I am trying to replace my rear brake pads but for some reason I can't get the caliper piston back in. I have a C clamp on it but it isn't going back in. Any ideas?

 

you cant use the C-clamps on the rear calipers. They screw in and out. To push them back you screw clock-wise. They have a special tool for that at autozone for rental. If you tried to use the C-clamp you might have damage/damaged the caliper piston. Good Luck

 

I have a large piece of flat steel (1" w x 12" or so long and 1/8" or 1/4" thick) that I used and it works just as well. It was a piece that was left around from another project and I found out after I already took them out that they screw in instead of push in. I grabbed the flat steel piece and to try it and it worked so I kept using it.

 

Just use the square end of a 3/8 drive extension. works better than the special tool.

 

And it ratchets too.

 

yeah the C clamps weren't working. I rented that tool from autozone like somone suggested. It worked like a charm. They rear pads were the originals and over 10 years old. the piston was stuck really good but after I got it to move make I was able to get the rest by hand. Thanks for the help everyone. The fronts were a lot easier.

 

Very important...you need to set the clock position of the piston. Any one of the four cross points needs to sit dead at 12 oclock to engage the tab on the brake pad.

looks like this (+)

 

FYI:


I bought this at advance auto parts for 4.99. Fits right on a ratchet. You can substitute with other objects though as mentioned above.