I just installed my new brake setup the other day, and used a c-clamp on the rear pistons to compress them, for lack of a better idea, or another idea of what to do with the rears.

I read RJ saying something about not doing this. Is using a c-clamp on the rear pistons not good for them? Have I done any damage to the brakes by using the clamp on the installation of new pads and rotors?

Thanks in Advance,
JP

 

Turn them into the caliper clockwise...... can be done with plyers

 

i thought you were supposed to twist the rear pistons. the c clamp will work, obviously, but youre working against the ebrake mechanism which uses a screw to extend the piston from normal distance. whereas the front calipers dont have the ebrake mechanicals, so a c clamp or just channel locks is fine.

but you probably didnt do any damage i would think.

 

the way your supposed to do it is buy using a very large flat head screw driver and turning the piston in clockwise....when you take off the caliper you'll see what i mean.

 

i use the side of a file...

 

A long time ago I was told not to c-clap the front rotors directly, since you're pushing in one side, tweaking the piston. If you do push them in using a c-clamp type device, put something like a wrench across the piston and push the wrench in, that way the piston is being pushed in from both sides and not getting tweaked.

...and I think you have to screw in the rears. If you have a hard time screwing in the rear calipers, loosen the bleeder screw, that'll make it easier to screw it. You'll have to bleed if you open the bleeder screw tho.

 

Thanks for the advice guys, and the quick responses. It's just that I have already installed the rear pads and rotors and DID take a c-clamp to the rear pistons. I will use a screwdriver next time, but I just wanted to make sure that I wouldn't have damaged the functionality of the rear brakes, as these will be seeing some HPDE days in the next few weeks.

The pedal feels kind of mushy, but I'm thinking this is because of the stock fluid that is still in there that I really need to change out for something better.

And is it normal for high performance brakes like this to dust more in the front, due to the obvious brake balance of the integra? Because my front wheels are turning grey, and the back wheels are not as noticable, hence my concern for rear brake functionality.

Sorry for all the paranoid questions guys, but I really don't want anything to go wrong on my first HPDE day.

Thanks Again,
JP

 

not sure if i understand you quite frankly about clamping "rotors" and using wrenches. but i always use my old brake pads to in between the channel lock and piston. no need for c clamps or those "special" brake tools, the right sized channel locks are much quicker and easier.

 

hondajon, you really should bleed your brakes with a whole bottle of FORD HD brake fluid or something. youll need a friend, but its easy and cheap. dont think about synthetics or high priced stuff yet, but the point is to make sure your car is working at least to optimum factory specs, and not on old fluid. also, when you push the piston back in as you did, it typically allows air to get into the system, so thats probably why you got mushy brakes, and more reason to bleed. always bleed after major brake change...

and yes, the fronts do dust a lot more, simply because theyre used a lot more. because of the weight transfer, no matter what type of car, during braking the fronts are loaded much more and thus due a lot more of the braking. which is why the front brakes are always bigger and thus dust more.

 

Using the c-clamp against the parking brake must have been the reason that upon getting back into the car there was no resistance pressure when pulling the e-brake.

So using the c-clamp is an acceptable way to push back the piston without causing damage, its just not the most efficient way for keeping air out of your system?

I'm going to get a front end alignment tomorrow, and will ask my guy to make sure the rear brakes are in full working order when he has it up on the lift. And I will make sure to pick up some brake fluid and bleed the system tomorrow night if I have the car back by then.

Thanks for all the responses Tyson,
JP

 

actually the ebrakes, or any brakes, not working after you jsut replaced the pads is common and is because the pads are too far away from the rotors and need to be primed. when you arent pressing the brake pedal, the pads are normally only 1mm at most away from the rotor surface. pressing hte brake pedal, or ebrake, only pushes the pads so far. since you just pushed the piston as far back as possible when installing hte new pads, they need to be primed to push the pads back out to near the rotors. thats why the ebrake didnt seem to work at first. its a bit unsetling when you forget to prime the brakes after changing pads and driving off and having to brake the first time.

as for why the air gets in is possibly due to pushing on the piston unevenly, but i think its mainly due to a certain level of crud on the piston walls, that you now pushed thru the caliper seals and broght with it some pockets of air, or left an opening. next time, take a peek under the caliper boot and see how much crud there is, that will tell you if you need to rebuild the calipers with a new piston.

i dont think you have anything to worry about your brakes. everything youre going thru is quite normal.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SpiceyRice &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A long time ago I was told not to c-clap the front rotors directly, since you're pushing in one side, tweaking the piston. If you do push them in using a c-clamp type device, put something like a wrench across the piston and push the wrench in, that way the piston is being pushed in from both sides and not getting tweaked.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Why not just stick the c-clamp inside the cavity of the piston to compress. That way, the pressure is dead center without the use of a wrench to distribute the pressure across the piston.

 

cuz it takes too long to unwind the c clamp to get in in the center and down in and back out again... just put the old pad in and push the pad, with channel locks...

 

I always just put a large socket into the piston and use the c-clamp against the center of the socket. That way I dont have to screw the clamp so dang far.

How big of a vice grip are you using? Probably one of those [ ] clamp types?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by siisgood00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Why not just stick the c-clamp inside the cavity of the piston to compress. That way, the pressure is dead center without the use of a wrench to distribute the pressure across the piston.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Because I'm not smart enough to think of that.

Also, how would using a c-clamp put air into the system unless a). there was already air in the caliper and you're just forcing the air down the brake line or b). you open the bleeder screw. If you keep the system sealed, and you don't already have air in the system, it will not create air in the system.

 

There is actually a tool you can buy at local automotive parts stores that fits on a 3/8 drive ratchet and makes the turning of the piston on a rear caliper really easy. The tool is shaped like a cube and has different pointy things on it for different pistons on different cars. Althought the big screwdriver or pair of pliers works i just thought you might wanna look into it for an easy way (tool was like $8).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SpiceyRice &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Also, how would using a c-clamp put air into the system unless a). there was already air in the caliper and you're just forcing the air down the brake line or b). you open the bleeder screw. If you keep the system sealed, and you don't already have air in the system, it will not create air in the system.</TD></TR></TABLE>

ill try to explain this again. when the pads are new and have a lot of thickness to them, the pistons will be fully retracted inside the caliper. if there is any water in the brake system (it comes in naturally through the rubber lines and reservoir), the surface of the piston will become corroded, and develop small pits. as the piston is being pushed out further as the thickness of the brake pads get thinner, the pits are now past the seal. when you install the new, thick pads again, you have to push the piston back into the caliper, but now the surface has small pits that trap air and bring it into the brakeline. its no longer a completely "sealed" system.

the other thing that happens is that when the piston is far out of the caliper, under the boot a bunch of crud can develop on the piston. now youve created extra uneven surface and again, as you push the piston through the seal, you can introduce air. if you ever do a brake rebuild, youll definately see what i mean. next time, maybe ill take a pic of an old piston.

the reason you dont want to C clamp or put uneven pressure on the piston when you push it in, it doesnt go straight in, thus again breaking the seal. the seal is just a rubber ring, and with pits and cruds, it cant seal very well, especially at a slight angle.

 

i could swear i've seen a pic of someone doing it with an opened pair of needle nose pliers. the gap between the 'cross' is fairly wide for even a really wide screwdriver, flat file may work better.

and here she is...

 

this post really helps me, I wish all the post where this worthwhile to look at

 

Hah.. and I thought I was really smart using my needle nose pliers for that job.

Large flat file ends work, too.

 

If your screwdriver isn't big enough, get a BIGGER one!

A man can never have too much screwdriver to work with.