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Meat's Brake DIY (w/ thanks to DanGSR)

SloppySRT

Taste the Rainbow!
Location
Tampa, FL
Very nice job Meat! You realy know what you're doing. Deffinately going to be using this when it comes time to change the brakes for a few local dubbers :biggrin:
 

noog

Ready to race!
Location
Cheltenham
thanks for the guide :) Really helped me!

I'd recommend getting the piston reset tool for the rear brakes, makes it a *LOT* simpler (Trying to twist the piston at the same time as pushing it into the caliper is really hard even with a helper!)

I'm leaving it a week before doing the front pads (as i want the rears to bed in first). Will i be able to push the piston back in with little effort or would you recommend getting a C clamp?
 

Meat

rack rack 'em
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Car(s)
2007 GTI [DSG]
thanks for the guide :) Really helped me!

I'd recommend getting the piston reset tool for the rear brakes, makes it a *LOT* simpler (Trying to twist the piston at the same time as pushing it into the caliper is really hard even with a helper!)

I'm leaving it a week before doing the front pads (as i want the rears to bed in first). Will i be able to push the piston back in with little effort or would you recommend getting a C clamp?

Yes, it is nearly impossible to push the rear pistons in without the tool. I wouldn't want to try it.

As for the front pistons, I just use my hands. I put the new pad in and apply pressure for 15 seconds or so and that should compress it enough to allow you to get the caliper over both pads. You could also open the bleeder valve if you can't get it with your hands and don't have a c clamp handy.
 

Geesevs

Interior > Horsepower
Location
tampa, Borinda
Car(s)
07 GTI
did my breaks today with the help of sloppysrt 9 the real sloppy) and your DIY helped out. Its very easy
 

theholycow

Go Kart Champion
Location
Glocester, RI
Car(s)
1980 Buick LeSabre
Yes, it is nearly impossible to push the rear pistons in without the tool. I wouldn't want to try it.

Reminds me of when I helped my friend with his old 240sx or whatever it was. We had no idea the piston had to be turned, I had only ever done cars where you just push it in with a C-clamp. We beat the hell out of two of my dad's bar clamps before we figured it out, using channel-locks to grip the wooden screw handles (we even broke one). IIRC after all the pushing all we had to do was turn it with no pressure on it and it went right in.
 

Meat

rack rack 'em
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Car(s)
2007 GTI [DSG]
Reminds me of when I helped my friend with his old 240sx or whatever it was. We had no idea the piston had to be turned, I had only ever done cars where you just push it in with a C-clamp. We beat the hell out of two of my dad's bar clamps before we figured it out, using channel-locks to grip the wooden screw handles (we even broke one). IIRC after all the pushing all we had to do was turn it with no pressure on it and it went right in.

no pressure? I've tried that on our calipers but had no success, IDK if it would be easier to do with the bleeder opened.

IIRC You can also rent the tool for free from Autozone (sans a $40 deposit) if you don't want to buy it.
 

theholycow

Go Kart Champion
Location
Glocester, RI
Car(s)
1980 Buick LeSabre
no pressure? I've tried that on our calipers but had no success, IDK if it would be easier to do with the bleeder opened.

Well, I think the immense pressure we had previously put on it had already done the job. I don't remember very well, I just remember that we broke one clamp and severely damaged the other before we found out you had to turn the pistons, and then we turned them without the clamp on.
 

07Noside

Banned
Location
x
I'm doing my brakes right now and I can not get the rear pistons compressed I have the tool and everything. anything Im missing the e brake is off the car is off its all up on jack stands everything is off but I cant compress the piston
 

SloppySRT

Taste the Rainbow!
Location
Tampa, FL
Are you sure you're using the right tool?



Sometimes they dont work perfect... try loosen the nut on the plate (the part that presses against the caliper, not the piston) and then giving the shaft a turn. Sometimes these tools work great and all you have to do is turn the main shaft. Other times you have to play with it a bit.
 

Meat

rack rack 'em
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Car(s)
2007 GTI [DSG]
You have the tool and it's not working? are you using the tool correctly? (edit: sloppy's right they can be finicky) try opening the bleeder valve when compressing the piston to lower the pressure.
 
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