brake help ASAP!

[JSchutz]

Changing the front pads. New pads are in but I can't get enough separation to get the new pads over the rotors. Do I have to bleed fluid or what else? Thanks, Jeff

 

[JBallou]

Did you use a caliper pushing type tool or a pair of channel locks? Could be that the piston is cocked sideways slightly. Try opening the bleeder and spredding the pads, could be a bad brake hose.

 

[JimBob24]

I just use a large "C" clamp to push the piston in. You shouldn't have to bleed it.

 

[PDM]

Clean sliding surface of pistons with a good blast of brake cleaner, otherwise all that dust tears up your piston seals on the way in to contaminate your fluid.

If you ever added fluid to your reservoir, you may be running out of spare volume there when you attempt to force the pistons it to the calipers. You might have to take the cap off the reservoir and remove some fluid(or let it overflow).

 

[Matt400]

Open the bleeder when you push the piston in.



Sediment settles to the bottom, if you don't open the bleeder you can push crud back up into the ABS system and that gets expensive. It doesn't always happen but the one time it does is a bummer.

 

[jelag]

If you use a c clamp to push the piston in... and don't open the bleeder, you push the dirty fluid back to the master cylinder and take the chance of dirty fluid doing damage to the master cylinder... .

You also need to inspect the boot between the piston and caliper... if this is loose or torn, dirt can get behind the boot causing it to jam, not release and excessive wear will result as well as issues with the piston going back... .

The correct way is to open the bleeder, compress the piston and install the new pads... . install the caliper on the rotor and lock it down... . close the bleeder and now bleed the system making sure that fresh fluid pushes out the old fluid... I use about a pint of fluid each time I change pads to make sure that fresh fluid is in the caliper... . BTW - old fluid can hold water or moisture and later boil causing a soft pedal when you don't care to have it that way...

To answer you question I can only assume that if you can't get the caliper over the rotor with new pads is that you don't have the piston fully compressed... .

Hope this has helped...

 

[JSchutz]

Thanks for all the help. I ended up using a vice off the work bench but all's well. Thanks again, Jeff

 

[Kry226]

Open the bleeder when you push the piston in.



Sediment settles to the bottom, if you don't open the bleeder you can push crud back up into the ABS system and that gets expensive. It doesn't always happen but the one time it does is a bummer.

I agree that this is a possibility, but really should be a non-issue if you change/flush the brake fluid every two-three years, if not more often depending on where you live.