help with brakes, piston wont compress

X

xplo89gt

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Jul 14, 1999

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Boston, MA

Apr 9, 2004

#1

• Apr 9, 2004

• #1

I am trying to swap my rear brake pads on my 97 taurus. (Sorry I don't know where else to post). I cannot get them on because the damn piston doesnt seem to want to compress. Is there a tool for this? I did the front ones pretty easily. Also the brake pads that were on there didnt look too bad, but my brakes are squeaking when braking and something is making a slight grinding noise on hard turns. All seems to be coming from the rear.

The rotor doesn't look too bad. Not really grooved.. but im not good at telling. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

jrichker

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#2

• Apr 9, 2004

• #2

Make a trip to Autozone and rent the tool kit. It screws the rear pistons in so you can get the new pads over the disc. OR if there is a Harbor City Freight near you, you can buy the tool kit for less than $20

 

BlackGT89

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Dec 16, 2002

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Huntsville, AL

Apr 9, 2004

#3

• Apr 9, 2004

• #3

xplo89gt said:

I am trying to swap my rear brake pads on my 97 taurus. (Sorry I don't know where else to post). I cannot get them on because the damn piston doesnt seem to want to compress. Is there a tool for this? I did the front ones pretty easily. Also the brake pads that were on there didnt look too bad, but my brakes are squeaking when braking and something is making a slight grinding noise on hard turns. All seems to be coming from the rear.

The rotor doesn't look too bad. Not really grooved.. but im not good at telling. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Oh yes, the old Taurus (or SHO) rear brake caliper compression routine. You're in for some fun ! It takes a special tool (of course) and the calipers turn back into their bores (don't try to force them). It takes forever (at least it did on my 95 SHO, but it will work (a real knuckle scraper). Check out this link to the SHO forum, it's a great forum for those of us trying to keep our SHO's going. Good luck ! P.S. You probably need to replace your slider pins too.
http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=18659&highlight=brake+tool

 

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xplo89gt

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Jul 14, 1999

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Apr 9, 2004

#4

• Apr 9, 2004

• #4

Ah thanks for the info.
Which part are the slider pins? Also will I have to bleed my brakes as well? That is what it said on that thread. This job is looking worse and worse.

 

BlackGT89

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Dec 16, 2002

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Huntsville, AL

Apr 9, 2004

#5

• Apr 9, 2004

• #5

xplo89gt said:

Ah thanks for the info.
Which part are the slider pins? Also will I have to bleed my brakes as well? That is what it said on that thread. This job is looking worse and worse.

Click to expand...

They are pins/bolts that the calipers sort of float/slide around on. When they freeze you get unever braking action, sticking brakes etc. Do a search on the forum I gave you and you should find all the answers. The pins are cheap and easy to find. Not that bad of a job really.

 

Gravel

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Mar 17, 2004

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Bellingham WA

Apr 9, 2004

#6

• Apr 9, 2004

• #6

Yeah you should flush your break fluid, this will help the calipers to last longer and also improve breaking since fluid absorbs moisture..
When fluid absorbs moisture it lowers the boiling point and can cause fade much earlier then it should.

The calipers are a screw in type so you need to get the little tool that fits on the end of your 3/8 drive and start screwing.. Lube the dust boot so you do not tear it.. Apply pressure when turning in... Sometimes its easy, sometimes it really sucks...

 

X

xplo89gt

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Boston, MA

Apr 9, 2004

#7

• Apr 9, 2004

• #7

Sigh i guess its just more work than I wanted to do on the taurus. Working on the mustang is fun for me, but the taurus is more of a chore. I've never done much brake work so most things like bleeding the brake fluid is new to me.

 

HyPer-50

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Jun 26, 2003

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Woodstock, GA

Apr 9, 2004

#8

• Apr 9, 2004

• #8

Nah man... Not hard at all. Just go to Autozone and borrow the tool. It's really easy to do, not quite as easy as simple push in calipers, but still, not a big deal lol... Hey, atleast it has rear disk... I'm still stuck with drums in the rear of my stang heh

 

Matt90GT

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May 6, 2001

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Oregon

Apr 10, 2004

#9

• Apr 10, 2004

• #9

FYI, any caliper with a built in parking brake will require you to turn the piston as you compress it to defeat the self adjusting clutches inside the piston.

 

X

xplo89gt

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Jul 14, 1999

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Apr 13, 2004

#10

• Apr 13, 2004

• #10

Yep, got everything sorted out. Btw, that tool is still a pain in the ass.

 

C

custom89stang

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Dec 9, 2003

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Seattle, WA

Apr 13, 2004

#11

• Apr 13, 2004

• #11

i used a vice to make the caliper go back in to fit the new brake pads

 

J

jerry beach

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May 20, 2002

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Ocala,FL

Apr 13, 2004

#12

• Apr 13, 2004

• #12

I bought that stupid tool at autozone, and it didnt fit my piston worth a crap. Scraped up some knuckles, then I used vice grips, they screwed right in. Oh, and I was carefull not to mess up the seal.