doing the rear brakes without the expensive special tool
12-02-2005, 09:59 AM
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doing the rear brakes without the expensive special tool
I just recently replaced the rotors & pads on my '01.5 S5, which involves the hassle of retracting the rear caliper pistons. They have to be pressed (very firmly) and turned at the same time. I don't know which models have this little feature, but there seem to be quite a few. No amount of ordinary pushing and turning would budge the pistons in my rear calipers.
Many have found it impossible to replace rear rotors and/or pads after a certain amount of wear without the special tool for retracting the piston ($60-$120 and has to be ordered) but it can be done just fine without it.
I bought the generic brake piston tool cube for ten bucks or so - available at Sears or many auto parts places - and did it this way:
After removing the rotor, I put the caliper bracket and caliper back in place, with the bolts just hand-tight.
Placed the cube against the piston with the appropriate pins engaged (see below). Then took a largish box-end wrench (17mm happened to be handy) and slipped the wrench through the oblong opening in the back of the caliper, positioned so the box end rested flat against the outside of the cube. Then inserted a long ratchet extension through the wrench and into the cube.
That way, I could lean in against the ratchet to keep things in place, and pull firmly on the other end of the box wrench to push the piston in, while turning the ratchet (clockwise). It takes a fair bit of force on the box wrench to push the piston firmly enough, but it all worked smoothly and very quickly (after I had figured it out) and the pistons ended up retracted just fine.
Two hints - the cube has two pins on some of its sides, four on others. The pistons have only two slots. It turned out that the best shaped pins for these calipers were on a side with four pins. I just ground off two of the pins, and it worked fine. There is a two-pin side that will work, the fit just isn't quite as precise. Second, place a good sized washer between the cube and the box wrench before plugging the ratchet extension in through the center of it all. Makes the whole thing work more smoothly.
Matt
Many have found it impossible to replace rear rotors and/or pads after a certain amount of wear without the special tool for retracting the piston ($60-$120 and has to be ordered) but it can be done just fine without it.
I bought the generic brake piston tool cube for ten bucks or so - available at Sears or many auto parts places - and did it this way:
After removing the rotor, I put the caliper bracket and caliper back in place, with the bolts just hand-tight.
Placed the cube against the piston with the appropriate pins engaged (see below). Then took a largish box-end wrench (17mm happened to be handy) and slipped the wrench through the oblong opening in the back of the caliper, positioned so the box end rested flat against the outside of the cube. Then inserted a long ratchet extension through the wrench and into the cube.
That way, I could lean in against the ratchet to keep things in place, and pull firmly on the other end of the box wrench to push the piston in, while turning the ratchet (clockwise). It takes a fair bit of force on the box wrench to push the piston firmly enough, but it all worked smoothly and very quickly (after I had figured it out) and the pistons ended up retracted just fine.
Two hints - the cube has two pins on some of its sides, four on others. The pistons have only two slots. It turned out that the best shaped pins for these calipers were on a side with four pins. I just ground off two of the pins, and it worked fine. There is a two-pin side that will work, the fit just isn't quite as precise. Second, place a good sized washer between the cube and the box wrench before plugging the ratchet extension in through the center of it all. Makes the whole thing work more smoothly.
Matt
12-03-2005, 06:52 AM
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Re: Sounds very similar to my technique; you must be a cheap @ss like me!
Cheap a$$!! Well, nothing wrong with that. It did free up some funds to invest in high quality adult beverages.
Actually, I don't mind spending money on things that I either want or need (same for you, I'd guess, or you wouldn't be on an Audi board...) and I've spent enormous amounts over the years on hobbies far more expensive and useless than this.
But I get a lot more satisfaction out of figuring out how to accomplish something with what's on hand than I do waving my di..., er, credit card around and buying a solution. You too, I'd guess.
The really interesting thing about it is that I posted a reference to the how-to on the S4 board, and got savaged for it. I've tried to figure out the animus behind it, but it may have to do with the "if it's not expensive, and if it involves imagination, then it ain't worth nothin'" mind set. Dunno.
Actually, I don't mind spending money on things that I either want or need (same for you, I'd guess, or you wouldn't be on an Audi board...) and I've spent enormous amounts over the years on hobbies far more expensive and useless than this.
But I get a lot more satisfaction out of figuring out how to accomplish something with what's on hand than I do waving my di..., er, credit card around and buying a solution. You too, I'd guess.
The really interesting thing about it is that I posted a reference to the how-to on the S4 board, and got savaged for it. I've tried to figure out the animus behind it, but it may have to do with the "if it's not expensive, and if it involves imagination, then it ain't worth nothin'" mind set. Dunno.
12-11-2005, 12:37 PM
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Try the free tool rental option
Not sure what part of the country you're in, but if you're near an AutoZone, they rent the brake caliper tool for free.
I respect your ingenuity and frugality, but free is good too.
I respect your ingenuity and frugality, but free is good too.
12-20-2005, 09:10 AM
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thanks for the info,
I tried the local Autozone and they didn't seem to know what I was talking about (though, come to think of it, that seems to happen to me a lot...).
My motivation wasn't to save $$, though that's not a bad thing. I mainly wanted to avoid having to order something and then wait for it to arrive.
My motivation wasn't to save $$, though that's not a bad thing. I mainly wanted to avoid having to order something and then wait for it to arrive.
01-31-2006, 05:13 PM
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Brilliant, thanks!
OK, time to do the rear brkaes on my '99.5 A4. Call Auto Zone for the free tool rental and it's not available. So I buy the cube thingy that mjb mentions (BTW - I had totally forgotten about this thread).
Start using the cube thing and it doesn't work for ****. Remeber that I read something in Audi World about, checked it out and rediscovered this thread. Followed mjb's directions and it worked great! Didn't understand the need for the washer at first, but once I tried it, everything became clear.
Great technique, highly recommended.
Start using the cube thing and it doesn't work for ****. Remeber that I read something in Audi World about, checked it out and rediscovered this thread. Followed mjb's directions and it worked great! Didn't understand the need for the washer at first, but once I tried it, everything became clear.
Great technique, highly recommended.
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