Best brake caliper piston tool?

[jayemm]

I did my Mazda's rear brakes in June.Used a 21$ kit from ebay that had both l/h and r/h tools in kit.Just grabbed an adapter that fit the best (not the one marked for mazda's) and it worked great unlike one of those cheap cubes that the nibs break off of.If I would have tried the "needle nose pliers trick" I'd still be there cursing along side a pile of broken pliers and the job not finished.For me it was cheap insurance (that turned out to be needed) to avoid stopping the job.

 

[noid]

I just received my kit that has right and left compressors......I have a 2017 Mazda 3 that I'm going to replace the rear pads.

Do I use the clockwise on one side and the CCW on the other side??? And if so, which side is the CCW? I've watched some videos and have yet to see one that explains this....

TIA

There is no hard and fast rule on direction.

The vast majority of makers will turn clockwise on both sides; this is likely the case for your Mazda.

Sometimes you'll get an oddball maker doing counter clock wise.

Then you got some Fords that like to go clockwise on one side and counter clockwise on the other

When in doubt always try clockwise first.

VW calipers (like OP's car) like to be particularly stuborn and require a good amount of pressure while at the same time turning, so trying to use one of those cubes or pliers have no chance of working.

When you're done compressing, to remove the tool, remember to loosen here with a wrench, and not by trying to turn the handle the other direction.

 

[freudianfloyd]

I have a few different types, but the one I always wind up using is one I made myself. A 3/16" thick plate roughly 2"x4" with a 3/8-16 hole threaded hole in the center. Then use a threaded rod with some type of handle. Slip it into the caliper, with an old pad against the piston, and turn the handle. It works great, and is way quicker than vise grips for me.

 

[mike93lx]

I have a few different types, but the one I always wind up using is one I made myself. A 3/16" thick plate roughly 2"x4" with a 3/8-16 hole threaded hole in the center. Then use a threaded rod with some type of handle. Slip it into the caliper, with an old pad against the piston, and turn the handle. It works great, and is way quicker than vise grips for me.

Sounds useful when it just needs to be compressed. Many pistons need to be screwed back in

 

[noid]

Sounds useful when it just needs to be compressed. Many pistons need to be screwed back in

+1 Pretty well any car that has the ebrake mechanism built into the caliper.

 

[mitusa]

Thanks to

GirchyGirchy

Jayemm

Noid

for walking me through the process.

I bought the Z and A set off of amazon for twenty dollars. I had to grind a little on the three sided disk to make it work...but it worked fine after I got it to fit. Both sides were clockwise like they suggested they would be. One side was a little tough to get moving, but other than that, all went well.

It was my first time for rear disc brakes....but I had time to change the front ones too.

Thanks again!