Pressing brake piston using wrenches - GIF

**Altair** · Jan 25, 2024, 08:14 AM

Pressing brake piston using wrenches.

Previously:

Removing a stuck brake rotor - GIF
Brake rotor lathe - GIF
Refurbishing brake rotors - GIF
Casting and machining brake rotors - GIF
Machining a brake rotor - GIF

**IntheGroove** · Jan 25, 2024, 05:07 PM

Great. Forcing all that old brake fluid back into the master cylinder...

**nova_robotics** · Jan 25, 2024, 08:52 PM

Don't do this with modern calipers that use phenolic pistons. The brake retract tools that have the two flaps that go in there and push out are much better.

Watch out for a lot of European calipers that have that stupid screw inside. Those things won't retract at all no matter how hard you push on them. You have to push and spin the piston to get it to retract. They need a special tool.

Newer cars with electric parking brakes are another issue entirely. Although I think most of them are actually easier because you can get them to retract themselves with a 12v battery. Yeah that's probably better.

**bob47907** · Jan 25, 2024, 09:41 PM

Yeah-I discovered this when I first swapped pads on my Audi. Autozone loaner tools for the win!

**bob_3000** · Jan 28, 2024, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by IntheGroove

Great. Forcing all that old brake fluid back into the master cylinder...

Where do you want it to go?

**IntheGroove** · Jan 28, 2024, 07:23 PM

Open the bleeder, put a hose on it and transfer the old fluid into a container. That way when you flush the system you will have less contaminated fluid to flush out. If you don't flush the system after a brake job, you are doing it wrong...

**bob_3000** · Jan 28, 2024, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by IntheGroove

Open the bleeder, put a hose on it and transfer the old fluid into a container. That way when you flush the system you will have less contaminated fluid to flush out. If you don't flush the system after a brake job, you are doing it wrong...

I'm just a driveway fixer person, not a professional.

I can't see that little bit of fluid changing much if it's just daily driver, no heavy/high heat braking.

Work vehicles have the fluid changed often enough that in-between full brake jobs I don't think it's a necessary step for just new pads.

Either way, if I'm flushing the system I'm doing when the calipers are being replaced so ya I haven't ever gone that extra step for pads.