DIY tip: Brake caliper piston removal | FerrariChat

DIY tip: Brake caliper piston removal

Discussion in 'Maserati' started by thecarnut, Jul 14, 2014.

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  1. thecarnut

    thecarnut F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 22, 2006
    3,017
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    The Car Nut
    #1 thecarnut, Jul 14, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Removing brake caliper pistons can be a chore. If everything is clean and looking like new compressed air usually does the trick. Unfortunately I seem to run into calipers that have never been taken apart in 50 years and the car has sat for for the last 20 years.

    A simply trick is to block one of the caliper holes with the bleeder screw and in the other hole insert a grease fitting. Pump the caliper with grease and piston will slide out. On dual piston calipers one of the pistons will start sliding out first. Just when it almost out put a clamp on that piston so that it cannot slide out any further. Continue pumping grease, the second piston will now start sliding out.

    Early cars (3500GT, Sebring, Mistral) had calipers with external transfer pipes. It is best to separate both halves when working with these calipers as it will be easier to rebuild. Later cars (Ghibli, indy, etc) did not have transfer pipes and I do not like to disturb the internal seals and do not separate the two halves.

    Ivan
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  2. redfred84

    redfred84 Formula Junior

    Dec 24, 2010
    585
    SF Bay Area, USA
    #2 redfred84, Jul 14, 2014
    Good stuff Ivan.
    Thanks, RF.
     
  3. gcmerak

    gcmerak Formula 3

    Mar 17, 2008
    1,657
    Engine Bay, Georgia
    Full Name:
    George C.
    #3 gcmerak, Jul 14, 2014
    Nice!

    Ciao,
    George
     
  4. DenisC

    DenisC Formula 3

    Oct 11, 2009
    1,132
    #4 DenisC, Jul 14, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    One of the pistons on my calipers was seized. My best quickest and easiest solution was to remove the caliper from the upright but did not disconnect the fluid line and removed the pads. I then inserted a series of pieces of wood in the location of the rotor and progressively removed one at a time after applying brake pedal pressure till I could pull the seized piston out.

    I then pondered about getting the calipers re-sleeved with stainless liners and new stainless pistons, but after talking to a local vintage Jag restorer, he made me realise my pistons and calipers sleeves could just be cleaned and polished. Our cars will never see winter and be put away wet, so the upgrade would be a excessive expense. I just got new seals and cleaned everything up and then cleared it all with VHT caliper clear coat, the rotors were sandblasted and non friction surfaces were repainted with new cast color.
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