Brake Pad Spreader

[plinker]

I also have used the #3 piece with this kit before for smaller single piston units, though dont usually think of it getting the kit out unless it's a windback type caliper and need it anyway.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002RDGMNM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[wafrederick]

that lang is also rebadged as carlyle by napa which is about the same money and a better warranty

Also rebadged as Mac,Matco and Snap On under the Blue Point brand

 

[dstblj52]

Also rebadged as Mac,Matco and Snap On under the Blue Point brand

correct but they charge way way way to much money for it

 

[jimmy12345678]

My go to is usually a pair of channellocks big enough to clamp the pliers against the piston and the back of the caliper for single piston calipers. I have a large set that is my go to for 90% of calipers, I’ll use a smaller set on the smaller rear calipers with a single piston.

With dual piston/four piston, IMO nothing beats my Lang ratcheting brake pad spreading tool. I’ve even used it wedged between the tops of the pads on four piston setups (Tundras come to mind) just enough to compress all four enough when not replacing the rotors. Usually here in the rust belt the pads are rust jacked/seized in the caliper after so many years that I’ve had to descale many with a burr bit.

For turn back style rear calipers, I use a Cornwell kit with both the left and right hand thread clamps and lots of different pieces with various pins to lock in the different style caliper pistons. Haven’t yet made the jump to a pneumatic one although I’ve heard good things. I also pry the boot back with a pocket screwdriver and give a good squirt of silicone spray to keep the boot from binding and twisting as the piston goes in.

Electronic parking brakes are usually pretty straightforward, either put them into service mode via scan tool or the infotainment menu, compress the piston like a normal caliper and you’re done. I’ve had some that I’ve used my power probe to run them out manually as well.

 

[tyyost]

that lang is also rebadged as carlyle by napa which is about the same money and a better warranty

I really like Carlyle stuff but my local napa stores are pretty terrible in the tool selection department. I very seldom see anything beyond the basic single socket and wrench panels, even for ratchets they are pretty basic. I highly doubt they have anything other than the basic stuff in stock.

 

[AJHD]

Wow, at first we were shewed hard to the Lang/Bluepoint ratchet type. Now we are back to the Lisle caulking gun style. I have some 11Rs, but it never occured to me to use them (or channel locks). I live in the rust belt, and it often takes a bit to move the piston initially, so my go to was a c-clamp.

If it matters most of the dd’s here are Ford SUVs, Subarus, or my 15 Silverado. Just straightforward single and dual piston calipers.

Sometimes you need more than one tool. There is not a tool on the planet that will fit every application or be appropriate for every job/task.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Another 11R user.

 

[tyyost]

Just to bring this full circle, I dedicated a Milwaukee 11R style vise grip to this task for a few months. I was pretty impressed with it for most single piston calipers, but needed to break out the c-clamp for the double piston calipers on my wife’s Exploder.

Turns out my sons Escape needed pads and rotors. When I checked them I pulled the caliper, grabbed the vise grips as they are big single piston and no bueno. I could not break it loose and I was worried about damaging the caliper so I bumped it back with the c-clamp and added the Lang 279 to my cart with the brake parts.

I had a chance to use it today. Let me sat that thing is super slick, I am disappointed I didn’t buy it sooner. Is it worth the $60.00 if you only do brakes every so often, no, but none of my cars use screw in calipers or other nuttiness so between the 11R and the Lang I’m thrilled. Thanks to all who posted on the 11R camp, these two techniques will save me a ton of time doing these jobs.

 

[dstblj52]

Just to bring this full circle, I dedicated a Milwaukee 11R style vise grip to this task for a few months. I was pretty impressed with it for most single piston calipers, but needed to break out the c-clamp for the double piston calipers on my wife’s Exploder.

Turns out my sons Escape needed pads and rotors. When I checked them I pulled the caliper, grabbed the vise grips as they are big single piston and no bueno. I could not break it loose and I was worried about damaging the caliper so I bumped it back with the c-clamp and added the Lang 279 to my cart with the brake parts.

I had a chance to use it today. Let me sat that thing is super slick, I am disappointed I didn’t buy it sooner. Is it worth the $60.00 if you only do brakes every so often, no, but none of my cars use screw in calipers or other nuttiness so between the 11R and the Lang I’m thrilled. Thanks to all who posted on the 11R camp, these two techniques will save me a ton of time doing these jobs.

The lang is also sold by napa as the carlyle option SER 279

 

[Qualitytools]

I started using a large Craftsman slip joint pliers. I purchased and used the lisle 24400 and that one works great also. I also use the Lang ratcheting one. The lisle and Lang I have used on my Ford truck and my BMWs. To be honest they all work very well, it just depends on your preference.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Anything with single piston sliding calipers I do with my bare hands. just crack the bleed screw and the piston moves sooooo easily. also helps speed up the bleeding process - you're not pushing dirty fluid back up into the master cylinder.

