Honda Car Forum

Is there a way to try to unsized a sized caliper without taking it
apart other than taking to a $$mechanic$$. Maybe jarring/hammering or
prying it?. Appreciate any ideas. Only the rear driver side is stuck.
Braking is still fine. Parking brakes not holding.

Frank Tomken

Thanks for the reply
Sorry what I ment when I said braking is fine is the car still stops
good with 3 brakes working. Also the rear driver side disk is kind of
rusty now. Can the rusted parking brake cable siezed the piston? Cable
looks ok. How do you screww in the piston?

Thanks,
Frank


On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 06:51:30 -0700, "Michael Pardee"
<michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote:

>"frank" <fstj2003@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:7ov1h1t3qqugbta90mmsno0ou328u6ls4f@4ax.com.. .
>> Is there a way to try to unsized a sized caliper without taking it
>> apart other than taking to a $$mechanic$$. Maybe jarring/hammering or
>> prying it?. Appreciate any ideas. Only the rear driver side is stuck.
>> Braking is still fine. Parking brakes not holding.
>>
>> Frank Tomken
>
>What happens when you try to screw the piston in? And do you know for sure
>the parking brake cable isn't rusted?
>
>Mike
>

"frank" <fstj2003@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7ov1h1t3qqugbta90mmsno0ou328u6ls4f@4ax.com...
> Is there a way to try to unsized a sized caliper without taking it
> apart other than taking to a $$mechanic$$. Maybe jarring/hammering or
> prying it?. Appreciate any ideas. Only the rear driver side is stuck.
> Braking is still fine. Parking brakes not holding.
>
> Frank Tomken

What happens when you try to screw the piston in? And do you know for sure
the parking brake cable isn't rusted?

Mike

Take it to a qualified brake shop for service. The caliper must be
removed and either rebuilt or replaced with a new or rebuilt unit. The
piston has seized for some reason. Even if you simply push the piston
back in, it will almost certainly seize again when you step on the
pedal and the piston comes back out and reaches the point it is at
now.

The easiest way to push a piston back in is to slip the caliper off
the disk and hold it up with a wire or something so it doesn't hang
from the brake line hose. Next, remove the brake pads (and shims if
there are any, noting which side they go on and their direction).
Place a small flat piece of wood over the top of the piston, then use
a C-clamp big enough to go over the outside of the caliper housing on
the piston side and the wood. Slowly tighten the clamp and push the
piston back in. NOTE: Check the brake fluid reservoir beforehand and
make sure it will not overflow as you push the piston back in. Most
manuals advise you to remove some of the fluid before pushing the
piston back in and replace it with fresh fluid of the correct type for
your car when you are done with the repair.

After replacing the caliper and the wheel, pump the pedal slowly until
it pushes the caliper tight on the disk and the pedal is solid.
Recheck the resevoir level again and top up as necessary.

Test drive the car carefully at slow speeds and check the affected
brake to be sure it is now in operation. If that disk is rusty as you
say, you might have to have the disk turned to remove the rust before
you put the caliper back on.

All in all, I again recommend you go to a qualified brake shop and let
them fix it. Too much depends on those brakes working when you need
them.

Paul

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 07:42:48 -0400, frank <fstj2003@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Thanks for the reply
>Sorry what I ment when I said braking is fine is the car still stops
>good with 3 brakes working. Also the rear driver side disk is kind of
>rusty now. Can the rusted parking brake cable siezed the piston? Cable
>looks ok. How do you screww in the piston?
>
>Thanks,
>Frank
>
>
>On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 06:51:30 -0700, "Michael Pardee"
><michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote:
>
>>"frank" <fstj2003@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>news:7ov1h1t3qqugbta90mmsno0ou328u6ls4f@4ax.com. ..
>>> Is there a way to try to unsized a sized caliper without taking it
>>> apart other than taking to a $$mechanic$$. Maybe jarring/hammering or
>>> prying it?. Appreciate any ideas. Only the rear driver side is stuck.
>>> Braking is still fine. Parking brakes not holding.
>>>
>>> Frank Tomken
>>
>>What happens when you try to screw the piston in? And do you know for sure
>>the parking brake cable isn't rusted?
>>
>>Mike
>>

frank <fstj2003@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:gb83h11d356tbnq3ta6ubofg507n3ljbuk@4ax.com:

