What do you use to compress pistons on 6 piston Brembo brakes?

[Bossdog]

Taking the caliper off to replace the pads totally defeats the quick change caliper design of being able to drop the pads in from the top.

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[Ewheels]

Taking the caliper off to replace the pads totally defeats the quick change caliper design of being able to drop the pads in from the top.

I always thought that quick change feature to be pretty useless since you still have to remove the caliper to compress the pistons. Sounds like some people are able to but I think it's much faster/easier to just remove two bolts and compress them using a tool.

 

[DrZed]

I use this, bought from rock auto: Lisle 29100

 

[galaxy]

All these tools, painful techniques, and gadgets….im the only person I know that does it this way, and it surprises me. Maybe because its a tad bit messier, but if you’re bleeding brakes anyways, I don’t see the issue…

I hook up my bleed tube to the bleeder, crack that open just the tiniest bit. Then you can push all the pistons in all the way with zero effort. Resnug your bleeder port.

Yes, it displaces that amount of fluid out the tube instead of pushing against all system pressure and back up into the reservoir. I’m bleeding anyways; don’t care. No, it doesn’t introduce air into the caliper.

Yes, I understand this technique isn’t always practical (maybe at the track), but it is the easiest, least invasive, imo.

 

[Ewheels]

All these tools, painful techniques, and gadgets….im the only person I know that does it this way, and it surprises me. Maybe because its a tad bit messier, but if you’re bleeding brakes anyways, I don’t see the issue…

I hook up my bleed tube to the bleeder, crack that open just the tiniest bit. Then you can push all the pistons in all the way with zero effort. Resnug your bleeder port.

Yes, it displaces that amount of fluid out the tube instead of pushing against all system pressure and back up into the reservoir. I’m bleeding anyways; don’t care. No, it doesn’t introduce air into the caliper.

Yes, I understand this technique isn’t always practical (maybe at the track), but it is the easiest, least invasive, imo.

You win the prize, sir.
That is technically the way you are supposed to do it. My neighbor actually got debris stuck in his brake lines from pushing the pistons in without bleeding. Usually never happens but I suppose it can.

 

[Jstang23]

You win the prize, sir.
That is technically the way you are supposed to do it. My neighbor actually got debris stuck in his brake lines from pushing the pistons in without bleeding. Usually never happens but I suppose it can.

How did debris get in the lines from pushing the pistons back without opening the system? Did a seal dissolve?

 

[Ewheels]

How did debris get in the lines from pushing the pistons back without opening the system? Did a seal dissolve?

No idea. It's possible though. The fluid gets dirty over time. Not a great idea to push that old, dirty fluid back into the system even though that's what everyone and their grandmother does, myself included.

I tried the "correct" way of opening the bleeder when compressing the pistons on my old beater car and it is much easier to do.

 

[Jstang23]

No idea. It's possible though. The fluid gets dirty over time. Not a great idea to push that old, dirty fluid back into the system even though that's what everyone and their grandmother does, myself included.

I tried the "correct" way of opening the bleeder when compressing the pistons on my old beater car and it is much easier to do.

Its got to be that it had some moisture in it for a while. Brake fluid turns pretty acidic once it comes in contact with moisture. It probably started to eat away at the lines.

 

[Bossdog]

All these tools, painful techniques, and gadgets….im the only person I know that does it this way, and it surprises me. Maybe because its a tad bit messier, but if you’re bleeding brakes anyways, I don’t see the issue…

I hook up my bleed tube to the bleeder, crack that open just the tiniest bit. Then you can push all the pistons in all the way with zero effort. Resnug your bleeder port.

Yes, it displaces that amount of fluid out the tube instead of pushing against all system pressure and back up into the reservoir. I’m bleeding anyways; don’t care. No, it doesn’t introduce air into the caliper.

Yes, I understand this technique isn’t always practical (maybe at the track), but it is the easiest, least invasive, imo.

Thank you for pointing out the obvious, I had not thought of that. I switch from track pad to street pad and the Street pad is (almost) always thicker than the street pad when I swap (unless I'm putting in fresh track pads) And, I'll be bleeding the brake fluid anyway, after a track weekend.

 

[Hack]

I use this, bought from rock auto: Lisle 29100

I have the Lisle tool as well. Works great!

On cars where I am not worried about the finish on the outside of the caliper I usually use a large pair of channel locks. It's fast and easy and I've never had an issue doing it that way.

 

[TRDFurgesson]

Offering from AP racing / Essex
https://www.essexparts.com/essex-caliper-spreader

 

[Angrey]

I take two pieces of wood and either a small pry bar, a large screw driver or a set of channel locks. These are really bougie problems. Some of you have never been shade tree mechanics and it shows And I'm being fancy because I don't want to mar/scar up the calipers, Southern engineers just pry them or plier them without the wood.

 

[TRDFurgesson]

I take two pieces of wood and either a small pry bar, a large screw driver or a set of channel locks. These are really bougie problems. Some of you have never been shade tree mechanics and it shows And I'm being fancy because I don't want to mar/scar up the calipers, Southern engineers just pry them or plier them without the wood.

That’s fine for my 30 year old Pre Taco 4x4 Toyota P/U but keep your dirty channel locks away from my 12k AP Racing calipers!!!

 

[Angrey]

That’s fine for my 30 year old Pre Taco 4x4 Toyota P/U but keep your dirty channel locks away from my 12k AP Racing calipers!!!

That's what the wood is for and truth be told, you wouldn't be able to know the difference either way. Most of the time a couple small pieces of 1"x and a decent size screw driver is enough to push/pry the pistons apart.

 

[TRDFurgesson]

That's what the wood is for and truth be told, you wouldn't be able to know the difference either way. Most of the time a couple small pieces of 1"x and a decent size screw driver is enough to push/pry the pistons apart.

I’m just giving you a hard time. I never had any issues retracing pistons with more that the used pads and my hands. With the exception of the rear std brake I use the Maddox retractor.

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