4pot/2pot brake question

[deadbeatdude]

i have an 06 wagon with the 4/2 pot brakes. when you change the pads and rotors is there a special too like a pad spreader to push the pistons on both sides back in at the same time. i ask because i have this light squeal in the rear brakes.

[sebhockey]

Not really a special tool to push both in at the same time. I just use the old pads or a pry bar to push the pistons back in on one side, pull the pad, then repeat on the other side. After that you just have to pull the caliper completely off and pull the rotors and then reassemble.

[deadbeatdude]

do you need to remove anything to pull the rotor off or just give it a light thump with the dead blow

[sebhockey]

I have yet to remove my rotors, but when I removed UP2MTNS I just pulled it off by hand, no tools.

[Jard]

do you need to remove anything to pull the rotor off or just give it a light thump with the dead blow
If it's really really really stuck, take a 8 x 1.25 (I think) bolt and there is a hole in the rotor for it. You can actually turn the bolt into the rotor and it will pop it off.

[soulofdarkness]

If it's really really really stuck, take a 8 x 1.25 (I think) bolt and there is a hole in the rotor for it. You can actually turn the bolt into the rotor and it will pop it off.

Be careful with this. I know thats how it should work, but I've snapped bolts off in the rotor doing this.

If your not keeping the rotors, I use a BFH. If you are keeping the rotors place a block of wood (2"x4"x4") flat against it and hit the rotor, turn it a quarter rotation, repeat until it gets loose.

Do not, Repeat, DO NOT hit one side until the rotor is crooked. You can damage the threads on the lugs, and good luck finding a M12x1.25 die to clean up the threads. Don't ask me how I know this...

[highway_patrol]

Be careful with this. I know thats how it should work, but I've snapped bolts off in the rotor doing this.

If your not keeping the rotors, I use a BFH. If you are keeping the rotors place a block of wood (2"x4"x4") flat against it and hit the rotor, turn it a quarter rotation, repeat until it gets loose.

Do not, Repeat, DO NOT hit one side until the rotor is crooked. You can damage the threads on the lugs, and good luck finding a M12x1.25 die to clean up the threads. Don't ask me how I know this...

Well you do have your own brand of luck sometimes, I got lucky and my rotors were loose when I tool my wheel off. There also should be 2 holes for bolts to go through the rotor into the hub, not just one if I remember correctly. I would check the car but it's parked in some mud right now.

[Jard]

Be careful with this. I know thats how it should work, but I've snapped bolts off in the rotor doing this.

If your not keeping the rotors, I use a BFH. If you are keeping the rotors place a block of wood (2"x4"x4") flat against it and hit the rotor, turn it a quarter rotation, repeat until it gets loose.

Do not, Repeat, DO NOT hit one side until the rotor is crooked. You can damage the threads on the lugs, and good luck finding a M12x1.25 die to clean up the threads. Don't ask me how I know this...

Buy this now, thank me later.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=&item_ID=14287&group_ID=1147&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

[soulofdarkness]

Buy this now, thank me later.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=&item_ID=14287&group_ID=1147&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog


If only I knew of this a year ago when I was running to all the shops in town hoping to find a SnapOn truck who had the die I was looking for.

[Bubba02sti]

tip* to push the pistons back in the caliper use 2 clamps with the adjuster on the out side of each side...place the top end of the clamp on the old pad as close to the center as possible... if you can get center then only turn a couple of times then switch over to the other pot... to get the rotors off if thier stuck you can use the screw way or my favorite rubber mallet... the 2x4 can be a hassel some times but it does work...

[wolfman79]

Be careful with this. I know thats how it should work, but I've snapped bolts off in the rotor doing this.


That's how we always do them at the shop, never had a bolt break yet. Make sure the parking brake is completely released first. Those holes are tapped in the rotor hat specifically for that reason.

[soulofdarkness]

That's how we always do them at the shop, never had a bolt break yet. Make sure the parking brake is completely released first. Those holes are tapped in the rotor hat specifically for that reason.

When it happened to me, it was the first time I did it on the car, it had about 45k on it. I donno who made the rotors (on the car when I got it), but put the two bolts in till they stopped, and did quarter turns on each until the one snapped, and the rotor did not move. I donno if I keep having bad luck, just weak bolts, or what. I just like forwarning people incase it could happen to them. This is why I use the 2"x4" with a nce sized hammer if they are being a pain.

[pigpen]

That's how we always do them at the shop, never had a bolt break yet. Make sure the parking brake is completely released first. Those holes are tapped in the rotor hat specifically for that reason.

i've broken off the bolts to release the rotors as well. probably from a combination of rust/road grime and my brakes seeing high heat on track. it took quite a bit of persuasion to get that rotor off. I also had a few bolts seized in different calipers. good times...

[Jard]

When I put rotors on my car recently I painted the backs a nice coat of anti-seize silver.

[snaggleto0th]

the bolt in the rotor is a great trick and very effective. Just clean the threads before doing so cause you can break the bolt. And for the pistons pushing them back I usually take the old pads and use them as leverage to push them back. they make a tool for this but it really sucks. Ima try to modify my dual piston tool to do this type of calipers. Cause sometimes you push one side in and the other side pushes out.