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Pulling stubborn brake pads?

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Old 12-08-2008, 12:45 PM
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-nick
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Default Pulling stubborn brake pads?

Hi folks,
Does anyone have a trick for pulling out the rear brake pads? Both inside pads, on each caliper, are stuck in pretty tight. This was a Cape Cod car, so I'm thinking the typical corrosion from the alloy calipers has taken place and gotten them pretty snug. I can't figure out a good way to gain some leverage to pull them out.

I've got the 4-pot rear calipers. The outside two pads, luckily, came out without too much work.

Thanks!
nick
Old 12-08-2008, 12:52 PM
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ilko
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Use a long flat-head screwdriver and wedge it between the hat of the brake rotor and the bottom of the pad. Push!
Old 12-08-2008, 01:05 PM
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elbeee964
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so, that puts a gaposis between pad material and disk.
[and hopefully he hasn't refilled his brake fluid since the last time the pads were installed -- or his car just wet the floor behind the FL wheel.]

Now, how does he separate rusted-on pad backing plate from caliper pot tops?
(A: Start wailing away with chisel+hammer on the pad plate backs?)

Last edited by elbeee964; 12-08-2008 at 04:19 PM. Reason: LEFT -- not 'right'
Old 12-08-2008, 01:22 PM
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Kahdmus
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granted mine aren't usually that bad here in CA. However if they are stubborn, I usually spray them pretty good with cleaner and employ a flat-blade screwdriver in a manner similar to Ilko to push them apart
Old 12-08-2008, 01:22 PM
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-nick
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Push from the rear with the screwdriver? I'm having a tough time envisioning. Then I would need to pull the rear dust guard too in order to get at the back of the pad?

I used a thin flat-blade screwdriver to separate the spider/disks from the pad backing and pressed the pistons all the way in. That was amazingly simple.

Crap, I didn't think about the fluid res overflowing...
Old 12-08-2008, 01:31 PM
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ilko
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Stick the tip of the screwdriver in the bottom of the brake caliper, so it touches the bottom of the pad. the side of the blade will rest against the rotor hat. Hold the screwdriver by the handle and push it down. The brake pad will come off. Is that better?
Old 12-08-2008, 01:44 PM
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Ah, so I'm digging the screwdriver into pad material?

I think I'm just going to grind a bit off the new ones rather than risk screwing up the calipers to remove the corrosion under the metal shims that hold the pad stiff on the top & bottom.
Old 12-08-2008, 01:46 PM
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ilko
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You're not digging into anything and you're not touching the caliper at all. You're pushing the pad out from the bottom. I've never damaged pads using that method, but hey - your call
Old 12-08-2008, 01:58 PM
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For some reason I'm totally not seeing this You can get to the inside pad this way?

*pilfered photo*

Old 12-08-2008, 02:12 PM
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Samstagsales.com
KL-0116-2
only $222.74 plus shipping
Old 12-08-2008, 02:14 PM
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ilko
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Does this help? Sorry my wife's the better Photoshopper in the family...



You don't go inside the pad. There's no reason to go inside. You place the tip of the screwdriver at the bottom of the pad and push it out.
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Old 12-08-2008, 02:17 PM
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Yep! I think of that as the back side of the caliper!
Old 12-08-2008, 02:23 PM
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Just undo the caliper, it tends to be easier.
Old 12-08-2008, 02:23 PM
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Do you see the two pin holes at the top edge of the pad ?
Those are put there for you to pull on .
Old 12-08-2008, 02:36 PM
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You can't pull them out if the vibration damper pads are still attached.
The pistons must be pressed fully into the calipers so the pads and vibration damper pads have enough space to come out. Or use a putty knife and seperate the pads from the dampers.
That's why for corroded or stuck pads, I release the caliper from the trailing arm for ease of accessibility.


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