Recommended Tool For Compressing Brake Pistons?

[Moodles2]

Need a better tool for compressing the pistons on my Sumitomo calipers when changing pads, what do you recommend (faster the better)?

[Peter89]

i use one of these, seems to work well enough.

[mosoto]

LOL was going to suggest that too.

[NISMO]

Yep, G Clamp for me.

[SLY-25T]

g clamp plus block of wood?

[grandmasterb]

G-clamp all the way.

[Craved]

always wanted to make a tool similar to what the V8 supercar teams use to spread the pads in pad changes during endurance races.

[Moodles2]

I'll get some G Clamps I suppose, never thought of using them before, been using a shitty $9.95 piston spreader that is difficult to use

[Birds]

Haha V8 Supercar teams are the masters of improvised tools. Cars get their technology from F1 but mechanics get theirs from the V8 Supercars

[mad082]

+1 for the G clamp, but i have also used a set of multi-grips in the past on a car with single piston brakes.

[Moodles2]

Using the G clamp method, can you do it with the calipers still attached, or do they need to be unbolted?

[mad082]

you would need a pretty small G clamp to be able to do it with the calipers fitted. and even then you wouldn't be able to get the pads out. have to remove the calipers, but that is generally only 2 bolts to remove them anyway, so not a lot of work

[mosoto]

In most cases you would undo the upper most bolt and fold the caliper forward exposing the pads for removal. Then compress the pistons back into the caliper. This may or may not be the case with yours depending on the mounting type

Edited November 25, 2009 by mosoto

[Luciano]

not sure if its the same for GTR's or the Brembos,

and probably not the most reccommended method;

but changed pads on my 33gtst (4 p) with calipers still fitted - i used the old worn pads + a bit of force/leverage to compress the pistons.

Removed the two old pads either side of the rotor, then insert one old pad in vertically covering one piston at a time. with a screwdriver in the gap behind the old pad for a bit of leverage, compress each piston. Didnt need the screwdriver for all of them - although it can be a bit painful forcing the pistons to compress with your bare hands and a worn brakepad! After i got the first caliper done, the others were < 10min job each corner. quite easy

[ssxRicho]

vice grips with a rag so it doesnt scratch up the caliper.

do the outer most pad first. push it as hard up to the pistons as you can, top and bottom.

once the pad is loose slip it further back toward the hub and squeeze the grips, again on the top and bottom.

put the new pad in. repeat for the inner pad.

the main thing that i have found it that slipping the old pad back a bit helps get a good pressure on the pistons.

did my rears today, once the car is up and the rims are off its a 5 min job per side.

the fronts are a little harder with the twin piston, but only 5-10 mins.

that is with the pad almost down to the metal, so the piston has to move a long way.

edit: once of these

http://www.motor-factors.com/osc/eshop/images/00028.jpg

[flyingfridge]

Two large screwdrivers onto the old pads :-D

[NA_Goodness]

2 screwdrivers, takes 20 seconds each time. Much easier then most calipers.