WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR BRZ TODAY?

[tarzan_nojane]

Originally Posted by dpfarr

Did my pads this afternoon. Very happy to have done the whole thing with needle nose pliers.

Did you tighten the bolts to spec just by feel? Personally have never seen needle-nose pliers that had any sort of torque-setting capability...

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by tarzan_nojane

needle-nose pliers

My guess is that @dpfarr was referring to other cars that have the parking brake as part of the regular caliper (unlike the Twins that have a separate drum brake for the parking brake). In that case compressing the rear caliper requires a twisting motion, typically done with needle nose pliers (although there are dedicated tools for that as well).

[gen3v8]

You only need needle/long nosed pliers on a ts with good Brembo calipers. Calipers remain bolted on the car. 2 clips and 2 pins each brake caliper. Oh and a good squeeze with fingers on the pistons.

[dragoontwo]

Or Brembo style that come out the top after removing the clip and pin.

[dpfarr]

Yea, the process for brembos is new to me. 30k miles and about 3mm of pad left. Very reasonable to be able to swap track pads in while switching wheels.

[cmiovino]

Originally Posted by dpfarr

Yea, the process for brembos is new to me. 30k miles and about 3mm of pad left. Very reasonable to be able to swap track pads in while switching wheels.

It's quicker, but not exactly like "swap at a pitstop" quick.

Depending on thickness differences between the two sets of pads, you do have to move the pistons back in and the fronts take a decent amount of force. You can do it with a pad and wiggle it back and forth, but it takes some effort... especially going from a thin pad to a full one.

Pins take some effort in the front too. Best to pull them out from the rear rather than tapping from the front as you can scratch the caliper this way.

The rears being much smaller are simple all around.

... so when you think about traditional sliding calipers, there isn't a ton of advantages actually. It's just about the same effort removing one bolt, swinging the caliper away, swapping pads and/or moving only two pistons vs four, and you're good.

I've had both. They're not hard by any means, but not like half the time or anything.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by cmiovino

It's quicker, but not exactly like "swap at a pitstop" quick.

Depending on thickness differences between the two sets of pads, you do have to move the pistons back in and the fronts take a decent amount of force. You can do it with a pad and wiggle it back and forth, but it takes some effort... especially going from a thin pad to a full one.

Pins take some effort in the front too. Best to pull them out from the rear rather than tapping from the front as you can scratch the caliper this way.

The rears being much smaller are simple all around.

... so when you think about traditional sliding calipers, there isn't a ton of advantages actually. It's just about the same effort removing one bolt, swinging the caliper away, swapping pads and/or moving only two pistons vs four, and you're good.

I've had both. They're not hard by any means, but not like half the time or anything.

Need the right tools for the job. With a cheap or homemade pad spreading tool it takes minutes.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

Need the right tools for the job. With a cheap or homemade pad spreading tool it takes minutes.

If it needs to be faster than a c-clamp, I need to examine my priorities.

[dpfarr]

I had a Jetta that needed a tool that simultaneously spread and rotated the piston.

[blsfrs]

Originally Posted by dpfarr

I had a Jetta that needed a tool that simultaneously spread and rotated the piston.

I had a Passat with the same type calipers. I spent an hour trying to push and screw the piston in (the video said it would be easy) then got the loaner tool and finished each one in 3 minutes.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

If it needs to be faster than a c-clamp, I need to examine my priorities.

My favorite tool for it is actually a clutch basket holder for a motorcycle.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

My favorite tool for it is actually a clutch basket holder for a motorcycle.

OMG, yes.


I've been doing it wrong all these years.

[blsfrs]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

My favorite tool for it is actually a clutch basket holder for a motorcycle.

Can you post a picture of the one you use. I googled around and saw some tools but I can't get my brain to see how they would work on brake calipers.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by blsfrs

Can you post a picture of the one you use. I googled around and saw some tools but I can't get my brain to see how they would work on brake calipers.

Like this. Tons of leverage, quick to adjust.