Need help with rear caliper to compress piston. 2016 F3 Ltd

[always young]

I'm changing out the break pads on all three wheels and have encountered a problem with getting the rear caliper back onto the disk. The fronts went fine. After changing each set I pumped the break petal to re-set them. I tried compressing the piston by expanding the pads with a screw driver before I took the old pads off. I even put a spacer between the pads and cycled the parking break as the service manual suggests but it still won't move. I'm about a 1/64 inch shy of getting it back on. I checked the reservoir and it's not topped out. I'll actually need to add a small amount of fluid once I'm finished. Makes me wonder if they ever topped it off after flushing my system last year. Anyway, any help would be appreciated.

 

[Wildrice]

Channel lock pliers should push the piston back in---unless the pads you purchased are too thick. Open the caliper bleeding screw before pushing the piston back.
Good Luck,
Darrell

 

[Peter Aawen]

Ummm, doesn't the rear piston on all Spyders since 2013 need to be screwed back in rather than pressed?? :dontknow:

Certainly on all the 2013 & newer Brembo Brake equipped Spyders that I've played with, this has been the case! The fronts you can just press back in; the rears you need to use a 2 pin tool (or needle nosed pliers) inserted into the holes on the piston & then it hasta be turned & screwed back in! :lecturef_smilie:

Forcing the piston on a Brembo rear caliper to compress back in can damage the screw adjuster, & if you do that, it'll probably mean you'll need to get a complete new rear caliper to rectify the damage! :banghead:

 

[RICZ]

Keeping it simple...
+ The piston in the rear caliper is not pushed - you turn it clockwise to move it in.
+ Never turn it counter-clockwise. If you do, press very hard and rotate clockwise.
+ Bajaron sells a tool for this operation. In the meantime, a longnose pliers will do the trick.

 

[PW2013STL]

Forcing the piston on a Brembo rear caliper to compress back in can damage the screw adjuster, & if you do that, it'll probably mean you'll need to get a complete new rear caliper to rectify the damage! :banghead:

I found this out the hard way. On our 2014 I attempted to push the piston back with a large C clamp. This resulted in damage to the screw adjuster, and a new caliper.
Since then I purchased Ron's tool after using needle nose pliers as this allows me to pushin as I turn with a ratchet- much easier.

 

[Possible]

O'Reilly's and Advance Auto Pars have kits to loan out that screw the pistons back in too. Free to use.

 

[PMK]

O'Reilly's and Advance Auto Pars have kits to loan out that screw the pistons back in too. Free to use.

While a good suggestion, you might find others have posted previously that the tools rented or used on automobiles will not fit the Spyder caliper / piston.

Correct tool or as others suggested using some type of pliers to rotate the piston until bottomed in the caliper.

 

[PMK]

I'm changing out the break pads on all three wheels and have encountered a problem with getting the rear caliper back onto the disk. The fronts went fine. After changing each set I pumped the break petal to re-set them. I tried compressing the piston by expanding the pads with a screw driver before I took the old pads off. I even put a spacer between the pads and cycled the parking break as the service manual suggests but it still won't move. I'm about a 1/64 inch shy of getting it back on. I checked the reservoir and it's not topped out. I'll actually need to add a small amount of fluid once I'm finished. Makes me wonder if they ever topped it off after flushing my system last year. Anyway, any help would be appreciated.

If you compressed the caliper with a clamp or similar device on a caliper designed to be reset by screwing in the piston, you may never get that last 1/64” and likely the caliper is now damaged beyond repair.

 

[Possible]

While a good suggestion, you might find others have posted previously that the tools rented or used on automobiles will not fit the Spyder caliper / piston.

Correct tool or as others suggested using some type of pliers to rotate the piston until bottomed in the caliper.

Nope, sorry, had not seen that posted previously.

 

[Wildrice]

Peter--If the caliper extends by screwing out under brake pressure--why won't it screw back in via pressure from channel lock pliers?? There should be no resistance after opening the bleeder screw.. Providing nothing is binding in the piston screw threads.
Darrell
PS: I read the other remarks--I must be wrong on my approach..:gaah::agree:

 

[BajaRon]

Peter--If the caliper extends by screwing out under brake pressure--why won't it screw back in via pressure from channel lock pliers?? There should be no resistance after opening the bleeder screw.. Providing nothing is binding in the piston screw threads.
Darrell
PS: I read the other remarks--I must be wrong on my approach..:gaah::agree:

Your PS is correct. The rear piston on the Brembo system MUST be screwed in (Clockwise - DO NOT turn it Counter-clockwise!).

People accomplish this in a number of ways. But if you get manly with a C-Clamp/Channel Locks, etc., you can damage the fine threads on the self adjuster and you will then need to replace the caliper (parts not available as far as I know).

You DO NOT want to open the bleeder. Not only will it not do you any good as far as retracting the piston. But you will most likely get air in your system and create a brand new issue.

