Stuck Caliper Pistons
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 63
From: Los Angeles/Ventura, CA
Stuck Caliper Pistons
Any idea why the pistons (both) on a brake caliper (driver rear) won't fully retract? I can't even squeeze them in with a clamp.
Wouldn't seem like a big deal but I can't get the caliper over the new pads.
I'm thinking I'll just get a new one at the Ford dealership tomorrow unless you think the aftermarket ones at Pboys/azone are OK.
Wouldn't seem like a big deal but I can't get the caliper over the new pads.
I'm thinking I'll just get a new one at the Ford dealership tomorrow unless you think the aftermarket ones at Pboys/azone are OK.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 63
From: Los Angeles/Ventura, CA
No - should it be?
Didn't take the cap off when I compressed the caliper pistons on the fronts.
I'll give it a try when I get home.
Didn't take the cap off when I compressed the caliper pistons on the fronts.
I'll give it a try when I get home.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 915
Likes: 3
From: Palatka, FL
If your cap is in place on your master cylinder reservoir and you compress the piston too much WITHOUT MONITORING fluid level then you can possibly be hydro locking the system. Remove cap carefully with rags under the reservoir and suck the fluid level down a bit but not below low.
When your brakes were new and your fluid level was topped up every thing was fine. Over time you have wore down your brakes and the level in the reservoir has gone down and someone has topped off the fluid level. This fluid that has been added as the brakes have wore down needs to be removed as you compress the pistons.
I hope this is what you are looking for. I have never had a problem with compressing pistons in calipers unless they were going in uneven and tilted in the cylinder part of the housing. If you have scored the cylinder for the piston then the caliper will need to be replaced. It is best to bleed all the fluid from the reservoir to the front left wheel until all new fluid is in the reservoir and then bleed each wheel and add fluid as you bleed to get rid of the old and dirty fluid.
On the rears you may need to disconnect the E Brake cable completely to get the new shoes on.
Dwayne
When your brakes were new and your fluid level was topped up every thing was fine. Over time you have wore down your brakes and the level in the reservoir has gone down and someone has topped off the fluid level. This fluid that has been added as the brakes have wore down needs to be removed as you compress the pistons.
I hope this is what you are looking for. I have never had a problem with compressing pistons in calipers unless they were going in uneven and tilted in the cylinder part of the housing. If you have scored the cylinder for the piston then the caliper will need to be replaced. It is best to bleed all the fluid from the reservoir to the front left wheel until all new fluid is in the reservoir and then bleed each wheel and add fluid as you bleed to get rid of the old and dirty fluid.
On the rears you may need to disconnect the E Brake cable completely to get the new shoes on.
Dwayne
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 63
From: Los Angeles/Ventura, CA
Alan,
Taking the cap off the brake fluid reservoir allowed me to compress the pistons on the caliper. Thank you.
No fluid squirted out but the fluid was high.
It sounds like the next thing I need to do once I finish the passenger side brakes is to change the brake fluid in my system.
Trey has a video with what appears to be a gravity fed method of changing the brake fluid that seems easy enough.
Thanks again.
David
Taking the cap off the brake fluid reservoir allowed me to compress the pistons on the caliper. Thank you.
No fluid squirted out but the fluid was high.
It sounds like the next thing I need to do once I finish the passenger side brakes is to change the brake fluid in my system.
Trey has a video with what appears to be a gravity fed method of changing the brake fluid that seems easy enough.
Thanks again.
David
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
This may be too late, but did you grease the slide pins? This is the weak link on the Ford calipers... I was introduced to the hazards of not checking the slide pins.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Los Angeles/Ventura, CA
Yes - slide pins were greased. Thank you.
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i used 2 big c clamps with a used brake pad between clamps and piston .the resivore is vented so it should just squirt out when compressing calliper slowley but its best to remove cap make sure to clean up spilt brake fuild quikly as its great paint remover
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