Brake Pad Replacement Problems lol

[99TRANSBOY]

HELP!! LOL

I had a great idea to replace my brake pads and paint my calibers tonight. However wow, I did not think it would be this difficult, I am by no means a brake tech, I have only done this a couple times in my life.

I cannot get the rear caliber back on the rotor with the pads in it. They are the same pads so I know that is not the problem. The ebrake was on when I started, I disengaged it hoping that was the problem. They are still not even close to fitting. I am wondering what to do or what I am doing wrong?

THe slider screws? Is that what they are called, are lose. I took the entire caliber off, I'm just lost lol, anyone got any pictures of how to do this the right way? lol Any help I can get would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

Kev 1999 Trans Am

[99TRANSBOY]

Fixed it!

Nevermind guys, I got it fixed. Just to some channel locks and pushed the brake device back in so the pads would fit. Thanks anyways

[Injuneer]

By "device" I assume you mean the piston. The correct way to push that back in is to put something flat across the face of the piston, and us a large c-clamp, pushing perpendicular to the flat surface, to push the piston back in. Not a good idea to "wedge" it as it goes back in, possibly damaging the piston or the seals.

[sneitzel]

...put something flat across the face of the piston, and us a large c-clamp...

I have always found that the old pads you are removing are PERFECT for this function.

[Trash man]

and pop open the bleeder screw, just to get the old stuff out and new fluid in

[Jeff_in_Atl]

and pop open the bleeder screw, just to get the old stuff out and new fluid in

That's an excellent point. Got to take out the trash huh trash man? A friend of mine replaced his front brake pads and just pushed the calipers back in. That pushed all of the fluid back up into the master cylinder. But it also pushed a piece of trash up the line that got caught in the proportioning valve. After that every time he hit the brakes the trash would restrict the fluid going to one of the calipers and cause that caliper to put less pressure on the rotor which made his truck pull to one side. He took it up to the dealership and no one could figure out what was wrong. Finally he replaced the valve and it fixed it.

Moral of the story you should loosen the bleeder valve before compressing the piston back in the cylinder or this could happen to you. In fact the parts store sells a tool to clamp the line closed so ensure you don't push crap back up the line. Personally I don't like it because I am afraid it will cause the line to split so I just loosen the bleeder and slowly push the piston back in.

And if you are wondering what kind of crap gets in a closed system just take a piston out of a used caliper and look inside. If the caliper has a brass sleeve the DOT 3/4 fluid will cause the brass to turn it into a chunky black sludge. It's really gross. I tried switching to silicone DOT 5 fluid one time to alleviate this sludge but that caused the master cylinder not to work right. The DOT 5 fluid pushed past the pistons in the master cylinder causing the brake pedal to slowing go down while your foot was on it. I switched back to Dot 3/4 and the problem went away. Really strange huh. I wonder if they make a different material for the pistons of the master cylinder for use with the silicone fluid. I have never seen that but I haven't looked.

[ConElite]

That's an excellent point. Got to take out the trash huh trash man? A friend of mine replaced his front brake pads and just pushed the calipers back in. That pushed all of the fluid back up into the master cylinder. But it also pushed a piece of trash up the line that got caught in the proportioning valve. After that every time he hit the brakes the trash would restrict the fluid going to one of the calipers and cause that caliper to put less pressure on the rotor which made his truck pull to one side. He took it up to the dealership and no one could figure out what was wrong. Finally he replaced the valve and it fixed it.

Moral of the story you should loosen the bleeder valve before compressing the piston back in the cylinder or this could happen to you. In fact the parts store sells a tool to clamp the line closed so ensure you don't push crap back up the line. Personally I don't like it because I am afraid it will cause the line to split so I just loosen the bleeder and slowly push the piston back in.

And if you are wondering what kind of crap gets in a closed system just take a piston out of a used caliper and look inside. If the caliper has a brass sleeve the DOT 3/4 fluid will cause the brass to turn it into a chunky black sludge. It's really gross. I tried switching to silicone DOT 5 fluid one time to alleviate this sludge but that caused the master cylinder not to work right. The DOT 5 fluid pushed past the pistons in the master cylinder causing the brake pedal to slowing go down while your foot was on it. I switched back to Dot 3/4 and the problem went away. Really strange huh. I wonder if they make a different material for the pistons of the master cylinder for use with the silicone fluid. I have never seen that but I haven't looked.

I have Always compressed the Calipers and forcing the old fluid up the system for over 10 years and my father has been doing it 20 years prior to that. I think your friend just had an exception but I get how that can happen.

I have a couple sets of those clamps that go on the line to close them off, Never had issues with using them or damaging the lines, I think the only way you can damage it is if you use some needle nose Vic-grips which I have seen people do. Those specific tool has round edges to prevent to much Pinching of the line.

[Trash man]

I have Always compressed the Calipers and forcing the old fluid up the system for over 10 years and my father has been doing it 20 years prior to that. I think your friend just had an exception but I get how that can happen.

I have a couple sets of those clamps that go on the line to close them off, Never had issues with using them or damaging the lines, I think the only way you can damage it is if you use some needle nose Vic-grips which I have seen people do. Those specific tool has round edges to prevent to much Pinching of the line.

the problem with, for a lack of a better term, "pinching" the line close is that the rubber on the inside could break and cause a one way valve type deal, either it lets fluid past, but not back or the other way around, not in. and brake fuild will absorb moisture, so the fuild that is in the brake calipers/wheel cylinders could have absorb moisture from the heating and cooling cycles, the pedal wont get soft, but the piston could start to rust out. not saying it will happen to every person who does it that way, but it could happen, and whats it take for open the bleeder up, push out the old fuild and barrow a friend foot for bout a minute? if u aint got a friend around, napa sells a pressure bleeder for like 60$ i thin, put the top on the master, fill the pressure bleeder with brake fluid and pump it up, heck, they even have one way bleeder screws