Removing stuck brake pistons

[hondaman160mph]

Here's a trick for pulling stuck brake pistons. Put a 1/4" carriage bolt under the jaws of the piston removal locking pliers,
lock the pliers and tighten the nut to easily pull the piston out.

[herdygerdy]

I like that idea VERY much, thanks HM160! I have recently acquired a set of those pliers and they are 'the dog's danglies'. That's a cool 'new and improved' use of them too.

[EMS]

Probably just me. But neither the description nor the image are explanatory to me.

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

Another tool i wasn't aware of.
https://www.otctools.com/products/brake ... ing-pliers

Are the pads that grip the inside of the piston a hardened rubber?
Seeing the torx screws i assume they are replaceable if they distort?

[daves79x]

Me either Mike - there must be an internal expanding extension to the pliers that hold them in place.

Dave

[hondaman160mph]

The expanding jaws are knurled hardened steel. If the brake pistons are really stuck putting the carriage bolt under the jaws allows you to tighten
the nut and easily extract the piston. If the pistons move easily just tighten and lock the jaws to pull the piston out.
Just my opinion but using this tool on the bench to pull the brake pistons is faster, easier, and less messy than pushing the pistons out with
brake fluid especially if they are very tight. I bought mine from Home Depot, $40.00 and shipped for free.

[herdygerdy]

I also use mine during a brake pad service/replacement. As you can see from image below, they work kind of like a 'reverse vice grips', with the ends pushing out externally instead of locking inwards as per normal vice grips.

Brake Piston Tool 1.jpg

https://www.australianonlinecarparts.co ... -pliers-22

With the pads removed, I GENTLY push on the brake lever just enough to push the pistons out only far enough to expose the clean portion of the piston.

Then using brake cleaner I carefully clean all the built-up brake dust and road grime from the outside of the piston (I finish with a polish of the exterior of the piston itself). But you will always have a section of the perimeter of the piston that is hidden by the body of the caliper and almost impossible to get to and clean thoroughly.

The tool is now used to grip the piston and rotate it as needed while still installed in the caliper so as to expose and therefore enable removal of the previously hidden dirty sections around the whole perimeter of the piston.

This method enables ALL crud to be completely removed BEFORE pushing the piston all the way back into the caliper, preventing potential binding issues down the track. Makes for VERY smooth brake operation and total release of the pad from the disc after the brakes have been applied.

It's one of those rare tools that makes me feel very happy, perhaps even a little smug, every time I use it. YMMV.

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

Thanks for the pics and explanations, Gents.