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Changing brake pads... where to grease?

  • Thread starter Thread starter GDawg
  • Start date Start date Feb 22, 2011
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GDawg

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Mar 22, 2002
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Feb 22, 2011
#1
  • Feb 22, 2011
  • #1
Hey guys!

I'm supposed to know this but I missed that day in class. I'm replacing my brake pads all around. I have the synthetic grease. Where do I put that on the calipers? Anywhere else like the back of the pads? I tried looking it up but couldn't find the answer.

TIA
 

Tim2002GT

Founding Member
Apr 10, 2002
635
4
29
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Feb 22, 2011
#2
  • Feb 22, 2011
  • #2
I usually put it on the back of the pads where the piston hits on the inside and where the caliper hits on the outside. Make sure you do not get any on the pad surface. Also, you should grease the caliper slide pins to keep them from seizing up on you. Here is a picture of the bracket with the slide pins pulled out.

 

Maxpowers

Member
Sep 9, 2009
859
2
19
Pittsburgh, Pa
Feb 23, 2011
#3
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #3
Tim2002GT said:
Also, you should grease the caliper slide pins to keep them from seizing up on you. Here is a picture of the bracket with the slide pins pulled out.
Click to expand...

This is the main place to put grease. If you were to miss all others, it would not be that big of a deal.
 

WLD_WST

Founding Member
Mar 2, 2001
620
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Philly
Feb 23, 2011
#4
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #4
Tim2002GT said:
Also, you should grease the caliper slide pins to keep them from seizing up on you. Here is a picture of the bracket with the slide pins pulled out.
Click to expand...

do this, simple thing to keep away headaches later
 

GDawg

Founding Member
Mar 22, 2002
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Feb 23, 2011
#5
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #5
Okay... I turned my front rotors last night and had to buy new ones for the rears. (I sleep late cause I work late) I just went out to put the new ones on and the piston is not compressing back in on either rear. Did the slide pins seize? What to do now? I'm going to look on Shopkey.
 

trinity_gt

10 Year Member
Jan 31, 2003
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Feb 23, 2011
#6
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #6
GDawg said:
I just went out to put the new ones on and the piston is not compressing back in on either rear. Did the slide pins seize? What to do now? I'm going to look on Shopkey.
Click to expand...

What are you using to try to move the pistons back? Not just a clamp, right?

You need to rotate the piston clockwise using a "special tool" to compress it.
 

Maxpowers

Member
Sep 9, 2009
859
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Pittsburgh, Pa
Feb 23, 2011
#7
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #7
I've yet to do a brake job on my car yet, but you may need one of these:
Brake Tool
 

GDawg

Founding Member
Mar 22, 2002
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Feb 23, 2011
#8
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #8
trinity_gt said:
What are you using to try to move the pistons back? Not just a clamp, right?

You need to rotate the piston clockwise using a "special tool" to compress it.
Click to expand...

I've got the pad spreader. Damn, I need one of those other things? We've got them at my store but my car is up on jacks. I don't want to wait till the wifey gets home. Can I do it without that doohicky?
 

Sonic04GT

Member
Nov 1, 2009
844
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West Palm Beach, FL
Feb 23, 2011
#9
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #9
GDawg said:
I've got the pad spreader. Damn, I need one of those other things? We've got them at my store but my car is up on jacks. I don't want to wait till the wifey gets home. Can I do it without that doohicky?
Click to expand...

You can use a C-clamp to compress the piston if I recall. I just rented the caliper tool from O'Reillys for free. And +1 on greasing the sliders. Just pull the accordion boot off and pack it with grease.
 

WLD_WST

Founding Member
Mar 2, 2001
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Philly
Feb 23, 2011
#10
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #10
GDawg said:
I've got the pad spreader. Damn, I need one of those other things? We've got them at my store but my car is up on jacks. I don't want to wait till the wifey gets home. Can I do it without that doohicky?
Click to expand...

try Pep Boys, Advanced Auto, etc..... for the tool or one similar
 

GDawg

Founding Member
Mar 22, 2002
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Feb 23, 2011
#11
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #11
WLD_WST said:
try Pep Boys, Advanced Auto, etc..... for the tool or one similar
Click to expand...

