A hack for when doing Brakes.

[Will]

I’ve always been able to do it with the calipers off of the rotors. So enter from the open end of the caliper, where the rotor would slide in, with a couple of big screw drivers in an “X” (one compressing each side/piston). I’ve never once used a C-clamp on a caliper in probably a dozen break jobs: Jeep, Toyota, and 2500 Chevy/gmcs. Today I learned from your video that people use c-clamps ?

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[roaniecowpony]

Recently I read that some forum members had Teraflex Delta Brake kit installed and they do improve the breaking. They also mentioned "Soft Pedal" feel. Just something keep in mind. A guy said he already had the soft pedal issuer before and the new kit didn’t make it any better.

Yeah, it's a known issue with the ABS unit getting air in it and needing to be bled. It takes a security gateway bypass, a OBD2 dongle and some maintenance software to activate the ABS pump motor so it can be bled.

 

[thecritter]

At what milage are you doing replacements? I have 112K miles and have an easy 1/4 pad left.. Just curious if our flatish land of East Texas Is that much easier on brakes. I am by no measure a hyper miler that does not use the brakes.

And thanks for the tip always used channel lock pliers in the past.

 

[jjvincent]

On a multi piston caliper with pistons on both sides, pushing pistons in one side at a time can allow the other side to move out unless restrained.

First time I seen multi piston calipers was on a 1978 Porsche 930. They had 4 piston calipers on all 4 corners. So, you push back one pad enough to get two screwdrivers between the pad and rotor. Use the pad to press back the pad. Then replace that pad. Repeat for the other pad. On cars where you have to remove the caliper too get the pads out, it's best to buy a pad spreader. The way I look at it, if you can afford the calipers you can afford a pad spreader.

I have changed thousands of pads on many different vehicles and a ratcheting pad spreader is the best. Just search "ratcheting pad spreader". Go into any shop and that the go to tool for brakes.

If you are racing and need to do a pad change during the race (i.e. 24hr race), then you use something like this.
https://competitionmotorsport.com/products/girodisc-pad-spreader-gdps01
Which is fun because the brakes are red hot when you have to do it.

 

[Shadow Creek]

That’s how I’ve always done it. Well, except on the vehicles that have the screw in type piston, those can be a pain sometimes..

 

[civilizedgrit]

At what milage are you doing replacements? I have 112K miles and have an easy 1/4 pad left.. Just curious if our flatish land of East Texas Is that much easier on brakes. I am by no measure a hyper miler that does not use the brakes.

And thanks for the tip always used channel lock pliers in the past.

Yeah, lot of pad material still left on the one you can see.....But it is a great hack. Used that method for 30 years before getting c clamps.

 

[Wraif]

Yep. gotta keep a screwdriver or something between the rotor and the pad to prevent one side moving while the other side is compressed. Or spend a few bucks and buy a specialty tool.

I own one of those “specialty tools” cost about $9 a million years ago. Does the job in 20 seconds and you screw it down as much as you need to.
Or, you could just make one, piece of 1/4” sheet 2”X4” and a bolt, say 3/8”X3”
Drill and tap a hole in the center of the 1/4” sheet screw the bolt in and use an old brake pad to push the piston back in. Use a ratchet to turn the bolt. Not rocket science . . .

 

[Albertaktm]

We off road a lot like four to six days a week while we do multiple months trips. Like four to nine months of Jeeping a year. So we change brakes all the way around at or about 40,000 miles.

Just bugging! 40k miles sounds right. I am retired as well and wheel 8 months of the year, its these coils -20 days in Feb in my heated shop where I do my maintenance. Sans football now Unfortunately.

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