Bobert

So i was replacing my rear brake pads today and everything went smoothly on the passenger side. But I cannot get the piston to screw back in on the driver side.

Im using the little universal cube tool and im turning clockwise, but the god-forsaken thing will not even budge. Ive tried screwdrivers and channel locks as well and nothing is working. Im starting to strip off the sides of the grooves and the universal tool is losing its bite. I didnt have the bleeder open when i did the pass. side, and have tried both open and shut on the driver side. Still nothing.

Im out of ideas. Anyone else have this problem before? Im kinda thinking i might have to take it all apart and rebuild the caliper. Im hoping not because I need to drive it to work on monday haha.

Any ideas guys?

deathsled

Is there something drastically different about the rear brake calipers on an s2000 that I'm not aware of? What do you mean when you are saying you are screwing the piston back in? You just compress it by hand and push it in, you shouldn't be rotating it at all. If you can't do it with your hands a C clamp always does the trick (this is for all normal calipers, I can't imagine the S requiring something else, the fronts work just like this)

remove the cap on the brake master cylinder so you're not fighting the hydraulic system and that should also make it easier to push the piston back in.

spets

Deathsled, the rear pistons do need to be turned while they are being compressed.

Slows2k

Keep pushing in and turn the pistons clockwise. Don't try pushing them in, they won't move.

negcamber

It can take manymanymanymany turns. Don't give up and don't use other implements of distruction. The cube will work.

lvd1102

What if you release the pressure by cracking the bleeder screw. I dont think it will introduce air bubbles if you do that and it should be really easy to turn if the pressure is released

deathsled

wow what a strange design

I guess I'd know this if I had ever touched the rear brakes, lol

Bobert

No no no, the piston absolutly will not budge when i turn it. I have tried cheater bars and everything. It just refuses to spin back in. The passenger side went back in no problem, but the driver side wont budge. I tried doing it with the bleeder valve closed first; nothing. So i tried opening the bleeder, and still nothing. Its as if the piston is totally seized in place and wont turn in any direction. Not even 1 degree

SpitfireS

Bobert Posted on Aug 9 2009, 10:07 AM

Does it turn or not?

When it doesn't even turn I would put all calipers back on the car, push the pedal a couple of times to get rid of the play (maybe even bleed the system), then remove the caliper with the stuck piston and press the pedal again (or have someone else do it so you can watch) and see if that piston moves out.
If it moves out but won't turn... I guess it IS rebuild time.
Without new seals that is not going to be easy.

Bobert

Im sorry. It does not turn. What i should have said was the piston absolutly will not budge when i TRY to turn it.

I tried pushing the pedal with a broomstick while i watched the piston and it didnt appear to move. Then it started raining so i packed up and gave up.

*sigh*