brake caliper tool

**dilan** · 19th February 2010, 19:52

evening guys, i need to replace my rear brake pads on the veccy but i believe that the piston on the rear caliper has be wound back using a tool of some kind, does anyone know where to get this tool from and how much it might cost....my rear brakes are making a noise and on inspection there is hardly any material left on the pads....is it normal as the cars only done 27k,and i don't know if these are the original pads or not

**John35** · 19th February 2010, 19:54

rear pads wear first. I used long nosed pliers and it worked.

**Mogsy007** · 19th February 2010, 20:05

I used needle nose pliers to wind the piston back in.

I undone the allen bolts to remove the pads first, then put the top allen bolt back in and swivelled the caliper into a position that revealed the piston so that I could exert some pressure on it whilst turning it.

Be sure the loosen the bleed nipple before winding in!

Saved me £30 odd for a wind back tool.

**Ste** · 19th February 2010, 20:51

There is no need to loosen the bleed screw. All that means is that fluid will be ejected and the res will need topping up. Fairly pointless. I have my own tool made from a large bolt head with 2 pins welded to it and I can then spanner it round whilst applying a little pushing force with a 'G' clamp. Surprisingly it is easier to do both actions yourself as you can 'feel it'. I guess it helps to have a welder sometimes. Works just fine. My first pads went to 75,000 miles before they needed changing....

**woody in shetland** · 19th February 2010, 21:19

Hi, iv'e just done mine and also used long nose pliers, worked fine although i found i hard to turn for quite a while before they started to retract although that may have been down to me not pressing hard enough as i turned the caliper.

**Readster** · 19th February 2010, 21:26

Halfords sell a rewind tool, you can get a VX adaptor on ebay.
Get the proper tool matey, its easier and safer in the end.
Cheers
John

**nikroc** · 19th February 2010, 21:29

Ste..you thought of making a few of your tool's up and selling em on here?..

**Mogsy007** · 19th February 2010, 22:00

Originally Posted by Ste

There is no need to loosen the bleed screw. All that means is that fluid will be ejected and the res will need topping up. Fairly pointless. I have my own tool made from a large bolt head with 2 pins welded to it and I can then spanner it round whilst applying a little pushing force with a 'G' clamp. Surprisingly it is easier to do both actions yourself as you can 'feel it'. I guess it helps to have a welder sometimes. Works just fine. My first pads went to 75,000 miles before they needed changing....

I prefer to use the bleed nipple method rather than force the fluid the wrong way and risk damaging seals etc. I've read of possible horror stories that can occur.

Plus, I've always done it this way.

I wouldn't say it was pointless either. Its just my method and probably alot of others, too.

**Mogsy007** · 19th February 2010, 22:09

Originally Posted by Ste

There is no need to loosen the bleed screw. All that means is that fluid will be ejected and the res will need topping up. Fairly pointless. I have my own tool made from a large bolt head with 2 pins welded to it and I can then spanner it round whilst applying a little pushing force with a 'G' clamp. Surprisingly it is easier to do both actions yourself as you can 'feel it'. I guess it helps to have a welder sometimes. Works just fine. My first pads went to 75,000 miles before they needed changing....

Originally Posted by Mogsy007

I prefer to use the bleed nipple method rather than force the fluid the wrong way and risk damaging seals etc. I've read of possible horror stories that can occur.

Plus, I've always done it this way.

I wouldn't say it was pointless either. Its just my method and probably alot of others, too.

On another note, the fluid being ejected isn't lost from the reservoir, it is removed from the caliper as the piston is pushed back.

This is a better method than forcing the fluid back through the system and back into the reservoir causing the level to become too high and possibly overflow.

I know I wouldn't want brake fluid all over my master cylinder and paintwork.

**nikroc** · 19th February 2010, 22:31

The 'joy' of doing diy or our own maintainence is that we develop ways of working or doing things that we've either been taught/shown or we've jumped in feet first and taught ourselves(my style).

This forum has taught me different approaches which i try and follow BUT allways end up adapting somehow...maybe it's cus i'm left handed!!