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stuck brake calipers

To: <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Subject: stuck brake calipers
From: "Eric J Russell" <ejrussell@mebtel.net>
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 19:23:36 -0500
Seeking ideas for forcing out stuck brake caliper pistons.

I am restoring (OK, "fixing up...") an Alfa Romeo Spider. It sat 
unused for 2-3 years and the brake caliper pistons are firmly stuck.

Air pressure (80-100psi) will not get them to budge. I used a grease 
gun screwed into the caliper to force the pistons out. (The problem 
then is to clean out all the grease.)

Any ideas for methods to get the pistons out with the calipers on the 
work bench? Obviously one idea is to use the master cylinder (before 
removing the calipers from the car). That works OK for the fronts 
where I can remove them from their mounts while leaving the flexible 
hose attached. But that doesn't work on the rears (solid axle - 
flexible hose is at the diff).

One thought was to get a grease gun and fill it with cheap-o brake 
fluid. But the grease gun I tried just leaks all over the place. I 
think it'd work fine if the part that is supposed to hold the grease 
cartridge could also hold liquids.

Any other ideas?

Eric Russell
Mebane, NC
http://home.mebtel.net/~ejrussell




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