Twin Piston Caliper Piston Compressor Tool

[Spudland_Dave]

Did a brake job on the wife's GMC Acadia...which has twin piston calipers out front. Had a fun time juggling my welding clamps, scrap metal, etc to get the pistons compressed...figured while I was doing it I should invest in a twin piston compressor...googling it this morning, I'm not seeing a whole lot of options...what are people using?

Heres what I'm trying to AVOID (Not my pic)...

 

[lightning02]

in the passed i would leave on the break pad that does against the piston side and used a C-camp to push them both in. open the break fluid tank first. its worked for me but something made for said job is always easier and faster.

 

[signcrafter]

There's the caulk gun style made by Lisle that works pretty good. Or the one made by lang that looks like two brake pads with a ratcheting wrench in between them.

 

[aka Larry]

I have this one from Lisle and it works quite well:

 

[Ponchoguy]

in the passed i would leave on the break pad that does against the piston side and used a C-camp to push them both in. open the break fluid tank first. its worked for me but something made for said job is always easier and faster.

+1. You're dumping (hopefully) the brake pads anyway. Even before I had a caliper tool, I did this with a C-Clamp on the single piston calipers.

 

[OxJaw]

I've always used the old brake pad and c-clamp method, never had an issue.

 

[jn50308401]

A c clamp, a chunk of wood or the old brake pad works fine for the GM dual piston calipers. Opening the bleeder and catching the old fluid in a pop bottle or bleeder cup will make it easier too. Of course if you're a rust belt person, opening a bleeder is an exercise in frustration sometimes.

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[bobcatdan]

A vise grip C clamp has never failed me in pushing brake calipers in. Only specialty caliper tool I own is for the rear ones you need to turn in as you push.

 

[ephotrod]

I have this press works on dual piston single and so on. Its a great tool that saves time and is easy to operate.
https://store.snapon.com/Disc-Brake-Tools-Press-Brake-Caliper-P651225.aspx

 

[Gearshredder]

Pry while the caliper is still on the car?

 

[JKady]

I just use the single piston pistol grip style and put one of the old pads in the caliper to push against, been working fine for years.

 

[Loscaldazar]

I have this press works on dual piston single and so on. Its a great tool that saves time and is easy to operate.
https://store.snapon.com/Disc-Brake-Tools-Press-Brake-Caliper-P651225.aspx

I have this and this is fantastic. Lang also sells it for a bit cheaper too some places. Can be used for single, dual, 4 calipers (as long as it is big enough to cover all of them) and it can be used on floating as well fixed calipers.

Such a useful tool, and way better than have 4 or five brake tools for different types of calipers. So much faster than any c clamp contraption too.

 

[404]

Open the caliper bleeder and push in one at a time.

The fluid in the caliper may not be clean, do not push it back up the brake line to the master.

I go so far as to bleed the brakes with clean fluid before I push the pistons back in. No benefit of pushing old fluid back into the system.

 

[Smokeshow69]

I have this one from Lisle and it works quite well:

X2!! If you do the prying/c clamp method/ block of wood you are setting yourself up for a stuck caliper. As calipers age, the seals/pistons will get stuck if you don't push them back in parallel to the piston sleeve. Just spend the extra few dollars and get the lisle tool. It saves time and frustration. Takes only a few minutes per side to use and you don't have to worry about a caliper sticking at an inopportune time while you are out driving and risking doing the brake job/buying parts again...

 

[jn50308401]

X2!! If you do the prying/c clamp method/ block of wood you are setting yourself up for a stuck caliper. As calipers age, the seals/pistons will get stuck if you don't push them back in parallel to the piston sleeve. Just spend the extra few dollars and get the lisle tool. It saves time and frustration. Takes only a few minutes per side to use and you don't have to worry about a caliper sticking at an inopportune time while you are out driving and risking doing the brake job/buying parts again...

Sage advice... a good visual inspection of your parts is always job 1. Your eyes are great tools!