 

[tak1313]

I usually use a C-clamp even F-clamp, and also have the Lang one. The rears on my wife's Prius are screw in types, so I have a cheap kit from Amazon that has a whole set of dies (or which I only use one).

When I researched the Lang before getting it, I read a few reviews of people complaining that it doesn't ratchet down small enough, but none of them made any reference to what car, and I've had no such problem myself.

Another fairly common complaint on the Lang I cam across was that the "back drag" was too high so they couldn't get the tool to ratchet properly, but when I first got mine, I greased all the friction points of the mechanism and haven't come across such a problem personally yet.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Capri Tool spreader - nice tool.

 

[silkman]

For turn back style rear calipers, I use a Cornwell kit with both the left and right hand thread clamps and lots of different pieces with various pins to lock in the different style caliper pistons. Haven’t yet made the jump to a pneumatic one although I’ve heard good things. I also pry the boot back with a pocket screwdriver and give a good squirt of silicone spray to keep the boot from binding and twisting as the piston goes in.

Good tip. In my last brake job, the boot twisted and mangled, had to remove the caliper completely to put it in place, fortunately it wasn't torn.

My el cheapo 15eur caliper wind back tool. Most usually the pin doesn't have enough force to turn the caliper and you need to use a socket which I discovered is some stupid sae size.

 

[ex-x-fire]

I use a c-clamp with the used pads for most calipers. For my STI which has Brembo calipers with pistons on each side, I used the $20 ratcheting version. Far from high quality, but it worked great. There just isn't a good way to reach the pistons with my other methods.

I have one of those and I had to weld the plates in place. Another thing is the f---ing ratchet likes to free wheel whenever it wants to.

 

[bubinga]

I've an OTC screw thingy. Way more capable thanl usually opoen the bleed vaklve too. what I need. I'm a "crack a bleed ****** while you compress" guy, so this works well.

I do have a ratcheting pad spreader, but it's waaay too fiddly to use. Until you get some pressure on the "pads" the ratchet won't ratchet.

I used to use big channel locks... until they slipped and tore a dust boot.

-Ryan

l usually open the bleed valve too.

 

[M635_Guy]

I wound up with a full brake-pad tool kit, and the most-used part of it is this spreader:


Throw the used pad on the other side and it works great. I've used it on pretty much everything in the family fleet (six cars if you count my mothers) and it's worked fine on everything. I do not open the bleeder.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

I wound up with a full brake-pad tool kit, and the most-used part of it is this spreader:


Throw the used pad on the other side and it works great. I've used it on pretty much everything in the family fleet (six cars if you count my mothers) and it's worked fine on everything. I do not open the bleeder.

do you bleed after?

 

[M635_Guy]

do you bleed after?

Since I haven't opened the system to introduce any air, no. I do pump the brakes.

 

[nbpt100]

I wound up with a full brake-pad tool kit, and the most-used part of it is this spreader:


Throw the used pad on the other side and it works great. I've used it on pretty much everything in the family fleet (six cars if you count my mothers) and it's worked fine on everything. I do not open the bleeder.

I have one of these and have used it alot the same way you do. But the handle broke off at one point. if you do not want to open the bleeder, for any reason. (sometimes you know they will break or strip and who wants to deal with that?) You need something that has more leverage and force.

I also have one of these kits I got from ECS tuning. it has a lot fo flexability and you can rotate the pistons on those that have the Parking brake linked to the piston. I have had to grind some fo the pins to get them to fit certain piston detents. On a Maszda comes to mind. But they work well. I have even used them on double pistons.

This is the HF Maddox but it is the same idea. Many others make them. Some come with more discs than others. If I did not have anything, I would buy a kit like this one..

Disc Brake Pad and Caliper Service Tool Kit, 11-Piece

Amazing deals on this Service Tool Kit Disc Brake Pad & Caliper at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

I have replaced thousands of brake pads in calipers over my lifetime and have never broken a piston using either a c- clamp or a large set of slip joint pliers - I guess they've all been made out of better stuff


The point about painted calipers is a good one tho.

Some are now plastic. Careful on those.

Sometimes you need more than one tool. There is not a tool on the planet that will fit every application or be appropriate for every job/task.

Exactly. Well said. I am sure most pros have 3 or 4 tools or kits with multiple tools in it.

 

[DrinkMan]

We have 2 types. One is the ratcheting type that we use with our quad piston brakes and the other is the simple screw one that we use with the dual piston.

The screw style is a real old hand-me-down that we use the most often. It looks like this one but I think made in Germany many decades ago: Caliper spread tool

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Since I haven't opened the system to introduce any air, no. I do pump the brakes.

it's not about getting air out. it's about changing the fluid - moisture gets in and the boiling point of dot 3/4 goes down. if you've ever taken apart brake systems, the dirtiest fluid is always in the calipers, not the lines. why push the most tired fluid back up into the system?

I crack the bleeder with a hose on it while squeezing, then lock it off just before I let go. pump the brakes once or twice on each corner and top off the master cylinder.