Pad/Rotor replacement - Caliper Removla Help!!

neonxrt · Post by **neonxrt** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 6:28 am

Hi all,

I know it's simple and I'm probably just tired and not paying attention, but.....

How the heck do I get the front calipers off?
I've removed the 2 pin/bolts off of the caliper and it won't budge. The rotor spins freely, so I know the caliper isn't clamped onto it.
There has to be something simple that I'm not doing.

Also - what's teh best way to get the piston pushed back in to accomodate the size of the new pads? The picture in my Haynes manual w/ the C-Clamp is not making sense to me. The caliper need to be opened up, but the picture looks like its clamping it closed to me.

Thanks for your help/knowledge in advance!

jT · Post by jT » Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:41 am

just wiggle it off.... it sits in there pretty good... i think the top comes out first

since youve obviously never done them before, pay attention (look closely) at how the caliper sits on the knuckle/hub/whatever...... when i first did mine i had a bitch of a time figuring out just how to get the caliper back on properly because i didnt pay attention to where the notches on the top and the bottom were to begin with

as for the piston, i think i used my hands to do it.. dont quite remember... well if you can get one end of the cclamp on it, the other end on the outside of the caliper, and push it in...

tommigun · Post by **tommigun** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 8:09 am

If I remember right the other side comes lose from the top and the other one from the bottom. It's kind of hard to explain how but like jT said just wiggle it and it should come off. And on the front pistons I think I just used the old pad and my hands to push the piston in. There's a how-to by OB in the how-to section. I think it is for the rear brakes but it's pretty much the same for the front.

neonxrt · Post by **neonxrt** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 8:21 am

jT wrote:as for the piston, i think i used my hands to do it.. dont quite remember... well if you can get one end of the cclamp on it, the other end on the outside of the caliper, and push it in...

Ah, I see....so this is AFTER the caliper is off? The picture in the manual shows it being done while the caliper is still on. I'm pretty sure once I get the caliper wiggled off I can figure out how to get teh piston pushed in, just wondering how they did it with a C Clamp while it was still on.
Thanks for the info!

Swordfish2Cowboy · Post by **Swordfish2Cowboy** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:01 am

Well the Hayne's Manual told me I had to remove the hub nut to adjust my e-brake, as opposed to just going in from the back.

srtminime · Post by **srtminime** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:35 am

The e-brake is cake, just remove the rubber grommet on the inside of the backing plate and move the gear up and down until you can feel it drag the rotor. DONT touch the hub nut since you will need a huge torque wrench to get it back on (150ft.lbs IIRC). Keep turning the rotor and as soon as you feel it drag back the gear in the opposite direction until just after it frees up. Your done...

You really shouldn't need to adjust them unless your doing 180s with the e-brake, in which case, good luck finding replacement drum pads. They're good for the life of the vehicle if you don't go crazy on them...

aperson · Post by **aperson** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:50 am

I found it easier to just get a short prybar/big standard screwdriver and pry the end that come out off. I believe right is from the top and left is from the bottom like was already mentioned. Just make sure that you're not getting caught into anything.