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Has anyone bought a brake piston compressor that works without removing the caliper from the car. I tried a lisle copy from Amazon and it wouldn't retract enough to get between the rotor and piston with an old backing plate in place to get all 3 pistons.
Has anyone bought a brake piston compressor that works without removing the caliper from the car. I tried a lisle copy from Amazon and it wouldn't retract enough to get between the rotor and piston with an old backing plate in place to get all 3 pistons.
I have one that will reach the outside pistons, but mostly I just push the pistons back in with my hands as needed when changing pads. You can use the old pads to push them back in as well.
We offer a custom caliper spreader tool specifically designed to work with our AP Racing calipers as well as OEM fixed calipers like those on the C8 Z06: https://www.essexparts.com/essex-caliper-spreader
Specifically designed with large end plates for use in six and four piston AP Racing brake calipers
Versatile- Also works with many other aftermarket caliper brands and OEM calipers of various types (both single piston and fix piston opposed)
Durable- Made completely of steel and aluminum (no plastic)
Compact- Fits into tight spaces in wheel well, and easily fits inside your track toolbox
Simple- Caulk gun-style trigger is easy to compress and fully retracts pistons in 5-6 squeezes
Safe- Eliminates risk of damaging discs, caliper pistons, or dust boots when retracting pistons by other means
Affordable- costs less than one set of brake pads but will save you time on every pad change for years
With enough use, you may develop bear-like grip strength!
The key to proper use of these tools is to not crank on them 47 times like a gorilla within two seconds. Squeeze, wait a second, squeeze, etc...be a little patient and it will reward you.
Here it is inside the OEM C8Z carbon ceramic caliper:
Appears to be the same basic tool as the Essex, maybe with custom plates in a larger size.
I have the Lisle spreader, worked great on stock calipers but can tell you it isnt wide enough to work on the wide 9668 AP calipers. I need to use old pads for that. I probably need the Essex version.
I have the Lisle spreader, worked great on stock calipers but can tell you it isnt wide enough to work on the wide 9668 AP calipers. I need to use old pads for that. I probably need the Essex version.
+1; I expand the caliper pistons with the tool before removing the old pads on my 9668 caliper to avoid this issue.
+1; I expand the caliper pistons with the tool before removing the old pads on my 9668 caliper to avoid this issue.
Yeah I would normally put it between the ears of the pads and separate before taking pads out, with the wider calipers and new pads, it doesnt quite retract the pistons all the way and cant get my street pads back in without putting a used set of pads in to insert the tool any fully compress. If the Essex tool spreads wider, it would be a lot less complicated for me, Ill have to try.
The spreaders are more of a pain than they are usually worth... Im back to a small pry bar and my fingers now... 95% of the time it works every time.... lol
Brake piston compressing tool
