Brake Help

[SR_Elliott24]

Okay so I went to do a brake job on my rear brakes. I ran into trouble resetting the pistons so I just ended up take the calipers off to work with them. I pull on the lever and the piston pushes out out returns slightly less than when it went out. Turned it clockwise like I saw on some of the other brake threads. Pulled the lever again and did the same thing piston went out but didnt completely return. Should I be worried If I put them back on?

[jspaeth]

Pulled on the lever?...

Usually you just slowly turn the piston until it recedes enough to clear the new pads....what lever are you talking about?

[SR_Elliott24]

the lever for the e-brake thats on the caliper. It wasnt turning when I tried, I tried to push it in with a C-clamp like you can do on some cars(didnt know at the time you could just turn it).

[Anto]

Oooh, if you tried pushing the rear piston in with a C-Clamp, you might have destroyed the caliper...

Try opening the bleeder valve when you rotate the piston in. It should relieve some pressure on that caliper.

[SR_Elliott24]

Oooh, if you tried pushing the rear piston in with a C-Clamp, you might have destroyed the caliper...

Try opening the bleeder valve when you rotate the piston in. It should relieve some pressure on that caliper.

Really a C-clamp could break it? It didnt move anywhere with the c-clamp. I took the bleeder valve out when I started this. The thing is I got the piston back in but it doesnt fully return in. Like it goes out but doesnt go back in all the way.

[brndck]

you hafta rotate the piston clockwise to get it to turn in. thats why theres those notches in it. many different companies make a tool that fits into the notches so you can turn it. here are some examples from snap on. they're pricey but you can find cheaper options.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=75281&group_ID=1682&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=80332&group_ID=1682&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
p.s. i tried to link just pix but the snap on website won't let me.

[Anto]

He DID do that already.

Try lubing the rubber seal around the piston. When I did mine, the rubber would stick & twist with the piston.

[projectRDM]

You've got the wrong notion about how a caliper works. The piston doesn't retract when released. Whether hydraulic or mechanical, the piston pressure is used to clamp on the rotor, once that pressure is released the piston just 'gives' a little, but does not fully release. If it did, the pads would be rattling around loose in the caliper. As long as it does fully retract when you twist it in, it's fine.

[SR_Elliott24]

Ok so i turned it clockwise like everyone said to do. Bled the brakes and everything. Took it for a test drive and the make scraping sounds while driving. Any input?