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piston travel in caliper

S

stickyjazz

CEG'er
Joined
Apr 5, 2003
Messages
43
Location
not far enough away
have 98 se atx w 189Km on it

I am into second set of calipers as the first had become seized thanks to salty roads and little maintenance.

Recently changed pads and had a look at calipers. What amount of force should be required to push piston into caliper? Should I be reefin' on it with channel locks or nice n easy with 2 thumbs and bit o effort?

If I need to lube the piston, what to use?
 
Should take channel locks or a C-clamp. I would think something's wrong if you can do it by hand. And you don't need to lube it, the brake fluid in there takes care of that for you.
 
great, thanks...I was worried as I noticed a change in the pressure required to move them When they were brand new, I could push them in very slowly by hand. Now they are a bit more stiff and channel locks are doing the trick.
 
stickyjazz said:
great, thanks...I was worried as I noticed a change in the pressure required to move them When they were brand new, I could push them in very slowly by hand. Now they are a bit more stiff and channel locks are doing the trick.
Click to expand...

I have always used needle nose pliars to push and turn them back in.
 
ubnpast said:
You cant do this on the front calipers? Reason I ask is because i have never did mine on this car yet, next week I am going to though, but I did my rear's.
Click to expand...

Rear calipers need to be screwed back in due to the self-adjustment mechanism of the integrated parking brake. Front calipers are normal hydraulic calipers and can be simply pushed back into the housing.
 
Silver Snake said:
Rear calipers need to be screwed back in due to the self-adjustment mechanism of the integrated parking brake. Front calipers are normal hydraulic calipers and can be simply pushed back into the housing.
Click to expand...

Thanks Homer. Also of note, don't use vice grips or channel locks to grip the side of the rear pistons to rotate them in, you'll scratch the sides and ruin the seals when the piston goes back in. Use the proper tool (or needle nose pliers) to grip the pockets on the face of the piston to rotate the piston, and apply pressure at the same time to move the piston in.
 
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