Brake Caliper Piston Tool??

[Dirty]

I'm changing my rear brake pads this weekend and I wondering do I need a brake caliper piston reset tool or can I get away without one, and if so which one is best for the least amount of $$.


Thanks!

[DeanUW]

you could go get one or you could just use a wide flat head and turn them clockwise while you push them in...

[n7plus1]

just go buy one at advance auto and return it...its basically their rental process...its like $109

[old guy]

just go buy one at advance auto and return it...its basically their rental process...its like $109

+2 on the rental. Or you can go buy a "Brake cube" from AutoZone or similar for a few bucks and compress the piston with a little elbow grease.

[n7plus1]

^wtf, i never saw one of those...thats hardcore.

[old guy]

You have never seen a "cube of death"???? I still have one I picked up in 1970!!

[Dirty]

+2 on the rental. Or you can go buy a "Brake cube" from AutoZone or similar for a few bucks and compress the piston with a little elbow grease.

^Thats what i was going get but I didn't no if it would work for my car!

The rental idea is good but $100+ is a lil too much right now

[n7plus1]

i cant imagine twisting that with my bare palm...

[old guy]

^Thats what i was going get but I didn't no if it would work for my car!

The rental idea is good but $100+ is a lil too much right now

first of all I don't think the rental will be $100. I rent a spring compressor from AutoZone about once a year for $45 (fully refundable). And I had to file down the sides of the round pins on the cube to get it to work on the VW/Audi rear caliper pistons.

[Dirty]

i cant imagine twisting that with my bare palm...

No no no. it clicks into a ratchet.

[old guy]

i cant imagine twisting that with my bare palm...

You use a ratchet and extension to press and turn the cube.

[Dirty]

first of all I don't think the rental will be $100. I rent a spring compressor from AutoZone about once a year for $45. And I had to file down the sides of the round pins on the cube to get it to work on the VW/Audi rear caliper pistons.

Cool thanks old guy! I think I'm just going to get the brake cube and file down the sides like u said.

[old guy]

Cool thanks old guy! I think I'm just going to get the brake cube and file down the sides like u said.

As I mentioned, the one I have is pretty old. If you get a new one I guessing that one of the pin sets should work just fine without any filing.

[Dirty]

thanks for everyones help!!

[topcat]

Yeah, the new ones have a pin set that work. I got the disc compression kit from harbor freight, and that makes things effortless then.

[DELUX]

100 BUCKS?!?! No way...

You need Schwaben Piston tool. It's 40 bucks, comes in a case, and has all the attachments for nearly every vw/audi there is (some other european cars too). I think the only place where it's easy to find is ECS, that's where I had to get mine. Definitely get it, you'll tear your hair out doing it without the tool.

[n7plus1]

No no no. it clicks into a ratchet.

see...i told you ive never seen that before...

[old guy]

Yeah, the new ones have a pin set that work. I got the disc compression kit from harbor freight, and that makes things effortless then.

Agreed. I have long since replaced my "cube of death" with a decent compression kit but I certainly got my $$ worth out of it!

[derleicaman]

^^^x2 I got the cube years ago to work on my GTI, total POS! I bought the brake tool from ECS. Well worth the $40!

[JoeM]

I haven't done brakes on my Audi yet but most cars I just use a c-clamp or big channel lock pliers.

[BlackA4Turbo]

100 BUCKS?!?! No way...

You need Schwaben Piston tool. It's 40 bucks, comes in a case, and has all the attachments for nearly every vw/audi there is (some other european cars too). I think the only place where it's easy to find is ECS, that's where I had to get mine. Definitely get it, you'll tear your hair out doing it without the tool.

paid $35 for this kit and it was well worth it...as a matter a fact just finished some rear brakes on a friends MINI Cooper and it worked like a charm

[B6Lovin]

I haven't done brakes on my Audi yet but most cars I just use a c-clamp or big channel lock pliers.

you know what's wierd?

i thought the c-clamp wouldn't work on our cars because it wouldn't turn the piston while compressing. but i used one on my rear brakes and it worked. go figure.

btw. someone should hack up an old ratched, get a cube of death, and weld the square end of a ratchet on the end of a c-clamp.

[tuner culture]

C-clamp all the way!

[n7plus1]

why's everyone complaining about $100...you just take it back and get your money back...its an entire kit, so theres like 20 tools in it...pretty much everything you need.

