HF Brake pad and caliper service kit

[Scotsman1886]

I can't access the HF website from work so I can't post a link but its item#63264.

Any opinions out there?

 

[astroracer]

In the hundreds of brake jobs I have done I have never used a "brake caliper service kit"... A 6" C-Clamp and small block of wood does the exact same thing. IMHO...
Mark

 

[ex-x-fire]

In the hundreds of brake jobs I have done I have never used a "brake caliper service kit"... A 6" C-Clamp and small block of wood does the exact same thing. IMHO...
Mark

What do you use when you have to twist a piston to get it to go in? That kit is for rear brakes with caliper that have intergral parking brakes. They have a larger kit too.

 

[jeeper46]

I use that kit for my rear brakes. It works well-no problems. I just use a C-clamp and a round steel disc for the front brake calipers.

 

[Sh40674]

the piston i use needle nose. as far as front i don't use a block... loosen them up a bit.. if changing pads use one of the old pads for a block.

 

[md21722]

Compare to:

Sunex Tools 3930 Master Brake Caliper Tool Set 3930 $54.24
MATCO 18 PIECE BRAKE CALIPER TOOL KIT BCW18A $84.00
MAC 18-PC. Disc Brake Caliper Turn-In Kit DBC18C $148.99
Astro Pneumatics 18 Piece Brake Caliper Wind Back Tool Set AST78618 $31.82

The MAC looks like the Sunex at nearly 3x the cost.
The Matco looks like the Astro at nearly 3x the cost.

 

[sberry]

Some may need a bigger clamp, I have 2 different ones in the auto bay, both 8 inch and 1 without the footie on it.

 

[Cope]

HF is crazy high on their kit. I bought the 21 piece set on eBay for $21.50. Comes with right hand and left hand threaded spindles. Seller raised his price a little, but there are a lot of them out there.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/21pcs-Unive...hash=item3d06a35ec3&item=262104374979&vxp=mtr

 

[EchoOfGecko]

HF wants too much for their kit... you can get the Astro 78618 (which includes 2 of the thrust bolt units) for ~$31 on Amazon, or the Astro 78619 for ~$58, which includes the drum brake tools as well. Both made in Taiwan.

Or, do a search on Amazon and you can get made in China kits almost identical to the HF kit for ~$16.

 

[mopar_johnny]

I have the larger HF kit with both the left and right hand spindles and it has worked great. I think I only paid about $35 for mine. I see on HF's website they don't list the larger kit anymore, did they get rid of that one?

 

[Cope]

I have the larger HF kit with both the left and right hand spindles and it has worked great. I think I only paid about $35 for mine. I see on HF's website they don't list the larger kit anymore, did they get rid of that one?

Not sure, but the kit I saw at a local store was in the $44 range.

 

[JRC3]

Ebay kit to the door for less than $16. http://www.ebay.com/itm/12PCS-Disc-...ash=item282920a270:g:iHgAAOSwSv1XkQaf&vxp=mtr

Not sure of the quality but I'm gonna order one for rear calipers. I already use one of the block 3/8" drive rear disc brake tool but it can be a little clumsy.

 

[gungatim]

I too have the full larger kit from HF. works great. much better than the cheap caliper clamp tool I have. that said, before I had the kit, I just used a HF adjustable pin wrench to spin the pistons back in the caliper and it worked just fine. the kit, however, is much nicer and easier to use. I still use my jumbo channel locks for most single pistons but the kit is nice for doing the rears on GM's and multi piston setups....

 

[Greg85mcss]

I have the bigger hf kit. I used the matco kit before I bought it & wouldn't doubt they're the same oem. You don't really need left & right thread but it makes doing fords & mazdas much easier. If you're buying it for home use a smaller kit would probably be fine & take up less space. For professional use I'd get the big one unless something like a dealership where you work on the same cars all the time.


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[CobraRed]

You can tell differences between kits because some use roll pins and a 2 piece thrust bolt assembly, other's use a two pieces and a hammered pin to hold it together.

My new 78618 is a single machined piece, not two pieces.

 

[Cope]

Ebay kit to the door for less than $16. http://www.ebay.com/itm/12PCS-Disc-...ash=item282920a270:g:iHgAAOSwSv1XkQaf&vxp=mtr

Not sure of the quality but I'm gonna order one for rear calipers. I already use one of the block 3/8" drive rear disc brake tool but it can be a little clumsy.

That's the 12 piece set. For another $10 you get the 21 piece kit.

