Which vehicles require rotate caliper piston

[dbeau]

Quick question cause Google isn’t helping. Is there a rule of thumb or general way of knowing which vehicles require to rotate the rear caliper piston while compressing?

I know my civic requires it. My family members ford sedan does too. But not all do right? I know it is a function of the parking brake just not sure why some do and some don’t.

Is this a characteristic of older vehicles? Are newer vehicles still requiring this?

I’m trying to decide if I want to buy the tool or not for future projects.

Thanks

 

[slacktide_bitog]

You need the tool when the parking brake is integrated into the rear disc brakes and runs off the rear pads/calipers

However, that setup is very prone to rear caliper failure, especially when you don't use the parking brake regularly, so you often have to replace the calipers anyway

The tool is not needed on systems that have separate parking brake shoes inside the disc.

 

[ctechbob]

^^^^^

What he said. If the parking brake cable is attached to the caliper, usually you'll need to turn them to compress.

Plenty of newer vehicles use electronic brakes as well, which is a whole other can of worms I'm not particularly fond of. Complicating a system just for the hell of it.

 

[MrHorspwer]

Plenty of newer vehicles use electronic brakes as well, which is a whole other can of worms I'm not particularly fond of. Complicating a system just for the hell of it.

Because a cable from a ratcheting lever or pedal, to an equalizer, then another pair of cables (which often seize if not used), to a caliper with a rotating adjuster in the piston (that also seizes when not used) is just the most simple, least failure prone system.

A DC motor is so much more complicated

 

[Marcozi]

Subaru's used to require rotating the piston to retact the piston.

 

[b_b]

basically every modern sedan built within the last 20 years will have the parking brake integrated into the rear piston. when you take it off it will be obvious if it need to be rotated. it will either be designed to rotate or it wont.

 

[TiGeo]

Anything with a manual parking brake hooked to the rear caliper.

 

[Marcozi]

Anything with a manual parking brake hooked to the rear caliper.

My 2018 M240i has parking brake shoes and the rear discs have parking drums.

 

[tshephard]

Because a cable from a ratcheting lever or pedal, to an equalizer, then another pair of cables (which often seize if not used), to a caliper with a rotating adjuster in the piston (that also seizes when not used) is just the most simple, least failure prone system.

A DC motor is so much more complicated

And that may freeze - cable to jacket.

 

[CarDoc66]

Quick question cause Google isn’t helping. Is there a rule of thumb or general way of knowing which vehicles require to rotate the rear caliper piston while compressing?

I know my civic requires it. My family members ford sedan does too. But not all do right? I know it is a function of the parking brake just not sure why some do and some don’t.

Is this a characteristic of older vehicles? Are newer vehicles still requiring this?

I’m trying to decide if I want to buy the tool or not for future projects.

Thanks

An effective caliper tool can be had dirt cheap on amazon...... 25 bucks gets you a set that will do just about any car. If you have two cars that require it it's already paid for itself.

 

[John105]

You need the tool when the parking brake is integrated into the rear disc brakes and runs off the rear pads/calipers

However, that setup is very prone to rear caliper failure, especially when you don't use the parking brake regularly, so you often have to replace the calipers anyway

The tool is not needed on systems that have separate parking brake shoes inside the disc.

Tell me about it, my 1998 Maxima was like that. Once the original rears got replaced. It was hit/miss with remanuf calipers. Sometimes failing in a year. I really don’t use the parking brake on any car as a result, and I get that my fear is unfounded. Sometimes I wonder if a manual car ever simply rolled away being in gear

 

[14Accent]

As many have said, any rear caliper that incorporates a parking brake mechanism will require a caliper retraction tool.

The caveat to that rule: electric parking brakes THAT UTILIZE THE CALIPER. In that arrangement, once the caliper has been placed into "maintenance mode", the piston can be compressed like any other caliper: straight back.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Tell me about it, my 1998 Maxima was like that. Once the original rears got replaced. It was hit/miss with remanuf calipers. Sometimes failing in a year. I really don’t use the parking brake on any car as a result, and I get that my fear is unfounded. Sometimes I wonder if a manual car ever simply rolled away being in gear

Yup! I had a 4th gen too

For any 4th gens that still exist and haven't rotted out yet (yes, I had the radiator support go on me too!), you can finally get all-NEW calipers! I wish they had existed when I had my 4th gen

 

[Nick1994]

My friend’s ‘13 Elantra is like that in the rear.

My Sonata might be too. Changing its brakes soon.