I need some help... I got in a wierd issue, and my friend is without a car right now. I drove him home, but we are going to work on it more tomorrow.

I've done brakes before, and I'm actually really good at it.

However, this is the first time I have ever ran into a problem. A big one to say the least.

I am replacing his pads and rotors on a 2001 Nissan Sentra with front and back discs. The rear right brake also has an integrated parking brake that uses the disc as a parking brake.

So I take everything apart, and everything comes off like it supposed to. I then get the caliper and I get a C-Clamp and I try to squeeze the piston back into the caliper. No dice. So I look at it, and I notice there are notches on the pistion. So I'm confused. I go on Google, and I find out that it is the type you turn to get the piston down. So I get a pair of needle nose pliars, and turn it down. It goes down. However, the boot is like all twisted up and I still cannot get the caliper over the new pads and rotor. It's like it needs to go down like 1mm or 2mm at least.

My dad thinks the caliper is shot... but something tells me otherwise. I am going to bring the caliper down to my friend's shop, but I want to see what you guys have to say.

Finally, any suggestions?

 

take off the brake booster vaccum line, and even the fluid resivor cover too. that should aleivate enough pressure.

 

I removed the caliper from the car. I took off the e-brake cable and the brake line. It is sitting on my bench as we speak. I drained all of the fluid from all of the lines. I'm being generous, and I'm going to add brand new fluid in his car. I just need to bleed everything well. But I've done it so many times, it's like second nature. With him being there to pump the brakes, it will be a synch.

 

i was told when you do rear disc breaks undo the break line from the caliper when you compress it. you loose some fluid but it allows the piston to compress all the way and so you dont break your abs sensor.

 

I already removed the entire thing. I got it to compress... but not enough to fit onto the new pads and rotor.

 

grind down the pads

 

I was thinking the same thing...

I've never had a problem in the past with compressing the piston down. It's baffeling the heck out of me.

If all else fails I can just grind it down evenly... I didn't want to do that because it wastes the brake pads... but I've been told to do that in quick situations. But it's my friend's pads, and I want them to last as long as possible for him.

 

WTF people?!


Isn't it a rotating piston? If it has notches, it needs to be turn with a special tool to go back into the caliper?

 

If it has the integrated parking brake, its a rotating piston. There are a few ways around using a special tool, but the tool is the easiest way and best for the vehicle. Also, some models are reverse thread, so there is something else to watch out for.

 

ALSO the e brake lever must be in full off or release position to
allow the piston to be rotated back into the caliper
mitch

 

The rubix cube caliper tool sucks. You want one like this one, that applies pressure to the caliper piston while spinning it back into its bore.

A friend of mine who's a good guy at heart but a little slow ruined a caliper by removing it from the car and sticking it in a ten ton shop press, trying to compress the piston...

 

Yes, but the cube can be bought anywhere cheap. And if you rarely do brakes, why invest more than a few dollars?

 

Any decent parts store will rent the caliper tool I posted, no need to buy it.

 

Not really... I have a huge clamp, and I just stuck the cube in a 3/8" short socket, and tightened it to the clamp. I then got my ViseGrips and locked it onto the short socket and turned it that way. Had it done in like 2 seconds.

However, I think I destroyed the other one by putting it in my 3 ton press... guess I'm a good guy at heart, but a little slow. :o

So he had to go out and buy a new one. But, according to a friend of mine who works at a machine shop, told me that I might not have done it and the caliper was just shot.

In reality, it's really easy to turn the piston back down. I did it with my two hands without a problem on the other rear brake. So I'm not too sure if I really did break it or not. Tough call.

Anyhow, I did the fronts and the one rear brake. They came out really nice.

All I gotta do now is just get the new caliper and bleed the brakes and we'll be rollin'...

 

If installing a new caliper, it owul dbe best to go ahead and bleed everything else. Remember, start bleeding farthest from ressy than work closer