 

[JRC3]

That's the 12 piece set. For another $10 you get the 21 piece kit.

Yeah, I was looking at that too, but figure the other pieces were for imports that I'll never have. Still, for the money might as well get the bigger one. Plus it has the tool for left-handed applications and you never know what the auto manufacturers might do in the future.

 

[Scotsman1886]

Thanks for the tips. I think I'll go with the ebay model.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Not going to work on some cars because it only twists one way. Keep that in mind.

Cheap isn't always less expensive.

 

[jeeper46]

What cars are left hand?

 

[d.mcfarland]

What cars are left hand?

The ones that aren't right hand. Duh. Everyone knows that.

 

[derosa]

Curious if the is more info on the pistons rotating. My wife's 2014 Mazda had a stuck slider on the rear that wore the pad out. I noticed the pistons seemed to turn a little when pushing them in. Actually had to take a tongue depressor and push the seal away from the top of the piston since they were stuck at the top and the seal was twisting. The clamp still seemed to do the job just fine with no effort. Was thinking this spring of replacing the rear rotors, all new pads and bleeding the system. So is the rotating pistons something that can be easily damaged?

 

[d.mcfarland]

So is the rotating pistons something that can be easily damaged?

From what I understand yes. It's the parking/emergency brake thats rotating.

 

[jeeper46]

The ones that aren't right hand. Duh. Everyone knows that.

Thanks for the useful information. I asked because I have never encountered a car with Left-hand pistons.

 

[sberry]

Curious if the is more info on the pistons rotating. My wife's 2014 Mazda had a stuck slider on the rear that wore the pad out. I noticed the pistons seemed to turn a little when pushing them in. Actually had to take a tongue depressor and push the seal away from the top of the piston since they were stuck at the top and the seal was twisting. The clamp still seemed to do the job just fine with no effort. Was thinking this spring of replacing the rear rotors, all new pads and bleeding the system. So is the rotating pistons something that can be easily damaged?

Yes, the rubbers get stuck. As a side note, this is where maintenance really hits the road. I am not an oil change junkie but I do tire rotation, brake inspection, unstuck parts service regularly. I keep the hardware working and schedule/buy parts for next service and am not scared to change out a piece at a time. I make sure it works,, people seem to throw money at it and ignore where I wear most of it all the way out but it isn't stuck and not working right for last 40k.
I don't worry about rotors most of the time if they are not rusted. You can grind beads off with a little practice, same for drums and they will slide on after adjustment and come off at next service.
I collect hardware, save a pad or 2 in a box for the car, when something goes wrong I got a clip or a pad.

 

[sberry]

I wore out a Cadillac with a set of pads on the front, needed rear rotors and couple sets of pads. A Freesrar has all original steel, puked a pad and grooved a rotor when new, put a pad on and never did change it out. 91 250, oem rotors on front, 1 set of drums. Not all of them are like that but had a neighbor come with 500 in parts, sent her back to the store with it. None of it wore out, simply stuck.
I buy when I need 2 especially to solve a problem but I don't toss a fistfull at it and forget.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Thanks for the useful information. I asked because I have never encountered a car with Left-hand pistons.

I rarely see them also, but I think the last was a 2005 or so Buick Lucerne.

 

[JRC3]

Not going to work on some cars because it only twists one way. Keep that in mind.

Cheap isn't always less expensive.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/21pcs-Unive...:g:390AAOSwux5YS8ov&item=252675922646&vxp=mtr

Includes left and right handed thrust bolt assemblies

$20.39 to the door.

 

[Tyguy1209]

a few of the options I have, what I reach for just depends on the car and design.

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[WWheeler]

~$20+free shipping gets you a 21 pc "Universal Disc Brake Caliper Piston Pad Car Auto Wind Back Hand Tool Kit" on ebay that does RH or LH calipers. I've used it once so far and did what it was supposed to do.

edit: when I posted I didn't realize there was a page 2 discussion on this thread. Wish I could say that's the first time I've done that but it's not. I see now I'm late to the $20 ebay set party. lol. Anywho, that is exactly the set I bought.

IIRC last year before I settled on it I had compared it to what I saw at HF and elsewhere and I don't recall HF's offerings costing anywhere near as much as the one mentioned in the OP. $50 for that? Looks like they just slapped a new 'Maddox' brand on a bunch of stuff and jacked the priced up quite a bit in the process.

 

[94_C/1500]

I just have a Lisle cube to do screw in pistons.