I work for O'Reillys. We have some in the back on some old Checker clearance. I saw them but didn't know what they were. I can get them for around $0.37... After the wife gets home I'll run down there. Hopefully there are still some in the clearance tub else I'll just buy one from the floor with my discount.
 

Maxpowers

Member
Sep 9, 2009
859
2
19
Pittsburgh, Pa
Feb 23, 2011
#12
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #12
GDawg said:
I work for O'Reillys. We have some in the back on some old Checker clearance. I saw them but didn't know what they were. I can get them for around $0.37... After the wife gets home I'll run down there. Hopefully there are still some in the clearance tub else I'll just buy one from the floor with my discount.
Click to expand...

I took a quick look around. You DO need this tool on the rear pistons due to the parking brake. You may be able to half ass it with two screw drivers or something.
 

trinity_gt

10 Year Member
Jan 31, 2003
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Canada
Feb 23, 2011
#13
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #13
Sonic04GT said:
You can use a C-clamp to compress the piston if I recall.
Click to expand...

I believe you can damage the e-brake mechanism if you do this. Do so at your own risk...

Depending on the condition of your calipers, you can even use a tool like needle-nose pliers to engage the slots in the piston and twist it in that way.
 

Tim2002GT

Founding Member
Apr 10, 2002
635
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Tulsa, Oklahoma
Feb 23, 2011
#14
  • Feb 23, 2011
  • #14
I had a buddy get stuck in a similar situation and he ended up using some needlenose pliers to spin the pistons back in.
 

GDawg

Founding Member
Mar 22, 2002
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Feb 24, 2011
#15
  • Feb 24, 2011
  • #15
I ran down and bought that tool. We didn't have any in the clearance bin so I paid $7 for it. You definitely need it. The pistons were real tight at first but slowly loosened up.
 

Brute03

Member
Mar 20, 2006
232
0
16
Feb 24, 2011
#16
  • Feb 24, 2011
  • #16
special tool? i've done this job a few times before and didn't even know there was a "special tool". visegrips and elbow grease have worked fine for me
 

N8Dogg98

15 Year Member
Apr 4, 2005
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Feb 24, 2011
#17
  • Feb 24, 2011
  • #17
Brute03 said:
special tool? i've done this job a few times before and didn't even know there was a "special tool". visegrips and elbow grease have worked fine for me
Click to expand...

+1

I actually had good luck using a needle nose pliers to get into the 2 grooves and turn the piston down garage logic FTMFW!
 

larrendeuce

Member
Sep 13, 2003
649
1
19
Southern NJ
Feb 28, 2011
#18
  • Feb 28, 2011
  • #18
I did the brakes on my Lincoln Mark 8 few weeks ago, same rear caliper design. The process went something like this:

1. Hey I have that "special tool", damn this tool sucks, it slips no matter what part of the cube I use.

2. Pliers then, damn, this is taking forever, I can't tell if its moving.

3. Get my electric impact driver, modify the "special tool" and blast the piston back in.

 

SteedaGT9150

Advanced Member
Nov 10, 2004
1,351
59
68
Maryland
Mar 1, 2011
#19
  • Mar 1, 2011
  • #19
The tool is a pain in the ass to use but it works, i had a slide pin seize on both sides and tried everything to get them unstuck. Ended up just buying new brackets and everything went back together smoothly.
 

N8Dogg98

15 Year Member
Apr 4, 2005
3,872
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Mar 1, 2011
#20
  • Mar 1, 2011
  • #20
SteedaGT9150 said:
The tool is a pain in the ass to use but it works, i had a slide pin seize on both sides and tried everything to get them unstuck. Ended up just buying new brackets and everything went back together smoothly.
Click to expand...

Same here... I ended up clamping my vice on the pin and using all my might twisting the bracket off of the pin... suprisingly I bought new pins and they went back together like buttah
 
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