Like the title says, I'm having problems with my GSR brake swap, and I am only in the preliminary stages. I bought the swap from Import Auto Salvage (after hearing such great things about them from Tom and others, all of which are true), and also bought brand new Brembo blank rotors for all four corners as well as Axxis Ultimates (PBR). I figured that I would save myself some effort by replacing the rotors before the spindles and lower control arms were even on the car. Well I was wrong. I got the calipers off of the rears and the brake pads, which were total ***, they had some paint-type stuff on the backs of them that had melted to the piston and the boot surrounding it. I was also able to remove the rotors and replace them on the rear. I ran into a wall when I was trying to fit the caliper and pad assemblies back over the new rotors. The piston was maybe 1/8" above flush with the boot, and that measly 1/8" was enough to prevent the caliper from fitting back over the rotor. I tried everything I knew of from previous brake adventures with other cars (a Jetta, a Grand Marquis, a Windstar, a Nissan truck, and 2 Oldsmobiles), but I couldn't get that fudgin piston compressed far enough to fit over the pads and rotor. I tried using the biggest C-clamp I had in the garage with a shim of wood to compress it, no luck there. I tried it again with the 10 mm flare nut off the end of the soft brake line, nada. I tried it yet again with both the bleeder nut and flare nut out, zilch. I tried brute strength and guess what? That didn't work either. Does it have threads or something and need to be turned to compress? I tried turning it with a monster of a screwdriver and that didn't work, and I tried that a couple of different ways. What am I overlooking?

Also, I can't get the screws loose that hold the front rotors onto the hubs. I tried a manual screwdriver, a cordless drill, a "wrist-breaker" corded drill, and I only got as far as starting to strip them. I tried wedging a piece of steel between the rotors and the floor, but that didn't work, neither did stepping on the rotors and trying to turn them at the same time. I haven't tried any sort of rust breaker or corrosion desolver or WD-40 yet, I was hoping to not have to because it makes an even larger mess than necessary, but if it comes down to it I guess I'll have to.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Cliffs Notes for those with short attention spans:
1) I can't get the rear pistons to compress far enough to fit the calipers over rotors and pads.
2) I can't get the screws loose that hold the front rotors onto the hubs.

Mark

 

you need to turn the piston with a special tool or a big screwdriver, needle nose. you will not be able to press it in with any c-clamp or plier...

 

Sorry I just read the cliffs only.

The rear pistions have a + notch for a reason. Turn the piston clockwise and it will go right in.

And the 2 counter sunk screws can be a bitch... I know.

You need to get a impact driver to get those suckers out or you can drill them out if they are stripped allready.

Heres a link to the impact screw driver if you didn't know what it is. http://www.mytoolstore.com/klein/70220.html

Good luck.

 

Thanks. Any idea of what this special tool looks like, or is there a somewhat common tool that my pushrod-head dad would have in our garage that I could use to turn the piston? I tried a rather large screwdriver but that just wasn't doing it.

Mark

 

gl with swap

 

My swap will be coming soon. As for the rear calipers just use a chizel or a big flat head to turn the rear piston in.


Modified by wdskuk at 8:27 AM 7/13/2004

 

I dont think you need to screw the piston back in - just put a clamp on it and compress it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sloSilverEF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I dont think you need to screw the piston back in - just put a clamp on it and compress it</TD></TR></TABLE>

reading is your friend.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Marktwo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">2) I can't get the screws loose that hold the front rotors onto the hubs.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sloSilverEF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I dont think you need to screw the piston back in - just put a clamp on it and compress it</TD></TR></TABLE>

the rear calipers need to be "Screwed". as for the retaining screws for the rotors, i used an impact driver and lotsa liquid wrench. worked like a charm

 

Thanks people. Would using a rather large chisel to turn the piston cause any serious damage? Also, on two of the calipers, the boots around the pistons are torn. Do I need to replace the calipers or boots? I just want to make sure that I'm not jabbing the brakes and nothing happening because DOT 5 brake fluid is leaking all over the rotors.

 

You probably wouldnt damage it with a FLAT head punch, I wouldnt chisel. Actually I have the correct tool, so i wouldnt need any of that.

And Impact Drivers are your friend! for those screws, but sometimes they will strip or snap even with a driver.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sloSilverEF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I dont think you need to screw the piston back in - just put a clamp on it and compress it</TD></TR></TABLE>

you don't know what you're talking about!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by pb16b &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you don't know what you're talking about! </TD></TR></TABLE>

He could just be confused, Most honda's do not have the screw type rear calipers.

 

IMPACT SCREWDRIVER AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT ROTORS

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Calculator &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

He could just be confused, Most honda's do not have the screw type rear calipers. </TD></TR></TABLE>

i agree... but the topic specifically says gsr brakes... gsr=screw type rear calipers...

 

Check with Harbor freight, they sell cheap tools and they have a special clamp for the brakes. It's real cheap to buy.

 

i just pop the cap off the fluid, then compress with a c-clamp and a shim of wood.

 

he said the little screws are stripped.....

just drill them out!!!