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[Skin]

X2!! If you do the prying/c clamp method/ block of wood you are setting yourself up for a stuck caliper. As calipers age, the seals/pistons will get stuck if you don't push them back in parallel to the piston sleeve.

Cant say I agree with this conclusion. If you mangle the seal you'll know it since its also sealing the fluid. Its pretty hard to force a working piston back in crooked. Not to mention as soon as you step on the brakes to seat the pads the piston is going to push flat then release. Blatantly obvious if its dragging. No, not causing stuck brakes. That would be thanks to the dust boot failing or, more commonly, the pad itself getting stuck in the clip.

 

[mcmtech]

The Lang or blue point tool is all I use anymore

 

[articsilber323]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XMMWEM/?tag=atomicindus08-20


this is what i use on all calipers weather 1 piston or 2 other then turn back rear calipers


13mm socket with my Milwaukee ratchet makes quick work of them

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

are new grey color Lisle brake tools make out of plastic?

 

[WhiffySpark]

Pry while the caliper is still on the car?

I use a c clamp while it's still on the car. I can check for sticking caliper, hung up sliders, etc all in one shot. I push them all back then disassemble

 

[2ndGearRubber]

The lisle tool works great. Single piston tool with a brake pad, or use the HF rear caliper tool with a disc on backwards and a brake pad.



As for the whole "pushing in the caliper with old fluid in it will hurt the caliper" idea: I've compressed literally thousands of calipers, and never had a single issue after compression. Unless they compress hard (master cap off to protect lines), they're fine. Pad wear usually defines the bad caliper anyway.


It's not like the fluid in the lines/master is going to be any cleaner than what's in the caliper. Where do you guys hear this stuff?

That said, if the bleeders can open, a bleed doesn't hurt. But simply bleeding out the volume of the caliper does nothing, aside from exercise the bleeder screw. Run enough through to flush the line.

 

[zakmartin]

I use the Lang 279 Brake Caliper Press and absolutely LOVE IT. Saves a ton of time.

 

[WhiffySpark]

The lisle tool works great. Single piston tool with a brake pad, or use the HF rear caliper tool with a disc on backwards and a brake pad.



As for the whole "pushing in the caliper with old fluid in it will hurt the caliper" idea: I've compressed literally thousands of calipers, and never had a single issue after compression. Unless they compress hard (master cap off to protect lines), they're fine. Pad wear usually defines the bad caliper anyway.


It's not like the fluid in the lines/master is going to be any cleaner than what's in the caliper. Where do you guys hear this stuff?

That said, if the bleeders can open, a bleed doesn't hurt. But simply bleeding out the volume of the caliper does nothing, aside from exercise the bleeder screw. Run enough through to flush the line.

I leave the cap on. If pushing the caliper back is enough to blow a line, I want it to happen. We are in the rust belt her e

 

[404]

It's not like the fluid in the lines/master is going to be any cleaner than what's in the caliper. Where do you guys hear this stuff?

.

The fluid that comes out of the caliper in the first few brake pumps is darker than the fluid in the master. The master contents are usually a bit darker than the brand new fluid.

If you have not noticed or do not care so be it, since you will not be working on my car anyway.

 

[JustAHedge]

This is what I am currently using Lisle Quick Pad Spreader. I bought it to make compressing fixed calipers on Toyota trucks easier. This thing will do single, dual and quad piston calipers. It also keeps you from marring up the outside of caliper if you are compressing them with pliers.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I leave the cap on. If pushing the caliper back is enough to blow a line, I want it to happen. We are in the rust belt her e

I don't do free brake lines, so I take the cap off. If it breaks, it can be skewed in a way by customers/writers that it is somehow my problem. I often just vacuum bleed new calipers, then skip a test drive to bed in the pads, because the lines are so terrible looking.

But hey, I can't require someone to replace them, yet I often inform people to replace them, or budget for it, because they're so bad. I had a customer get pads and rotors all the way around, with me saying you're going to need lines soon. He declined, and they blew after my test drive, when he left the lot. I did 4 lines, one at a time, the next blowing during the bleeding process.

