I went to autozone for my 02 accord to get a special tool to turn the brake piston so i could put the pads on... he told me the piston should be in the 12 or 6 o clock position... is this true?

 

Only the rear caliper piston needs to be turned. It has something to do with the emergency brakes (I think). There is a cross indention on the piston. I just used a needle-nose pliers to turn it while pushing it back in. I guess if the guy says it needs to be at 12 or 6 o-clock, I would do it. Shouldn't be a problem. What does this special tool look like? How much does it cost? Maybe I'll get one for my next brake job.

PS: Don't forget to put that grease stuff between the pads and shims.

 

I'm assuming you are changing the rear disc. Then yes. It should look like a cube with bunch of pins sticking out. You connect it to the ratched.

For the front disc, you just need a C-Clamp and compress it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BLKFLSH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Only the rear caliper piston needs to be turned. It has something to do with the emergency brakes (I think). There is a cross indention on the piston. I just used a needle-nose pliers to turn it while pushing it back in. I guess if the guy says it needs to be at 12 or 6 o-clock, I would do it. Shouldn't be a problem. What does this special tool look like? How much does it cost? Maybe I'll get one for my next brake job.

PS: Don't forget to put that grease stuff between the pads and shims.</TD></TR></TABLE>What grease is that?

Oh and the tool is free... you just make a deposit and you get your money back when you bring it back, otherwise its about 40 bucks if you wanna buy it...

Anyone else know the signifagance of 12 or 6 o clock? Is it necessary?

 

the grease usually comes with the pads that you get and the 12 and 6 thing only refers to the rear pad but even at the its not very significant i think but i could be wrong check the faq for the brake change thing

 

There should be 4 little nipple looking things on the brake pad...line those up with the piston..if its the rear pads that is...if its front like someone else said get a c-clamp and your old brake pad..put the old brake pad in front of the piston and tighten the c-clamp until the piston is all the way in

 

There should be a small packet of grease that comes with the pads. When you take the old pads off, there may be some between the pad plates and the shims. Clean the old stuff off. You put the grease stuff between the pad plate and one shim, and between that shim and the second shim (should be two shims for each pad). Hopefully they were not removed by someone. The grease stuff is supposed to stop the brakes from squealing. Hope you have some brake cleaner.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BLKFLSH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There should be a small packet of grease that comes with the pads. When you take the old pads off, there may be some between the pad plates and the shims. Clean the old stuff off. You put the grease stuff between the pad plate and one shim, and between that shim and the second shim (should be two shims for each pad). Hopefully they were not removed by someone. The grease stuff is supposed to stop the brakes from squealing. Hope you have some brake cleaner.</TD></TR></TABLE>Yeah, i got some brake cleaner... i did the brakes on my mirage and did not put the shims back... could that be bad haha? I noticed a faint clunking when braking...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BoltonGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, i got some brake cleaner... i did the brakes on my mirage and did not put the shims back... could that be bad haha? I noticed a faint clunking when braking...</TD></TR></TABLE>

To answer your first question, when you rotate the piston back into the caliper(which is for the e-brake) it will bottem out, and it doesnt matter which position its it, as long as it doesnt go in any further.

As for your mirage, if you dont install the shims, the pads will move back and forth when you change direction. Always install the shims, and clean the caliper bracket, adn the old shims if you are reusing them for quiet efficent braking.

 

Thanks... what is brake grease for? Quietness?

 

brake shims is what the little metal peice that has the wear indicator on it is that what it is? and wut u just smudge grease on the shims itself?

 

shims are the pieces of metal that are inside the caliper bracket that the pads sit in. put grease or anti seize on the shims, as well as on the back side of the pad(the part that DOESNT touch the rotor).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM_DC4_Fanatic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">shims are the pieces of metal that are inside the caliper bracket that the pads sit in. put grease or anti seize on the shims, as well as on the back side of the pad(the part that DOESNT touch the rotor).
</TD></TR></TABLE>Ok, yeah. I just finished... the car brakes good and doesnt make noise but the brakes seem kinda spongy and have more freeplay... I lost a lot of brake fluid, i probly need to bleed the system then?

 

Leaving the shims out probably won't hurt anything. But now if the brakes start squealing, or making the noises you just described, you'll know why.

 

If the brakes feel spongy, a little air is in the lines. Bleeding should take care of that.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by soon2bdropped &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">brake shims is what the little metal peice that has the wear indicator on it is that what it is? and wut u just smudge grease on the shims itself?</TD></TR></TABLE>

The shims are very thin (no wear indicator). There should be two shims for each pad. You put the grease between the pad and the shims. Sort of like a grease sandwich, with none on the outside. Pad....grease.....shim....grease.....shim.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BoltonGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Anyone else know the signifagance of 12 or 6 o clock? Is it necessary?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Usually there's a small button on the backing plate of the brake pad. That button fits into the slot on the piston, so the piston has to be rotated to a position where the slot lines up. Otherwise that little steel tab has nowhere to go & the pad won't fit properly.