There is a good deal of confusion regarding the rear caliper piston. And, unfortunately, a great deal of BAD information out there. I send out an informational flyer with any brake pad or Caliper Retraction Tool order. But many times people don't read the flyer until after they have tried some not so good approaches to the job.

It's actually very simple and easily done. But it does require a bit different approach from the front calipers. The screw mechanism is superior to the previous piston adjustment system.

Hopefully, the OP has not caused any damage and can still get the job done without having to buy parts.

 

[always young]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the helpful replies. Sorry for the delay in responding back on this. This rear brake design was a new one for me. Apparently it's common on cars now. Yup, it's been awhile since I've done a brake job on any vehicle. I figured since it was a combined hydraulic / mechanical design that I was missing something which had to be mechanical. I doubt my hand manipulation damaged anything. I'm not that strong! Anyway I borrowed a kit from O'Riley's auto store but none of the attachments would fit. I tried ordering a tool from Baja Ron's but he's out of stock so I bought the universal cube tool (which doesn't work either) and carefully filed and modified it to work. I doesn't take very much torque to turn the piston back in, maybe 5 LB-Ft. So, screwed it back in, installed the new pads, re-assembled everything. Replenished the fluid reservoir, buttoned everything back up and took it for a spin. No error codes and the brakes work fine. I'll take it out for a good spin in a couple of days to set the pads in. BTW, you can replace the front pads without removing the caliper. Took me an hour on one side, removing everything, cleaning, re-applying Loctite and taking my time and less than 10 minutes on the other side by just removing the retaining pin and taking my time. You can still spread the old pads before removing as they're exposed on the back side. You can't do that on the rear though. Thanks again to all that responded and I hope this helps others as well.

 

[Possible]

Thanks for coming back with the report of your progress. Always nice to hear back how things went.

 

[BajaRon]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the helpful replies. Sorry for the delay in responding back on this. This rear brake design was a new one for me. Apparently it's common on cars now. Yup, it's been awhile since I've done a brake job on any vehicle. I figured since it was a combined hydraulic / mechanical design that I was missing something which had to be mechanical. I doubt my hand manipulation damaged anything. I'm not that strong! Anyway I borrowed a kit from O'Riley's auto store but none of the attachments would fit. I tried ordering a tool from Baja Ron's but he's out of stock so I bought the universal cube tool (which doesn't work either) and carefully filed and modified it to work. I doesn't take very much torque to turn the piston back in, maybe 5 LB-Ft. So, screwed it back in, installed the new pads, re-assembled everything. Replenished the fluid reservoir, buttoned everything back up and took it for a spin. No error codes and the brakes work fine. I'll take it out for a good spin in a couple of days to set the pads in. BTW, you can replace the front pads without removing the caliper. Took me an hour on one side, removing everything, cleaning, re-applying Loctite and taking my time and less than 10 minutes on the other side by just removing the retaining pin and taking my time. You can still spread the old pads before removing as they're exposed on the back side. You can't do that on the rear though. Thanks again to all that responded and I hope this helps others as well.

I am not out of stock. Call me at 423-552-3720 and I can get a tool to you today.

I've not yet found or had a customer find a tool at an auto parts store that will work with the Spyder Brembo Rear Caliper. Not saying there isn't one out there. Just not finding them.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I am not out of stock. Call me at 423-552-3720 and I can get a tool to you today.

I've not yet found or had a customer find a tool at an auto parts store that will work with the Spyder Brembo Rear Caliper. Not saying there isn't one out there. Just not finding them.

Hi Ron, I lucked out ..... I found an adjustable one ...... this was before you started selling them ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[PMK]

Sounds good it worked out. If you did damage the caliper, it would most likely affect the parking brake. Hopefully not, but worth being cautious about.

 

[BajaRon]

Hi Ron, I lucked out ..... I found an adjustable one ...... this was before you started selling them ..... Mike :thumbup:

Not so much to sell my tool. But I've had a number of customers assume they can get what they need at their local auto parts store. Only to discover they can't. It's hard to know if what is available will fit until you have the system apart. If it doesn't work out, you have to go a different route or wait for a tool to get delivered.

 

[Possible]

Sometimes there just no such thing as too much information. Always good to know as much as you can about your rides.

 

[always young]

BajaRon, thanks for the input. At the time I tried ordering your tool but I got an email back from your site stating that you were out of stock and would be getting more in, in about a week. I didn`t want to have the bike sitting that long so I made the cube one work. As I stated, it doesn`t fit either but I had to carefully modify it to work. Next time I'll order your tool ahead of time as the modified one won`t last very long with use.

 

[BajaRon]

BajaRon, thanks for the input. At the time I tried ordering your tool but I got an email back from your site stating that you were out of stock and would be getting more in, in about a week. I didn`t want to have the bike sitting that long so I made the cube one work. As I stated, it doesn`t fit either but I had to carefully modify it to work. Next time I'll order your tool ahead of time as the modified one won`t last very long with use.

Very strange. It has been a very long time since we were out of stock on this tool. Glad you worked it out.