But I can promise it's not my problem if they pop.

The fluid that comes out of the caliper in the first few brake pumps is darker than the fluid in the master. The master contents are usually a bit darker than the brand new fluid.

If you have not noticed or do not care so be it, since you will not be working on my car anyway.

Cool beans boss. What does that color indicate? Copper content, debris (coming from where?), rust in a mainly oxygen free environment? Are you checking the boiling point or using a manufacture schedule? And what is the volume of the caliper vs. the total line volume? Is it even possible to reach the master? What position are the ABS valves in? Can it even make it past the valves? And how would any of that (which sits around the caliper and other components 24/7, suddenly destroy things by being moved via piston compression?

 

[Shadowdog500]

Sears sells this dual piston spreader for $14. http://www.searsoutlet.com/Heavy-Du...s/d/product_details.jsp?pid=15130&mode=seeAll

I usually see one hanging on the wall in sears.

Second, don't push directly on the piston like you show in the photo. Put the old brake pad over the Pistons and push on the pad with the tool.


Here is a photo of the tool.

Chris

 

[DodgeMech]

why is the stuff in the calipers any worse than the rest? i've used the lang/blue point one for a while now, and have rolled back countless caliper pistons...and i never open the lid...anyway...

 

[66354dream]

X2 on the lisle tool, works perfectly fine.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

The Lisle tool is cool...

 

[Skin]

2ndGear, your obvious lack of knowledge is a bit disturbing for doing "thousands of brake jobs". Old brake fluid contains sediment and contaminates especially as the fluid ages. All that gunk sinks to the lowest points, the calipers. When you don't bleed them you're pushing that garbage back up the line. Unless you have no other choice you're just being lazy by doing that.

Brake systems are not perfectly sealed from the atmosphere or oxygen free. They keep air transfer to a minimum with diaphragms but none the less every time you step on the peddle the system vents otherwise the master would implode.

 

[lightning02]

What's the better choice? Lisle or Lang style? Pros and cons? I'm thinking the Lang style.

 

[techenthusiast]

That bluepoint / kastar ratcheting tool looks like the ultimate piston compressor tool, with a 10 dollar difference I'm just not sure if its worth going generic when you got a guaranteed lifetime warranty with the bluepoint for 10 more... But how prone are they to failure?

 

[shockwave]

I personally just use the old pad and use the hand screw single piston never had a problem and works better than the pistol style dedicated to dual pistons

And don't touch bleeder screw unless you are bleeding brakes aswell

 

[wolf_from_wv]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XMMWEM/?tag=atomicindus08-20


this is what i use on all calipers weather 1 piston or 2 other then turn back rear calipers


13mm socket with my Milwaukee ratchet makes quick work of them

I bought a similar model at Sears.

 

[90zcar]

I use this guy from blue point. Every now and then I find a caliper that these are a little too wide to fit in. Usually rear calipers.


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[Fedwrench]

are new grey color Lisle brake tools make out of plastic?

No. The first generation Lisles were black. The grey models are updated and made from beefier steel.
The Lang tool (blueprint) is handy for four piston (2 facing each other) set ups but, is tool slow for other applications.

 

[Mastermind]

I use the lisle, dual piston, for both dual and single piston. For single I just off set it.

 

[Gearshredder]

O I meant when I am installing new pads, I remove the guide pins and then grab the back of the caliper and twist it before removing it, and it pushes the pads in quite easily. I may shove a prybar inbetween and twist again to get the piston to fully seat. I usually end up pushing in the pistons just enough for it to easily slide off the lip of the rotor.

 

[404]

Cool beans boss. What does that color indicate? Copper content, debris (coming from where?), rust in a mainly oxygen free environment? Are you checking the boiling point or using a manufacture schedule? And what is the volume of the caliper vs. the total line volume? Is it even possible to reach the master? What position are the ABS valves in? Can it even make it past the valves? And how would any of that (which sits around the caliper and other components 24/7, suddenly destroy things by being moved via piston compression?

Oxygen free environment? Not a chance. *yawn*.