Technical Using a Brake Caliper Rewind Tool

[RedPeril]

I have a 2009 Grande 1.4 and I'm going to check and, if needed, renew discs and pads/drums and linings. Reading through the Haynes manual, it says to use a brake caliper rewind tool to compress the piston to allow the new pads to be fitted. I have just had a rewind set delivered from Amazon to do the job. There are various sized discs in the set and I hope that one of them will be the correct size to do the job. However, all of the discs have pins protruding from them and the instructions, with the kit, say to engage these pins with holes in the face of the piston. Haynes makes no mention of this.

I haven't disassembled the caliper yet as I want to just have one run at this job so the vehicle is not off the road for any length of time. When I have done this work on other vehicles in the past,, the face of the piston has been smooth and has had no locating holes in it. I'm sure that someone from the forum must have done this job! Can anyone tell me if the brake cylinder pistons have a smooth surface or if I will need to use the discs in the kit, with their protruding pins, to engage with holes in the piston? I assume that the pins turn the piston in the brake cylinder?

Any thoughts or advice would be great, plus any other tips for the refurbishing of the front and rear brakes.

 

[jackwhoo]

Front caliper pistons no grooves/ slots to rewind, pistons just push back in.

 

[bugsymike]

I have a 2009 Grande 1.4 and I'm going to check and, if needed, renew discs and pads/drums and linings. Reading through the Haynes manual, it says to use a brake caliper rewind tool to compress the piston to allow the new pads to be fitted. I have just had a rewind set delivered from Amazon to do the job. There are various sized discs in the set and I hope that one of them will be the correct size to do the job. However, all of the discs have pins protruding from them and the instructions, with the kit, say to engage these pins with holes in the face of the piston. Haynes makes no mention of this.

I haven't disassembled the caliper yet as I want to just have one run at this job so the vehicle is not off the road for any length of time. When I have done this work on other vehicles in the past,, the face of the piston has been smooth and has had no locating holes in it. I'm sure that someone from the forum must have done this job! Can anyone tell me if the brake cylinder pistons have a smooth surface or if I will need to use the discs in the kit, with their protruding pins, to engage with holes in the piston? I assume that the pins turn the piston in the brake cylinder?

Any thoughts or advice would be great, plus any other tips for the refurbishing of the front and rear brakes.

Can you just confirm that we are talking about car with rear brake discs that the handbrake operates on and not one with drum brakes?
If your vehicle has this sort of rear brake caliper then as you can see on the piston there are two locating grooves in the piston that allows the tool to operate. Obviously if you have drum rear brakes then is not applicable, also front caliper pistons are simply pressed back into their calipers and no need for a special tool. Just remember to open the brake fluid reservoir when pushing pistons back as it can displace brake fluid around the engine compartment.

 

[RedPeril]

Front caliper pistons no grooves/ slots to rewind, pistons just push back in.

Thanks for the reply and advice jackwhoo.

 

[RedPeril]

Can you just confirm that we are talking about car with rear brake discs that the handbrake operates on and not one with drum brakes?
If your vehicle has this sort of rear brake caliper then as you can see on the piston there are two locating grooves in the piston that allows the tool to operate. Obviously if you have drum rear brakes then is not applicable, also front caliper pistons are simple pressed back into their calipers and no need for a special tool. Just remember to open the brake fluid reservoir when pushing pistons back as it can displace brake fluid around the engine compartment.

Thanks for the reply bugsymike. The car has discs on the front and drums on the rear and thanks for the advice and the tip on the reservoir. So it looks like I can send the rewind tool back to Amazon!