Please help! Rear caliper hell

cantdecide

My car's been immobile since last Saturday because I attempted to change my brake pads. I knew they were low and the pistons were almost completely extended. I started on the left side and realised this was to be my first time changing pads on rear caliper with wind-in calipers.

I went and bought one of those tools with the pins and discarded all but the disc with the pins as there was no way the rest of the tool was going to fit in the gap and if it did, it was too confined to line up with the centre of the piston.

I wrongly believed that the RH caliper was reverse thread (the LHS is) and managed to extended the caliper fully. I had the very same ordeal with the LHS but managed to get that one sorted- I had read online about a technique involving using channel locks to twist the piston and someone else taps the front of the piston, relieving the threads so the piston twists back in small increments. This worked on the LHS so I persisted on the RHS.

I reckon I cross-threaded the RHS piston in my efforts and after hours and hours and many failed attempts to get it to move in any direction, I gave up. I reckoned the piston was getting distorted and has to be buggered.

On Tuesday I rang a breaker and my 'next day' delivery arrived today :rolleyes: I was greeted by a crusty old looking caliper (as you can see) and even on the bench, the caliper won't move using the twist and tap techhnique that worked on the other side.

I'm reluctant to even look at the used caliper- I'm sick of fighting with breakers. It seems to me that they're perfectly happy to stick any piece of crap in bubble wrap and take your money. I know well I'm looking at lying to the loss of the €70 I paid whether I try to make it work or not.

I'm at the end of my tether. This should be a half hour DIY job. I have no way to work tomorrow and I have what I think is two buggered calipers and I'm looking at getting the car recovered to a garage all for the want of a set of new brake pads.

Is there anything else I can do? I'm fcuking sick at the thought at how badly wrong this piddley little job has gone.

blackbox

I feel your pain.

I'd probably go back to the original caliper and try to get the piston out completely. If that is possible, then clean it up with fine sandpaper so that it will slide more freely.

If you can get it out you may also get a better idea from seeing the internals how (if) it is supposed to go onto the threads.

And the bonus is, if you can get the old one working you can try to get your money back from the breaker for a faulty part. Even if you totally f**k up the original one and have to buy a brand new one you will still have a shot at getting a refund from the breaker.

dooroy

You could try taking the piston out altogether .
If the piston is rusty and you manage to force it back in it will probably damage the seal.
You could spray some penetrating oil down inside the 'boot' on the piston (as in pic 1) making sure it gets all around and give it some time to work .
You could then try to turn the piston anti clockwise and see if it will move out.
When/if it does come out you may find the piston to be badly corroded and not fit for use - as it would not be able to form a proper seal .
If its OK then you can clean it up and put it back.
The threaded part is usually plastic and easily damaged unfortunately .
There are websites where you can buy new pistons and seals - but that takes time .
Any time I have got second hand calipers from scrapyards they have always checked that it works before selling it.

megafan

Bit late I know but worth investing in this kit has re-wind tool with thread running both directions £15 quid sterling...


Hope link works if not search on ebay brake re-wind tool!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-22pc-Disc-Brake-Caliper-Piston-Rewind-Tool-Kit-set-Auto-Wind-Back-Car-/161527378395?hash=item259bc831db

cantdecide

Thanks for the help lads.

Do ye reckon I'm justified in complaining about the caliper I got? It looks like a POS to me but if it were workable, the breaker might tell me F-O anyway. Also, it might be worth just bringing it to my mechanic and asking him to free it out for me and fitting it

I do take your point about trying to get my own one going again. What I could do in the morning is bolt my own caliper off the car and have my brother bring it or both of them to the mechanic and see if he can get either of them freed out...

visual

Bring back the caliper to beakers and either get a replacement or your money back. Most breakers offer a short warranty to allow you fit and test part working.

I done it a couple of times and never had an issue.

Interslice

Going by the rust on the piston under the dust seal, I'd doubt that caliper you got from the breakers will ever work. Get a refurbed one from a motor factors. About 120-150 and it will come wound in.

cantdecide

I'm definitely going to be giving the breaker a piece of my mind. The very least it needs is a dust seal and a full strip and clean or in all probability a new piston and seal kit and it was no bargain price at €71.

To update,

I took the bull by the horns and went at the car with my dad. We went for broke and just stamped on the pedal. After some cajoling the piston popped back up straight and after a couple of pushes, the piston came out with no problem. We looked at the bore and the seals and it all seems good and it all looks good to go apart from the split dust seal. The piston got the minimal crud removed and it it looks like I lucked out and there was no damage done.

The brother is being dispatched tomorrow to see if we can get the bits together and if we can, we'll focus on recommissioning mine. We trial fitted the piston and it all seems to want to go back together no problem

dooroy

If the piston is in good condition then that's a good start.
Check the seal also - maybe you could very carefully remove it and make sure there is no grit etc in the channel it sits in ; there may be hard bits attached to the face of it , remove carefully.
Lubricate it well with either brake grease or else some brake fluid when refitting .

dr.fuzzenstein

I have long since given up on scrappies, unless it's a very simple part and I can see the condition at the counter and I can decide there and then.
A lot of stuff I see is worse than the part it's replacing.
Calipers from the breakers you couldn't pay me to put on my car.
If I had the time I would get a rebuild kit, otherwise I would go for refurb caliper from a motorfactors. The benefit of those is that they will give you credit towards the old one. I think a refurb rear caliper for the MX5 cost me no more than €70, so to pay that for a scrap one only fit for the bin (like most scrap parts) is madness.
Same goes for turbos. Scrap turbos are insanity, you're simply buying one slightly less fcuked than the broken one. Refurb is the only way to go.

veganrun

Had a similar problem myself. Tried two different ones from a scrap yard and both were rubbish. Ended up just buying a completely refurbished one from a place called Fyffes here in the north. Similar to the above poster, they gave me a discount as I gave them the old calliper.

cantdecide

After demanding satisfaction with the counter staff several times I'm still waiting for the boss to ring me back.

Tomorrow I thump the table and demand satisfaction again. A percentage of the annual turnover of outfits like this shower of cowboys will be based on selling complete sihte to people who were expecting good parts and I don't think they'll lose sleep at night. I don't expect to get satisfaction; everything is weighted in their favour, especially since they have my money in their slimey little paws but I'll feel much better after telling the gentleman involved about all the good wishes for the future I have for his outfit.

bbability

Was going the scrap yard route myself for a new caliper when I decided to buy it from Murfit. I had to bring the old one with me in part exchange or you can give them a €50 deposit until you return with the old one.
Bear in mind that was just for the caliper. Depending on vehicle best getting a genuine refurb kit.

Joeface

not sure whether I am been a help or hindrance , http://www.biggred.co.uk/index.php , used them a Few times for Replacement parts when I was having similar issues with second hand parts been the dark side of awful , recon kit worked a treat , car passed test, and was stolen a week later but the brakes worked

dr.fuzzenstein

Joeface wrote: »

not sure whether I am been a help or hindrance , http://www.biggred.co.uk/index.php , used them a Few times for Replacement parts when I was having similar issues with second hand parts been the dark side of awful , recon kit worked a treat , car passed test, and was stolen a week later but the brakes worked

My OH has a unicorn air freshener in her MX5. Can you guess which color she'll go for?