[I Audi5K I]

why's everyone complaining about $100...you just take it back and get your money back...its an entire kit, so theres like 20 tools in it...pretty much everything you need.

I think its because the one that is $35 does the exact same job...100 is redunkulous

[dougyfresh]

i thought the c-clamp wouldn't work on our cars because it wouldn't turn the piston while compressing. but i used one on my rear brakes and it worked. go figure.

How is that possible? The rear caliper piston needs to rotate and can't just be 'pushed in' like the fronts.




Here are some brake caliper piston tools for under $50:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=97143

similar to ECS'
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40732

Schwaben Piston tool (ECS #9747)
http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd/...category=Tools

[A4ringedONE8T]

I think its because the one that is $35 does the exact same job...100 is redunkulous

WTF is wrong with you people, you go there, pay 100 bucks, take the tool home use it, take it back and they refund you 100 bucks. It costs you NOTHING!!!

[woofster]

The C-clamp works because the end portion of the clamp has a rotating face. The friction pressure of the rotating face allows it to turn with the piston.

[n7plus1]

WTF is wrong with you people, you go there, pay 100 bucks, take the tool home use it, take it back and they refund you 100 bucks. It costs you NOTHING!!!

exactly...i dont know how they dont get that

[B6Lovin]

How is that possible? The rear caliper piston needs to rotate and can't just be 'pushed in' like the fronts.




Here are some brake caliper piston tools for under $50:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=97143

similar to ECS'
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40732

Schwaben Piston tool (ECS #9747)
http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd/...category=Tools

what the guy a couple posts up said -- i didnt think it'd work either, but didnt feel like going to get a tool so i tried it anyways, and it worked. there was enough friction to hold the piston, and it turned as it went in

[dougyfresh]

The C-clamp works because the end portion of the clamp has a rotating face. The friction pressure of the rotating face allows it to turn with the piston.

Strange. Because I had to turn the piston quite a bit to get it back in there. My pads weren't even that worn too. Took more force with the piston retractor tool than I'd think you'd get form a C-Clamp.

Either way, if it worked for you then great. I have the piston retractor tool so I just use that all the time now. $30 is cheap in my book for another good tool.

[Dirty]

WTF is wrong with you people, you go there, pay 100 bucks, take the tool home use it, take it back and they refund you 100 bucks. It costs you NOTHING!!!

Ya but you need the $100 in the first place to buy the damn thing!

[gotquattro]

Ah, the trusty ol CubeO'Death....
Used & bloodied many a time over the years.


My Audi laughed at it.


Really. No amount of pressure and turning would convince the piston to retract. Yes, I'm old and have abused many a caliper over the years, but these needed "The Tool"

I now own the schw...sc..... the one ECS sells......

Glad to have it, and it's got the different adapters making it worth it just to avoid using c-clamps on my future caliper abuse missions...

The power bleeder too is handy...


-

[dougyfresh]

The power bleeder too is handy...

The Motive Power Bleeder is money. Makes life SO much easier. It was effortless to do my brakes.

I think the hardest part was getting that lower rear caliper bracket bolt out.

[gdawg'05a4]

exactly...i dont know how they dont get that

Well, it's not $100 to rent the tool. It's $35 to rent their tool (I've rented it multiple times now from various autozones). $35 sounds better than $100 even though u get your money back

To those who don't know, they charge $35 and then you get it refunded when you return it.

[colinbarbera]

If you do not have either of the tools mentioned you can use needle nose pliers. Make sure that you apply enough pressure and then turn clockwise. It will accuate the mechanism and the piston will begin to retract.

[Dirty]

I've heard of ppl doing this, but I wouldn't recommenced it as the break cube was a PITA!

[BRSox307]

I have this one and it works great.
http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B6_A4-.../Tools/ES9747/

[infernocl]

the same tool ECS sells is also sold at harbor freight for $20, and it works perfectly

[67stang]

WTF is wrong with you people, you go there, pay 100 bucks, take the tool home use it, take it back and they refund you 100 bucks. It costs you NOTHING!!!

I know this is a very old thread, but I a cracking up over here! It was clear to me the first time you said it that this is a RENTAL deposit, you get your money back. Yet I can't believe how many morons don't read critically and keep saying "I can't afford $100."