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Brake Pad Spreader?

D

dwm

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
861
Location
Southeast Michigan
Rusty67 said:
If you have a pad between the rotor and the screw driver then what is between the piston and the screw driver ? Gotta be careful, you might mar the piston.....
Click to expand...

True, but I can see Simplespeed's point of view for many OEM brakes. When I replaced the brakes on my BMW M roadster at 26,000 miles, the piston surfaces were pretty much trashed. Very rough, corroded. If I hadn't been putting Wilwoods in, I'd have bought a rebuild kit at that point. Brake dust is nasty stuff, especially on the German cars (thanks to TUV requirements).

But you're right when it comes to decent aftermarket brakes. The stainless pistons in my Wilwoods are not dirt cheap and aren't much fun to replace, and have a much less beefier lip and tighter tolerances than the OEM pistons.
 
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3

38D

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Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
132
Location
Boston
I have never used a tool at all. Just use your hands to compress the pad a bit, then rotate the old pad 90 degrees to push the piston back in. Also works great at the track 'cause you need no special tools that are invariably back at home.
 
S

Simplespeed

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Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Messages
329
Rusty67 said:
If you have a pad between the rotor and the screw driver then what is between the piston and the screw driver ? Gotta be careful, you might mar the piston.....
Click to expand...

On a single or dual piston caliper where the pistons are on the "inside" or closer to the vehicle you would stick your screwdriver in between the outside of the pad and the caliper. You may have to pry on the pad a bit until you get enough gap to get on the other side of the pad but there are no pistons on that side of the caliper. Your basically forcing the outer pad, rotor, and inner pad against the caliper pistons. Same thing with a 4 piston caliper if you do one side at a time. I know some toyotas will let you do that. If they have to be compressed at the same time then you'll have to put the screwdriver between the pad and rotor on each side, cross the screwdrivers and pull apart and push together like your opening and closing a pair of scissors. I have never damaged a rotor this way but i also machine them almost every time. Also, the bleeder should be cracked anyway making the amount of pressure required to compress the pistons very low. Either way, there is nothing wrong with using the right tools.
 
W

willysrule

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Joined
Dec 20, 2010
Messages
160
Location
Herminie, PA
I have these two, always work great...I have a few 1/4" thick plates that are cut in the shape of brake pads too if I need to combine that with one of these tools...

Piston Compressor Tool
corvette-brakes-17.jpg




Lisle Dual Piston
rodi_2152_17427623
 
0

00S4Boy

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Joined
Feb 4, 2010
Messages
449
ponchopower said:
Not so fast, Batman. I'm runing 6 piston forged non-floating calipers on one car. Each side has 3 progressive sized pistons and one pad. Your solution flat doesn't work. Period.
Click to expand...

I have yet to try it on a 6 piston, but it works for 4 piston fixed calipers running 1 pad per 2 pistons.
 
P

ponchopower

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
254
00S4Boy said:
I have yet to try it on a 6 piston, but it works for 4 piston fixed calipers running 1 pad per 2 pistons.
Click to expand...

won't work on the 6 pots. In particular, I can assure you in won't work on Wilwood Superlite 6R 6 pots. And you SURE don't want to be prying against that powdercoated billet aluminum OR cocking the pistons in those. A single caliper replacement will cost more than all brake components combined on many other cars.
 
R

Rusty67

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Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Messages
1,294
Location
LA, CA
ImportTuner said:
How did you manage to turn that LITTLE t-handle to compress the piston?? You must be one big fella ...
Click to expand...

I'm 5'10" 160lbs and I've used that thing on several different calipers without opening the bleeder valve. I think if you can't do it there is likely something wrong with the brake system or maybe a 1-way check valve in the ABS unit. If you have ABS you should open the bleeder valve anyways....
 
R

Rusty67

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Jul 28, 2007
Messages
1,294
Location
LA, CA
It depends on what you mean by best. Getting the job done without damaging the pistons/calipers is obviously on the list but do you care about how fast you get it done ?
 
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K

K5blazer83

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Joined
Jan 22, 2010
Messages
270
Location
Maryland
When I do disc brakes I use either my:

Snap-On GA395
Matco DBPS260

OR for the stubborn pistons:
20" BIG MAC CHANNELLOCKS

and for rear discs:

Matco DB25
 

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B

biowrench

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Joined
Dec 25, 2013
Messages
100
Jack Olsen said:
Spreaders1143642433.jpg
Click to expand...
Anyone know where this might still be available? These guys aren't shipping to los angeles afaik.https://mrmarks.n.my/index.php?ws=showproducts&products_id=2162449Vehicles-Body-Repair-Tools#openproducts

Looks like the right thing for reaching into the 240s calipers.

The mechanic wants $160 per axle for this. "That's new bearings included, right?" "Nope."
 
R

Rusty67

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Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Messages
1,294
Location
LA, CA
At 160 per axle it is most def not including new bearings. You might want to try OTC 7034. That is a cheap/effective tool and works basically the same way as the one you posted. Not quite as sturdy/beefy but I've done cars and motorcycles with it.
 
S

sparky 1971

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Joined
Oct 9, 2018
Messages
7,967
Location
Central Iowa
F

Flared Base

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Joined
Dec 14, 2020
Messages
97
Location
CA
biowrench said:
Anyone know where this might still be available? These guys aren't shipping to los angeles afaik.https://mrmarks.n.my/index.php?ws=showproducts&products_id=2162449Vehicles-Body-Repair-Tools#openproducts

Looks like the right thing for reaching into the 240s calipers.

The mechanic wants $160 per axle for this. "That's new bearings included, right?" "Nope."
Click to expand...
Looks similar to the Toptul one.

www.toptul.com

Disc Brake Piston Spreader - TOPTUL The Mark of Professional Tools

Detailed information of Disc Brake Piston Spreader offered by TOPTUL The Mark of Professional Tools.
www.toptul.com
 
B

bsaint

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Apr 26, 2010
Messages
5,109
Location
Manchester, CT
I wish there was a tool that worked like a clamp that squeezed it when it was still on the car. So since I live in ct, it's always the c clamp to get over the rust lip.
 
B

biowrench

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Dec 25, 2013
Messages
100
Rusty67 said:
At 160 per axle it is most def not including new bearings. You might want to try OTC 7034. That is a cheap/effective tool and works basically the same way as the one you posted. Not quite as sturdy/beefy but I've done cars and motorcycles with it.
Click to expand...
Yeah, maybe I'm remembering 1990 or something, when I paid $100 per axle for bearings on the Minima (Datsun 210 Sedan).

Thanks, got the Performance-branded version of the OTC 7034.
 
B

bbroxter

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Feb 28, 2021
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Charlotte
L

Lucid Moments

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Aug 9, 2015
Messages
1,775
Location
Gainesville, Ga
00S4Boy said:
I have yet to try it on a 6 piston, but it works for 4 piston fixed calipers running 1 pad per 2 pistons.
Click to expand...
Yep, I have done it too. I think what 00S4Boy isn't getting is that you compress one side and put the new pad in on that side, then compress the other side. Or at least that is how I do it. But I admit it would be nice to stick a single tool in there and compress both sides at the same time. Not necessary, but nice.
 
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