Stupid fords

**damianj03** · 03-28-2010, 11:59 AM

I am changing the rear brake pads on the wifes 05 ford five hundred and i cannot get the caliper piston to compess. I looked up the how to on the chiltons digital library and it said that the LH side of the cars piston turns clock wise and the RH turns counter clock wise. I have tried a c clamp and also turning the piston but it will not compress. Anyone ever done this and what am i missing?

**1MileCrash** · 03-28-2010, 12:01 PM

go down to autozone and rent the brake caliper tool. it doesn't press it in turns in. it's usually about $50 to rent it...when you're done with it take it back and get your money back.

**justinmc978** · 03-28-2010, 12:41 PM

make sure the cap is off of the brake fluid reservoir

**ibanez7** · 03-28-2010, 12:54 PM

just like imports, you rotate the piston in not compress like a gm car. usually the piston as the cross pattern on it so you can use a screw driver and litteraly screw it back in.

**310stanger** · 03-28-2010, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by damianj03

I am changing the rear brake pads on the wifes 05 ford five hundred and i cannot get the caliper piston to compess. I looked up the how to on the chiltons digital library and it said that the LH side of the cars piston turns clock wise and the RH turns counter clock wise. I have tried a c clamp and also turning the piston but it will not compress. Anyone ever done this and what am i missing?

Yeah, get the right tool for the job.

**310stanger** · 03-28-2010, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by justinmc978

make sure the cap is off of the brake fluid reservoir

What? Uh no......

Theres a tool specifically for this job. Those notches you see on the caliper piston? Those are there for a reason. Theres a special compressor used specifically to turn the piston in.

**justinmc978** · 03-28-2010, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by 310stanger

What? Uh no......

Theres a tool specifically for this job. Those notches you see on the caliper piston? Those are there for a reason. Theres a special compressor used specifically to turn the piston in.

on my old firebird i was changing my brakes for the first time, couldnt get it to compress, so, called my mechanic friend and he said to take the cap off to relieve the pressure, worked like a charm,

was just my 2c's

**1MileCrash** · 03-28-2010, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by ibanez7

just like imports, you rotate the piston in not compress like a gm car. usually the piston as the cross pattern on it so you can use a screw driver and litteraly screw it back in.

actually pretty much any gm rear disk setup from the mid 90s on up has a turn in style rear caliper not a compression style like they use in the front.

**damianj03** · 03-28-2010, 03:49 PM

well i went up to autozone and rented that compressor tool you speak of and tried it well the end result is no matter how hard you turn the damn thing the piston will not move so after trying it all day long i took the caliper off of the car and took it to auto zone along with the old brake pads that are worn to the metal and the rotor has a really big carved in area on it. After they look at the pads and rotor and try to compress the piston themselves it was ruled that the piston is seized up and i will need to get a new caliper only 100 bucks so not to bad. First time i have ever ran into a seized up caliper. Thanks to everyone for the advice.

**1MileCrash** · 03-28-2010, 05:22 PM

good to hear that ya got it all squared away

**gd1996** · 03-28-2010, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by 310stanger

Yeah, get the right tool for the job.

That's what she said! But seriously, you can buy a little block looking thing with different ends... no idea what ya call it, but it fits on a wratchet and they are cheap and work great.

**Marc 85Z28** · 03-29-2010, 09:59 AM

You most likely caused the damage to the caliper piston yourself by using the wrong tools.

Also, sell that Volvo POS immediately. Even with the Autozone tool, you would have lost your mind compressing the pistons. Nearly all rear caliper tools only screw in one way, and attempting to screw in the opposite direction while compressing is VERY frustrating.

The cheapie cube tool mentioned above - works only to spin the piston for pad alignment, and will not provide enough force to push in at the same time.

**Grimpala** · 03-29-2010, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by Marc 85Z28

You most likely caused the damage to the caliper piston yourself by using the wrong tools.

Also, sell that Volvo POS immediately. Even with the Autozone tool, you would have lost your mind compressing the pistons. Nearly all rear caliper tools only screw in one way, and attempting to screw in the opposite direction while compressing is VERY frustrating.

The cheapie cube tool mentioned above - works only to spin the piston for pad alignment, and will not provide enough force to push in at the same time.

It does if you put 375# behind it.

**damianj03** · 03-29-2010, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Marc 85Z28

You most likely caused the damage to the caliper piston yourself by using the wrong tools.

Also, sell that Volvo POS immediately. Even with the Autozone tool, you would have lost your mind compressing the pistons. Nearly all rear caliper tools only screw in one way, and attempting to screw in the opposite direction while compressing is VERY frustrating.

The cheapie cube tool mentioned above - works only to spin the piston for pad alignment, and will not provide enough force to push in at the same time.

na i dont think that i caused the caliper to break. This is the story before i even touched the breaks i took off the rear tire and looked at the rotor the rotor had a deep ass gouge going all of the wat around it. So then i unbolted the caliper from the mount the piston was all ready all the way out and the caliper would not come off of the damn rotor. I had to end up beating the caliper off with a mini sledge. After i got it off of the rotor i removed the pads the pads were worn down all of the way to the bone. Which is telling me after all of that and not being able to compress it that the piston was siezed up.

**0rion** · 03-29-2010, 04:34 PM

I've done a bunch of these calipers and I've always used a pair of needle nose pliers opened up. Put the tips of the pliers in the grooves and screw it back in. Don't need the right tools when you're the man like I am.

**Marc 85Z28** · 03-31-2010, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by damianj03

na i dont think that i caused the caliper to break. This is the story before i even touched the breaks i took off the rear tire and looked at the rotor the rotor had a deep ass gouge going all of the wat around it. So then i unbolted the caliper from the mount the piston was all ready all the way out and the caliper would not come off of the damn rotor. I had to end up beating the caliper off with a mini sledge. After i got it off of the rotor i removed the pads the pads were worn down all of the way to the bone. Which is telling me after all of that and not being able to compress it that the piston was siezed up.

The rear brakes on those Volvos are just plain crap. There is a TSB for premature pad wear, which states only to replace the pads, but not to fix the underlying problem, which would be too costly. I'm not saying yours wasn't what you state, but I've done that job countless times and never had a piston seize.

Originally Posted by 0rion

I've done a bunch of these calipers and I've always used a pair of needle nose pliers opened up. Put the tips of the pliers in the grooves and screw it back in. Don't need the right tools when you're the man like I am.

I hear ya. I don't understand why brakes are necessary in the first place. I just put my feet through the floor Flintstone style and stop my 3700lb sled from triple digit speeds in under 100ft.

**DIRTY JERZY** · 03-31-2010, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

I've done a bunch of these calipers and I've always used a pair of needle nose pliers opened up. Put the tips of the pliers in the grooves and screw it back in. Don't need the right tools when you're the man like I am.

+ 1 real men dont need the right tool, duct tape and a hammer we are good 2 go

but it is nice to have the right tool