Ford 500 brakes

[GFNER]

I'm trying to compress the piston back into the caliper by opening the bleeder and compressing the piston with a c-clamp.I get just a small amount of fluid but the pistons wont budge, Am I missing something or are my calipers shot? The pads were worn down to where I'm replacing the rotors too.

[gunflint]

Close the bleeder and take the cap off of the break fluid reservoir.

[GFNER]

Tried that too

[Scott K]

Are you talking the rear calipers? There is a special tool, to turn the pistons back in. Otherwise if it is the fronts, the calipers may be stuck.

[Hafnutz]

Taking the cap off the reservoir won't do a thing. It should have a vent on it and the reservoir itself is not under pressure anyway. Opening the bleeder screw is not the recommended way to do it either that could let air into a closed system. The piston should just move inward and the fluid will then flow back to the reservoir. If it's the rears you need a special tool that screws the pistons back in. If it's the fronts the pistons may be be stuck but it's unlikely that both are. They are pretty hard to move. You will generally need more than a c-clamp. I have seen a vice grip clamp work if you lack the correct tool. Good luck.

[Macgyver55]

Opening the bleeder screw is not the recommended way to do it either that could let air into a closed system. The piston should just move inward and the fluid will then flow back to the reservoir.

Not really true.....Let me start off by saying, I am guilty of doing without opening the bleeder in every case, but I normally try. If it feels like the bleeder will twist off anyway, I'll take the chance and not do it. It's always been a good practice to open the bleed screw on a brake caliper before compressing the piston back into its bore. By allowing brake fluid to escape through the bleed screw rather than being forced back into the hydraulic system, no debris in the fluid -- moisture, corrosion, dirt, etc. -- can become trapped in sensitive components like the master cylinder or the proportioning valve. If the system is equipped with antilock brakes, this procedure is even more critical in order to prevent debris from ending up in the ABS hydraulic actuator assembly, a very critical, complex and expensive component.

[Hafnutz]

Can't disagree with that Macgyver. I better get with the times. Most of the brake work I did was before they had ABS actuators. I stand corrected.

[Hillbiehle]

There is a tool that you can purchase for less than $5 that will wratchet the caliper in place.

[westrush]

iF THE BLEEDER OPENS tAKE THE BRAKE LINE OFF AND THEN TRY TO PUSH THE PISTON BACK WITH THE HOSE OFF IF IT WON'T GO BACK I WOULD SAY THE CALIPER IS SHOT

[Jeremy airjer W]

West I think what you meant to say was

"If the bleeder doesn't open, take the brake line off then try to push the piston back. If it won't go back with the hose off I would say the caliper is shot."

The rear calipers have the E-brake built into the caliper. When they do this the e-brake mechanism ratchets so to speak on the piston. The piston will not push straight in because it gets caught on the e-brake mechanism. The piston needs to be turned (usually clockwise) and compressed at the same time. The turning allows the e-brake mechanism to "unlock" from the piston.

[Down2Earth]

I was helping a buddy change his break pads for the first time for him the other day. He was using the c-clamp to push the caliper back in but he couldn't budge it. I took a look and he had the screw in part of the clamp on the caliper. This doesn't work very well. i told him to turn the clamp around and it went right in. Maybe that was your problem also.