Okay, so the rear brakes on my old beater were getting pretty bad. I knew I needed new pads, but I figured I’d take a look at the rotors too. Turns out, I needed to push that darn piston back in to fit the new pads. That’s where the fun began!
First, I tried using a big C-clamp. I’ve used that method on front brakes before, no problem. But this rear piston? It just wouldn’t budge. I pushed and pushed, and all I got was a sore hand and a piston that was still sticking way out.
Then, I remembered a buddy telling me about rear brake pistons being different. Some of them, you have to actually screw back in, not just push. So, off to the auto parts store I went.
Getting the Right Tool
I explained my situation to the guy at the counter, and he showed me this “rear brake piston tool.” It looked kinda weird, like a cube with different nubs and slots on each side. He explained that different cars need different patterns to grab onto the piston.
- I bought the tool – it wasn’t too expensive, thankfully.
- I also picked up a can of brake cleaner while I was there. Figured I might as well clean things up while I had it all apart.
Back in the Garage
Back home, I jacked up the car again and took off the wheel and caliper. I found the right adapter on the tool that fit the slots on my piston.
This is where it got a little tricky. I had to push on the tool while turning it at the same time. It took a bit of effort, but slowly, surely, the piston started to screw back into the caliper. I kept turning and pushing until it was flush.
Success! With the piston retracted, I could easily fit the new brake pads in. I put everything back together, torqued the bolts to the right specs (very important!), and repeated the process on the other side.
After a quick test drive to make sure everything was working right, I was good to go. That little tool saved me a ton of frustration (and probably a trip to the mechanic). Definitely worth the investment!
