[jabrennan]

I'm in the process of installing new rear rotors and brake pads on my 01 mustang 3.8. I have the new rotor on one side and the pads in, but I cannot get the caliper piston to compress so that I can finish this side. I have removed the parking brake cable from the spring housing it was seated in. I purchased a brake caliper tool also and it hasn't helped. I cannot get the piston to budge at all. I'm applying pressure and turning clockwise. If I've read correctly, the piston should screw in fairly easily. Is there something that I'm missing? Or has my caliper seized somehow? I haven't noticed any problems braking on the side that I'm working on right now.

[WLJohnson05]

what are u using to turn the tool? mine was kinda hard to turn too so i got an extension and it was much easier

[burin_rubber]

i use a large c-clamp

[WLJohnson05]

Originally Posted by burin_rubber i use a large c-clamp

the rear calipers require the use of a tool and it has to be turned...on the front ones that works tho

[jabrennan]

i'm using a caliper piston tool...it attaches to a ratchet so you can turn the piston back in...problem is it won't move...i hadn't noticed any braking problems so i'm assuming that i'm just a retard and not that the caliper has seized...my question is is there anything that i forgot to do that would be preventing the piston from turning?

[burin_rubber]

did u open the bleeder valve

[WLJohnson05]

Originally Posted by jabrennan i'm using a caliper piston tool...it attaches to a ratchet so you can turn the piston back in...problem is it won't move...i hadn't noticed any braking problems so i'm assuming that i'm just a retard and not that the caliper has seized...my question is is there anything that i forgot to do that would be preventing the piston from turning?

when i did mine it was tough too and even more tough on the passenger side...so like i side i used an extension to give me a lil more torque and then it finally started turning and once it starts turning its pretty easy

[El_Cangri]

well....

idk if im right but the front ones are used for braking the rear ones are just the emergency brakes or maybe the the braking is distributed like 90% front & 10% back? or my car is retarded. Cause i never needed to replace the rear pads while the front ones have been replaced 1 time (since owning the car 8-10 months)

[jabrennan]

Originally Posted by burin_rubber did u open the bleeder valve

No do I need to open this?

[jabrennan]

Originally Posted by El_Cangri well.... idk if im right but the front ones are used for braking the rear ones are just the emergency brakes or maybe the the braking is distributed like 90% front & 10% back? or my car is retarded. Cause i never needed to replace the rear pads while the front ones have been replaced 1 time (since owning the car 8-10 months)

my front pads are fine...my drivers side rear outer pad wore all the way down and scraped up the rotor a little...drivers side rear inner pad still had some life left in it however...rear passenger were both wearing about the same but need replaced also...if the braking is 90% front then maybe my calipers have seized somehow...i'm still betting i'm just retarded though

[chevy_killer]

Originally Posted by jabrennan I'm in the process of installing new rear rotors and brake pads on my 01 mustang 3.8. I have the new rotor on one side and the pads in, but I cannot get the caliper piston to compress so that I can finish this side. I have removed the parking brake cable from the spring housing it was seated in. I purchased a brake caliper tool also and it hasn't helped. I cannot get the piston to budge at all. I'm applying pressure and turning clockwise. If I've read correctly, the piston should screw in fairly easily. Is there something that I'm missing? Or has my caliper seized somehow? I haven't noticed any problems braking on the side that I'm working on right now.

dude i had the same exact problem....and me and my dad figured out that the rear pistons have to be turned to go in and if they dont go in all the way when you turn them you need to get a new caliper....me and my dad tried everything to get the piston to go in but it was a bout 3/4in away from going on the rotor...so if you absolutely can not get it to go on you need to get a new caliper

[jabrennan]

I'm thinking that might be the problem. The only thing that makes me second guess is that I am having the exact same issue with both the rear driver and passenger side caliper. Neither one of them will budge even with the caliper tool. I'm thinking that I'm somehow missing something simple, or both calipers have failed.

[chevy_killer]

Originally Posted by jabrennan I'm thinking that might be the problem. The only thing that makes me second guess is that I am having the exact same issue with both the rear driver and passenger side caliper. Neither one of them will budge even with the caliper tool. I'm thinking that I'm somehow missing something simple, or both calipers have failed.

with me it was just the passenger side...the driver side was tough but it compressed...but i did have to buy a new caliper for the passenger side

[WLJohnson05]

i really think u just arent turning hard enough...mine didnt want to turn at first either...i remember sittin there thinking wtf why is this not working and then i said fuck it ima turn this bitch and i put some muscle behind it and they started turning and it worked.

[El_Cangri]

use some muscle then lol

['02SilverBullet]

No! No! NO!

I had the same prob when I done my brakes too. The other guy was kinda right when he asked about the bleeder valve... or all the way right hell....

But what I ended up doing was taking the cap off the master cylinder (where ya put the brake fluid under the hood). Doing that frees up pressure on the lines so while your compressing the calliper the brake fluid can go back to the resevoir (sp). Thats the only reason your calliper wont compress. you got fruid that pushed it out that far when it gets compressed that fuid has to go somewhere.

Just take the cap off the brake fuild thing under the hood and if your worried it may overflow just stuff some rags around it... go compress the callipers and re-assemble everything and put your cap back on.

Bet cha a dollar that works LOL!

[DanTheMan]

^ I had to do that when I did my front brakes, that's probably your problem

[itschristorres8]

dont just take the cap off....
your piston is zeezed seezed w/e its spelled

if that were the case that all you had to do was take off the cap dont you think everytime you took it off you'd get air in the lines and lose pressure....
so thats bs

['02SilverBullet]

Refer back to my first post... the last sentence....


Bet cha a dollar it works!

[WLJohnson05]

Originally Posted by itschristorres8 dont just take the cap off.... your piston is zeezed seezed w/e its spelled if that were the case that all you had to do was take off the cap dont you think everytime you took it off you'd get air in the lines and lose pressure.... so thats bs

+1 then u get air in the lines and have to beeld everything...