Wamsutta
Well-known member
This is what I use for compressing the front pistons. It's not super fast but it's very affective.
Lisle 24400
Lisle 24400
Recommendations on caliper piston compression tool
- Thread starter Bmberzins
- Start date
whateg01
Well-known member
Until you have a dual piston caliperThis is what I use for compressing the front pistons. It's not super fast but it's very affective.
Lisle 24400
chevy.stroker
Well-known member
You just place a disc brake pad between the ram and the two pistons. I own 2 of those, I found them at a flea market, but they have a hex head for a socket. You can do the same with a c clamp.
Wamsutta
Well-known member
Anything with a dual piston caliper is gonna be too rich for my blood.
cablebandit
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2008
- Messages
- 103
I just use the wrench for my angle grinder on the screw-in rears on my Subarus.
Uofime
Well-known member
You do what you do, but if you have 20 year old brake fluid in there I wouldn’t put anyone I love in that car.
whateg01
Well-known member
It's not like brake fluid one day just suddenly solidifies or becomes a compressible fluid.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
It does become drastically easier to boil though.
Uofime
Well-known member
It also becomes increasingly corrosive and will cause the rubber lines to swell and make calipers stick, it also eats the seals in the caliper and they’ll leak, it’ll do the same to the master as well. That’s why the fluid is black after awhile.
It’s fine if you don’t have the money, the time, or the car isn’t worth it, just don’t pretend differing maintenance on your brake system is a good choice.
Parts are cheap, fluid is cheap, the labor can **** a bit in the rust belt. Doing the maintenance makes the labor **** less.
chevy.stroker
Well-known member
Brake fluid is hygroscopic. The cheap testers you can buy test for water content. Hard braking can boil the water causing brake fade or total failure.
whateg01
Well-known member
I never said it was a good idea to not flush the brakes once in awhile. Just don't make it sound like once it reaches its best by date it's going to instantly kill you
whateg01
Well-known member
Yes it does.
Wrench97
Well-known member
Prydriver to push the pads back while the caliper is still mounted where possible, sliding 8" C clamp and a old pad, or the lang type ratcheting tool whichever is handiest 
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
Prydriver to push the pads back while the caliper is still mounted where possible, sliding 8" C clamp and a old pad, or the lang type ratcheting tool whichever is handiest
I pushed in an altima rear caliper piston with my thumbs the other day to prove a point to a lube-tech.
428PI
Well-known member
The only time I've seen boiling brake fluid is 80s F250 Fords. There was a recall to put metal insulated jackets on brake lines in engine compartments and insulated washers on brake caliper pistons.
Buckaroo5
Well-known member
I have both the Lang ratchet tool and a set to crank in the rear pistons where necessary (typically Honda). You need something that will compress both top and bottom pistons on larger calipers like my 4Runner and Tundra so you need something like the Lang. Also, I do always crack the bleeder when I am compressing the pistons to avoid pushing the sludgy fluid in the calipers back through the ABS control unit. If you give them a sharp (but not too heavy) longitudinal whack with a hammer on the head (along the axis, not across it), that helps brake any corrosion on the seat. If I run into a very tough one and absolutely need to get it loose, I reach for the torch.
wafrederick
Well-known member
Lang #279 which they make it for Napa,Matco,Snap On and Mac as a rebrand
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
I've seen it at an autox event. And I've had customers get fade, primarily because they drive like assholes.
I have the Lang (among others) and use it. The only thing I don't like about the Lang is that the ratcheting mechanism has some "back drag," so if there is no "resistance," like when you first put the tool in the caliper and start cranking, the ratcheting mechanism grabs on the back stroke. I have to put a little resistance by either sticking a finger on the ratcheting part, or lightly squeezing the pressure pads to give enough back pressure so the ratcheting works and expands the tool.
Wrench97
Well-known member
They loosen up after a couple months of use usually, of course then they start changing direction unintentionally after another couple months.
I have the lang and it works well but most of the time I’m just to lazy I guess to get it out and I just use a prybar or big screw driver pushed in through the pad viewing windows in the back of the calipers and pry against the pads to open the caliper up. I do this before it’s removed.
Is there a problem with the way I do it? Am I just a savage?
Is there a problem with the way I do it? Am I just a savage?
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but there are many caliper designs which will not allow that.
APEowner
Well-known member
I have other options but unless I'm working on something that has windback pistons or pretty calipers I just use a big-*** pair of water pump pliers and one of the old pads.
I recently bought the Lisle 24400 shown above, having previously used an F-style woodworking clamp. My only complaint was the knob had sharp edges that cut my rubber gloves. Annoying. I filed them smooth.
I use a mityvac brake bleeder. I pull 500ml (full bottle - ish) out of each wheel cylinder at every pad change. Its the fluid you most want out of your system. (the stuff in the wheel cylinders). Just make sure you keep the master cylinder reservoir full.
I use a mityvac brake bleeder. I pull 500ml (full bottle - ish) out of each wheel cylinder at every pad change. Its the fluid you most want out of your system. (the stuff in the wheel cylinders). Just make sure you keep the master cylinder reservoir full.