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Doing brake job,


cokedrvrbjw

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Is there any specific way to collapse the caliper to put in the new pads?? The last brake job i did was on a 99 Jetta, and you needed a special tool to collapse the caliper...much to my dissmay after i had already ripped off the old pads. I just dont want to get into the same with this experience.

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There is a tool you can buy, but if you have a small piece of wood and a c-clamp, you can do the same thing. Open up your reservior, place the wood over the piston, use the c-clamp to squeeze the piston back in.

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I understood that you were supposed to crack the bleeder before you press the piston back into the caliper. Something about contaminants in the fluid? I don't know how it would do that, but I've seen it done by the pros...I just trusted their knowledge. I think it is supposed to keep crud from around the back side of the piston from being forced back up into the master cylinder and stopping up an orfice... :driving:

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I understood that you were supposed to crack the bleeder before you press the piston back into the caliper. Something about contaminants in the fluid?  I don't know how it would do that, but I've seen it done by the pros...I just trusted their knowledge. I think it is supposed to keep crud from around the back side of the piston from being forced back up into the master cylinder and stopping up an orfice... :driving:

Never heard of that. I would have thought it would be to relieve any pressure that forcing the piston back in would create. That's also why I said remove the reservior cover. That sounds like it could cause air to get in the lines.

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benkeys right just take the cap off.put a towel arond it so it doesnot spill incase you bump the truck .just take the c clamp and compress it back slowly you shold be fine. one peice of advice after you finish pump the breaks a few times heard fo a few peaple smashing in to there owen cars,.just pump the presure up. :smash::smash::smash:

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My source of information was a radio talk show hosted by Sam Memmolo, ASE Certified Master Mechanic. The reason for cracking open the bleeder is to prevent contaminents from around the piston being pushed back up into the system and causing a blockage in the master cylinder.

 

The technique is the same as bleeding. Hang a coke bottle with a small amount of brake fluid near the caliper and a small tube connected to the bleeder valve and submerged in the brake fluid in the bottle. This will prevent the chance of air getting in the system.

 

The circuits in the master cylinder and very intricate and it is imperative that clean fluid is maintained.

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Done hundreds of brake jobs, just push the caliper piston back in slowly, never had one come back with problems. The special tool to reset the piston is for calipers that have the e-brake built into them, when you set the e-brake it basically threads the piston out manually, and you need to unthread it to put on new pads.

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I'll second the Hawk pad choice! I have a set of the Hawk HPS Ferro Carbon pads on my 1991 Silverado work truck and I love them. The don't dust at all, have excellent bite, and aren't hard on the rotors. I bought the pads and Performance slotted replacement rotors from www.tirerack.com and got a good deal. Replaced the calipers and flushed the lines and mastercylinder at the time of change. Put Earls HyperFirm braided stainless lines on the front and they also made a difference.

Spent about 500.00 bucks did the work myself, and saved a bundle.

 

I'd buy the Hawks! :thumbs:

 

However you do the pad change, is up to you, but the correct way is as I mentioned above, just because some haven't had any comebacks doesn't mean its the right way. But that's completely up to you!

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