Technical Brake caliper windback tool required for pads change?

[Gozoguy]

Hi All,

I have a 1997 Fiat Punto Mk2 1.2 Petrol 8V and the front brake pads need changing. I watched a few youtube videos and it seems straightforward enough to do myself.

Question I have is on one of the videos, the guy just uses a strong screwdriver to force the brake caliper piston back in to accommodate the new pads. On all the other videos they use a brake caliper wind back tool. I don't have such a tool so can I use the screwdriver method or to do this well and safely should I get a brake caliper wind back tool?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi All,

I have a 1997 Fiat Punto Mk2 1.2 Petrol 8V and the front brake pads need changing. I watched a few youtube videos and it seems straightforward enough to do myself.

Question I have is on one of the videos, the guy just uses a strong screwdriver to force the brake caliper piston back in to accommodate the new pads. On all the other videos they use a brake caliper wind back tool. I don't have such a tool so can I use the screwdriver method or to do this well and safely should I get a brake caliper wind back tool?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

Hi Mark

Ive always used a G.clamp..

But yes you can prise the old pads with a lever..

However you will be up against either piston..or disc

So any damage would matter



'Windback tool'made me think of rear disc calipers.. where you have to twist the piston..it 'screws' back in..

That is the handbrake mechanism

 

[Gozoguy]

Hi there,

Thank you for the feedback, yes I will get a G-Clamp to do this job.

'Windback tool'made me think of rear disc calipers.. where you have to twist the piston..it 'screws' back in..

That is the handbrake mechanism

That triggered another question, I assume I do this job with the handbrake fully on to stop the car moving? This won't clamp the front brake pads too tightly to the disk?

Thanks again,

Mark

 

[chris3234]

Handbrake only works the rear discs
So the front won't be affected

If you don't have g clamp and your going out to buy one you may as well get something like this instead
https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai...99&hvtargid=pla-421810647509&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

 

[Gozoguy]

Thanks very much, final question. I should also check the discs as well (they are hopefully okay though as were changed 2 years ago) as the pad I looked at is basically bare and so might have scraped against the disc.

Is it very obvious to see if the discs needs changing? (I read that if its still 10mm wide then should be okay) or is this something that really takes an expert eye to see?

Mark

 

[jackwhoo]

Thanks very much, final question. I should also check the discs as well (they are hopefully okay though as were changed 2 years ago) as the pad I looked at is basically bare and so might have scraped against the disc.

Is it very obvious to see if the discs needs changing? (I read that if its still 10mm wide then should be okay) or is this something that really takes an expert eye to see?

Mark

Hi,
Compare the amount of friction material of the outer pads , it should be about the same.
Compare the amount of friction material of the inner pads, it should be about the same.

If one side is wearing noticeably more than the other then the is an underlying problem that needs repairing.

How many miles have you driven in the two years since the pads and discs last changed?

Cheers

 

[Gozoguy]

How many miles have you driven in the two years since the pads and discs last changed?

Only about 12000 miles, we live in a place of very heavy traffic however so we are always driving on the clutch and brakes. But yes I had hoped that they would last longer than this.