swamp Posted July 19, 2003 Share Posted July 19, 2003 hi all, yesterday tried to change my brake pads, but couldn't shift the pins after an hour of bashing gave up and today took the car to a local spanner monkey, half an hour later spanner monkey tells me that he has changed three of the four front pads but couldn't do the other one as the piston has seized and recommends a new caliper . the point of the thread is... if you do one do you have to do the other at the same time?? iv'e found some calipers from a company called HI-SPEC they do monster kits, rotors etc but they need to know the exact size of the disc, tolerances not very high. anybody heard of them? U.K. disc =320mm am i right???? or is this all spanner monkey price fishing? cheers paul. www.hispecmotorsport.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovatt Posted July 19, 2003 Share Posted July 19, 2003 i have been looking at these myself they seem very good value. Paul E has them on his, i had a good chat to him about them the other day and he recomended them, he says they should already have the templates for the 330mm disks as thats what they put on his. what kind of prices were they quoting for the full kit ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terminator Posted July 19, 2003 Share Posted July 19, 2003 May be better to get a refurb kit, it takes alot to beat the UK brakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp Posted July 20, 2003 Author Share Posted July 20, 2003 what kind of prices were they quoting for the full kit ? not had a price yet, but there web site says £175+ vat each. toyota ones £195ish + vat cheaper and look better, only thing.....toyota buy one.....hi-spec buy two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovatt Posted July 20, 2003 Share Posted July 20, 2003 the calipers might be a little cheaper but then there is all the extra expence of rotors and the adapter bell things. can you use them with standard UK disks ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Martin F Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 Just get a refurb kit for the front calipers, about £30ish. Then an hours labour for somebody to refurb the calipers and jobs done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp Posted July 21, 2003 Author Share Posted July 21, 2003 the calipers might be a little cheaper but then there is all the extra expence of rotors and the adapter bell things. can you use them with standard UK disks ? good point, save a bit on calipers spend a lot everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp Posted July 21, 2003 Author Share Posted July 21, 2003 hi martin, were your piston/s seized good and proper. i know that the spanner monkey didn't take the caliper off he just said that he tried "everything to shift it" i guess that means different sized hammers. any ideas on the best way to free it??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon F Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 Originally posted by swamp hi martin, were your piston/s seized good and proper. i know that the spanner monkey didn't take the caliper off he just said that he tried "everything to shift it" i guess that means different sized hammers. any ideas on the best way to free it??? I had a couple of seized pistons when I did mine. I used a small g-clamp with a small piece of wood against the piston face, and another against the body of the caliper, and wound the g-clamp in, which freed off the piston. If it's the pins that have seized, these sometimes have to be cut off to release the pad, but can be drilled out by any half decent machine shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp Posted July 21, 2003 Author Share Posted July 21, 2003 cheers for that gordon. i think it's worth a go before spending possibly lots of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terminator Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 What sort of qualified mechanic says that callipers are seized without taking them off the hub, to apply direct pressure to the pistons. I would leave that garage never to return. Most repair manuals will recommend an adaptation of the method described by Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon F Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 Originally posted by Terminator Brian. Of Nazareth ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terminator Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 Doh, Sorry mate, I did not read post names. Don't know why I thought it was Brian. I'll just have a top up, that should clear things nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Need4Speed Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 spanner monkey def. somebody who thinks it's OK to change 3 of 4 pads and then tell the customer. "Recommends"? So, is it an option to drive the car away with one(!) seized piston and three new pads. It's not difficult to free a seized piston - it's not like it's rusted in after three years in the sea. Stuck would be a better word. Solution - find someone who knows what thy're doing. Fit standard UK calipers and discs - they're up to the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 Originally posted by John Packham it's not like it's rusted in after three years in the sea. Stuck would be a better word. That could be something straight out of a Haynes manual, "pistons may be a little stuck and require to be gently free'd" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon F Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 Originally posted by John Packham "Recommends"? So, is it an option to drive the car away with one(!) seized piston and three new pads. It's not difficult to free a seized piston - it's not like it's rusted in after three years in the sea. Stuck would be a better word. Yeah - for a piston, stuck is probably a better word. They can, normally, be freed by using a g-clamp (as above) or even compressed air through the caliper. The pins, on the other hand, can seize, and therefore need to be drilled out on a mill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Martin F Posted July 22, 2003 Share Posted July 22, 2003 Originally posted by Gordon Flynn or even compressed air through the caliper. That would be my method of choice, but for gods sake use a piece of wood and watch fingers. Usually once the piston is out you can see why it may have been sticking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Need4Speed Posted July 22, 2003 Share Posted July 22, 2003 Compressed air - keep your figers well clear. I did this once with only about 50psi and was very surprised when I looked to discover my fimgers still attached to my hand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp Posted July 23, 2003 Author Share Posted July 23, 2003 thanks guys, thats my saturday sorted out....piston referb kit....g clamp....extra set of fingers:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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