brake pad install

[98koukile]

I bought some project mu type ns pads and new drilled rotors and when I went to put the caliper back on the car the pads were too wide. Is there anyway to push the piston back into the caliper? I have the cover off the master cylinder like the fsm says to do but what are my options here? Also is there a difference in width between an s13 and my s14 or abs/non-abs?

[PhilthyS13]

Get c-clamp or go to a parts store and rent a caliper compressor and smash them back in. It's a pita, but keep doing it until the pads fit over the rotor.

[exitspeed]

You have to use a C clamp for the fronts to press them in.

In the rear of the S13 you need to use a needle nose pliers and twist the piston back in.

[kensreliableb18b]

or actually use the cube brake tool for the rear

[Vision Garage]

plus 100 for cube brake tool. That thing can fit pretty much any brakes. Just gotta find the side.

[kandyflip445]

Needle nose are so much easier and you don't have to go buy anything.

Clockwise to push the rear calipers in.

[johngriff]

F the needle nose. Too easy to mess up the piston/boot/seal.

[TheWolf]

+1 for C clamp.

[5t341tH]

u can use c-clamp on the calipers u twist in? or is the c-clamps for fronts only

[GSXRJJordan]

I just put some new pads on my s13 today, and replaced the rotors in the rear. I've got z32s up front, and like any 4 piston caliper, if you press in on one piston, the piston right next to it pops out. The trick is to wedge something in there to push the pistons in while the OLD pads are in there, cause it doesn't matter if you mess those up. C clamps work I guess, but I used a 20mm combo wrench (the box end side) and just applied pressure until it fit, and that turned out to be the perfect width.

For the backs... oh jesus, the backs... stock s13 rears, my old pads were DONE, plus my rotor was at min thickness (hence the replacements), so I had a lot of work to do. I started with the needle nose pliers, and got pretty far in (about half way :/ ) and it wouldn't go any further in, even though it was turning. Some "motivation" later (wedging shit in there, because the caliper compressor wouldn't work - thanks s13 e brake), I finally got them to start moving when I turned it some more. Took like an hour to get the rear pistons pushed all the way back.

If you have a shop do it, they'll probably do a decent job. Besides stuff like putting slotted rotors on backwards, theres not much they can mess up on a pad replacement - moral is, if you get too fed up, throw the old shit back on there and take it to a shop.

[Anto]

Another tip for the rear calipers:

Get a bottle of silicone spray / lubricant. Spray the boot seals to get them nice and slippery so they don't catch and rip. works well.

[GSXRJJordan]

^^^ Good idea Anto, that rubber does like to get brittle. Especially in the back.

[trey21096]

+1 for the silicone spray. I highly recomend it otherwise the boots are most likely going to get torn up. As for the calipers, open the bleeder valve before you try to compress them, it will make your day a whole lot easier. I used vice grips to get my pistons back in. Just watch and make sure you don't mess up the boot.

[misfitsfreak81]

also the one handed grip clamps from home depot work very well too. plus they have pads on them so if your calipers are powder coated or painted they wont f up the finish like a c-clamp will. +1 for silicone spray and +1 for opening the bleeder. def. open the bleeder on abs or you risk damage to the system. hope this helps. those are sick pads too, little dusty, but very good. i have them on my Z32 calipers on my s14 at all four corners.