Rear brake pad problems.

[ianw3321]

I tried to fit new pads today in my 1995 8v gti, but cannot get the piston in the caliper to move back. I have tried screwing the piston in both directions and I have tried levering the piston all to no avail indeed the piston has actually moved a bit farward and I cant even get the old pads back in. Any suggestions will be welcomed as I have no brakes.

[Adam]

You need a Caliper Tool to push them back -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Brake-Caliper-Piston-Rewind-Tool-Kit-By-Laser-1314_W0QQitemZ260440766546QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Hand_Tools_Equipment?hash=item3ca37ab852&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65:12|66:2|39:1|72:1689|293:1|294:50

Halfords also do them

[BlazinGTI]

well worth every penny that tool!!!!

you can do it with some external circlip plyers (reccomended in the haynes) but what a pig!!!! 4 hours it took me!

[ianw3321]

I have managed to get it back in by removing the piston altogether, emptying the brake fluid out of the cylinder, then reinserting the piston and alternately twiisting and tapping ok hitting it with a hammer,then finally bleeding that caliper to get rid of the air.

[tweed]

Took me longer to get the pads in, than screwing the piston in with the right tool 

[omex_uk]

lol your all a bunch of women. ive used a large pipe wrench to push it in the last 3 times ive done brakes on different cars

[Adam]

I thought that could dammage it 

[omex_uk]

I thought that could dammage it 

nope its what my mechanic mates does at his work and its what they taught him to do on the corse he took a few years back

[ianw3321]

You can use a big lever with front discs/pads as they are self adjusting but rear discs/ pads need manual adjustment by screwing the piston as it is attached to the handbrake mechanism. You also need to adjust as the pads as they wear just like shoes or you end up with excessive pedal travel.