> Thanks for the reply
> Sorry what I ment when I said braking is fine is the car still stops
> good with 3 brakes working. Also the rear driver side disk is kind of
> rusty now. Can the rusted parking brake cable siezed the piston? Cable
> looks ok. How do you screww in the piston?



DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE A C-CLAMP TO PUSH THE REAR PISTONS IN!!! YOU WILL
DAMAGE THE CALIPER!!!

You can use:
1) A giant flat-bladed screwdriver
2) Needle-nose pliers
3) A "socket" specially-made and sold at AutoZone/Kragen/Pep Boys (~$15)

If the piston will not rotate (clockwise to go in) easily, it is seized and
the caliper must be replaced with a reman.

It is possible to do a quickie rebuild by replacing only the gummed-up
piston and the hydraulic seal, but I do not recommend this approach.

If the cable is seized, you will be able to tell by disconnecting the
clevis and pushing/pulling the cable by hand.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

This is only true to the front brakes. The rear brakes on the integra and
most cars have the screw on type of piston. I got a tip that will make the
cylinder go in easier: open the brake fluid cap, this makes it easier to do
it.


Anyway, about rear calipers for our cars. they are a very poor design, as
they tend to seize quite often, even after installing a rebuilt one. Every
year I need to do a cleaning of the rear brakes after a winter because salt
& water really likes to rust those things.




"pj.chris@verizon.net" <Unknown@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:ipj3h19r8rrkoup7s1oh9bqod4b4hir4h2@4ax.com...
> Take it to a qualified brake shop for service. The caliper must be
> removed and either rebuilt or replaced with a new or rebuilt unit. The
> piston has seized for some reason. Even if you simply push the piston
> back in, it will almost certainly seize again when you step on the
> pedal and the piston comes back out and reaches the point it is at
> now.
>
> The easiest way to push a piston back in is to slip the caliper off
> the disk and hold it up with a wire or something so it doesn't hang
> from the brake line hose. Next, remove the brake pads (and shims if
> there are any, noting which side they go on and their direction).
> Place a small flat piece of wood over the top of the piston, then use
> a C-clamp big enough to go over the outside of the caliper housing on
> the piston side and the wood. Slowly tighten the clamp and push the
> piston back in. NOTE: Check the brake fluid reservoir beforehand and
> make sure it will not overflow as you push the piston back in. Most
> manuals advise you to remove some of the fluid before pushing the
> piston back in and replace it with fresh fluid of the correct type for
> your car when you are done with the repair.
>
> After replacing the caliper and the wheel, pump the pedal slowly until
> it pushes the caliper tight on the disk and the pedal is solid.
> Recheck the resevoir level again and top up as necessary.
>
> Test drive the car carefully at slow speeds and check the affected
> brake to be sure it is now in operation. If that disk is rusty as you
> say, you might have to have the disk turned to remove the rust before
> you put the caliper back on.
>
> All in all, I again recommend you go to a qualified brake shop and let
> them fix it. Too much depends on those brakes working when you need
> them.
>
> Paul
>
> On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 07:42:48 -0400, frank <fstj2003@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Thanks for the reply
>>Sorry what I ment when I said braking is fine is the car still stops
>>good with 3 brakes working. Also the rear driver side disk is kind of
>>rusty now. Can the rusted parking brake cable siezed the piston? Cable
>>looks ok. How do you screww in the piston?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Frank
>>
>>
>>On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 06:51:30 -0700, "Michael Pardee"
>><michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote:
>>
>>>"frank" <fstj2003@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>>news:7ov1h1t3qqugbta90mmsno0ou328u6ls4f@4ax.com ...
>>>> Is there a way to try to unsized a sized caliper without taking it
>>>> apart other than taking to a $$mechanic$$. Maybe jarring/hammering or
>>>> prying it?. Appreciate any ideas. Only the rear driver side is stuck.
>>>> Braking is still fine. Parking brakes not holding.
>>>>
>>>> Frank Tomken
>>>
>>>What happens when you try to screw the piston in? And do you know for
>>>sure
>>>the parking brake cable isn't rusted?
>>>
>>>Mike
>>>

