasional deal, Harbor Freight will be fine, you might find the special tool for the MDX there too.