Front Pads

[Guest gs fan]

I read with interest the previous front pad topic by Stephan on C5 front pads . I wish I had read it before I started on mine . I think I may have done some damage to the o/s front caliper. I have changed front pads on all my cars but ran into trouble when I started on my C5 . None of the other cars I've owned needed this " wind back tool" I always just pushed the piston back by using a big G clamp . I followed this method but the piston would'nt move , thinking it was just stiff I increased the force on it ,no joy . I moved the lever which works the handbrake ( on the front of course ) this made the piston come further out . Now I'd given up and decided put it back together and seek help, but because I'd moved the handbrake lever a few times I now couldn't get the caliper on with the old pads in place , to get it to go on I had to put a huge amount of pressure on the piston . Now it's back together with it's old pads still in place . I took it for a run , the brakes have a long travel and feel spongy and the handbrake has a long travel , which it didn't have before and it's not holding near as well . I reckon I've made a right mess of the job . Would any of the experts like to suggest what I should do now?? HELP!!!

[kfk]

well as you have probably deduced by reading other posts there is an internal thread that is part of the handbrake mechanism.

 

If i was you i would remove the caliper and pads again and with the knowledge you now have try winding the piston back whilst applying slight pressure to the piston until it returns fully into the caliper.

 

Having wound the piston back make sure the piston is lined up with the metal locating lug on the brake pad and reassemble.

 

operate the footbrake to bring the pistons out to meet the pads and apply the brakes......do this several times to activate the self adjuster for the handbrake in the caliper piston. Check the brake cable when fitted is released and that the clearance between the bottom adjusting nut and the cable retainer is about 0.5mm.....if not slaken or tighten acordingly.

 

Do not adjust the handbrake on the cable as this will affect the operaion of the brake and may cause the pads/caliper to sieze when hot.

 

Hopefully you wont have done any damage, let us know how you get on

[Guest gs fan]

well as you have probably deduced by reading other posts there is an internal thread that is part of the handbrake mechanism.

 

If i was you i would remove the caliper and pads again and with the knowledge you now have try winding the piston back whilst applying slight pressure to the piston until it returns fully into the caliper.

 

Having wound the piston back make sure the piston is lined up with the metal locating lug on the brake pad and reassemble.

 

operate the footbrake to bring the pistons out to meet the pads and apply the brakes......do this several times to activate the self adjuster for the handbrake in the caliper piston. Check the brake cable when fitted is released and that the clearance between the bottom adjusting nut and the cable retainer is about 0.5mm.....if not slaken or tighten acordingly.

 

Do not adjust the handbrake on the cable as this will affect the operaion of the brake and may cause the pads/caliper to sieze when hot.

 

Hopefully you wont have done any damage, let us know how you get on

[Guest gs fan]

well as you have probably deduced by reading other posts there is an internal thread that is part of the handbrake mechanism.

 

If i was you i would remove the caliper and pads again and with the knowledge you now have try winding the piston back whilst applying slight pressure to the piston until it returns fully into the caliper.

 

Having wound the piston back make sure the piston is lined up with the metal locating lug on the brake pad and reassemble.

 

operate the footbrake to bring the pistons out to meet the pads and apply the brakes......do this several times to activate the self adjuster for the handbrake in the caliper piston. Check the brake cable when fitted is released and that the clearance between the bottom adjusting nut and the cable retainer is about 0.5mm.....if not slaken or tighten acordingly.

 

Do not adjust the handbrake on the cable as this will affect the operaion of the brake and may cause the pads/caliper to sieze when hot.

 

Thanks for your help , a friend knew where we could borrow a caliper winder and we,ve tried to get the piston to go in , it turns and goes about half way then stops solid . He knows more on the car maintenance front than I do and he reckons that the right hand caliper may be faulty because the disk wear is uneven , the right hand disk is hardly worn , the left is well worn . He thinks I need new disks too. So it looks like a trip to my friendly dealer for his advice .

Thanks again though for the advice on the procedure .

Jack

 

 

Hopefully you wont have done any damage, let us know how you get on