On 28 Aug 2005 17:16:32 GMT, "TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote:

>frank <fstj2003@hotmail.com> wrote in
>news:gb83h11d356tbnq3ta6ubofg507n3ljbuk@4ax.com :
>
>> Thanks for the reply
>> Sorry what I ment when I said braking is fine is the car still stops
>> good with 3 brakes working. Also the rear driver side disk is kind of
>> rusty now. Can the rusted parking brake cable siezed the piston? Cable
>> looks ok. How do you screww in the piston?
>
>
>
>DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE A C-CLAMP TO PUSH THE REAR PISTONS IN!!! YOU WILL
>DAMAGE THE CALIPER!!!
>
>You can use:
>1) A giant flat-bladed screwdriver
>2) Needle-nose pliers
>3) A "socket" specially-made and sold at AutoZone/Kragen/Pep Boys (~$15)
>
>If the piston will not rotate (clockwise to go in) easily, it is seized and
>the caliper must be replaced with a reman.
>
>It is possible to do a quickie rebuild by replacing only the gummed-up
>piston and the hydraulic seal, but I do not recommend this approach.
>
>If the cable is seized, you will be able to tell by disconnecting the
>clevis and pushing/pulling the cable by hand.

thanks for correcting my advice re. the back brakes. Sorry if I
caused confusion. As you noted, my advice was general to most disk
brakes and the Integra brakes require a different approach. Live and
learn!

Paul

Ramapo <ramapo@youbetyourass.com> wrote in
news:scg9h1lpdhhbodjln8ot5atgr3upc6tr0r@4ax.com:


> thanks for correcting my advice re. the back brakes. Sorry if I
> caused confusion. As you noted, my advice was general to most disk
> brakes and the Integra brakes require a different approach. Live and
> learn!
>


Nearly all rear discs that double as parking brakes follow this design.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns96C2BC4991645tegger@207.14.113.17...
> Ramapo <ramapo@youbetyourass.com> wrote in
> news:scg9h1lpdhhbodjln8ot5atgr3upc6tr0r@4ax.com:
>
>
>> thanks for correcting my advice re. the back brakes. Sorry if I
>> caused confusion. As you noted, my advice was general to most disk
>> brakes and the Integra brakes require a different approach. Live and
>> learn!
>>
>
>
> Nearly all rear discs that double as parking brakes follow this design.
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

I first encountered it on an '83 Subaru... it's been around a while.

Mike

Weren't they on the front on the 'roo?
MZ
"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote in message
news:X4SdnQkRft0JY4neRVn-hg@sedona.net...
> "TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
> news:Xns96C2BC4991645tegger@207.14.113.17...
>> Ramapo <ramapo@youbetyourass.com> wrote in
>> news:scg9h1lpdhhbodjln8ot5atgr3upc6tr0r@4ax.com:
>>
>>
>>> thanks for correcting my advice re. the back brakes. Sorry if I
>>> caused confusion. As you noted, my advice was general to most disk
>>> brakes and the Integra brakes require a different approach. Live and
>>> learn!
>>>
>>
>>
>> Nearly all rear discs that double as parking brakes follow this design.
>>
>> --
>> TeGGeR®
>>
>> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
>> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
>
> I first encountered it on an '83 Subaru... it's been around a while.
>
> Mike
>