Rear disc brake pads

[jdhunt3]

After only 20,000 miles, my rear disc pads are paper thin and need to be replaced ASAP. I've got plenty of experience replacing pads in other cars, so I felt confident I could tackle this job. I removed the calipers, but once they are removed I cannot get the piston to move back in using the tried and true C-clamp method. Does anyone know the trick to get the piston to seat back in the rear caliper?

[dbikers]

i've seen on some rear calipers that you need to turn the piston (with some non-marring pliers or something) rather than just using a C-clamp like the front ones ...rear pads shouldn't be gone at 20k should they?

[praxmail]

I have 30k miles on mine and the rear pads are gone and the rotors are too thin to be turned. I am beginning to wonder if there is something wrong with the design. The dealer was no help and said that brakes arent covered under the "bumper to bumper" warranty. So I got the new rotors and pads but I cannot get the piston to compress at all . I have tried turning it with a special tool, compressing it with a c clamp but it will not compress enough to put the new pads on. I even tried bleeding it a little bit to relieve some of the pressure but nothing worked.

I am searching everywhere on the net and trying to talk to different people to figure it out but this one has got me stumped. If anyone has the secret please let me know. I will post the answer here if I figure it out.

Thanks,

Robert

[rjtanguay]

If you are changing the pads or rotors on your free star, the only way to compress the calipers is with a tool, I found this out the hard way too, After 2 hrs of triyng to compress them, screw them in, etc.etc.etc, I called auto zone, theylent me the tool for free, it applies significant pressure to the caliper while screwing it back down. It took me 14 minutes to change the second set of pads, from start to finish, good luck.

[Colorado Mountain Driver]

Changed my pads, needed to use compression tool which spins piston. Worked great on drivers side, but on passenger side did not. Believe that passeger side compresses counter clockwise base upon arrows on caliper but it froze up. Ended up replacing caliper. Good luck. My brakes only lasted 20K.

[dwat2005]

I have the same problem as others here. brakes wearing too quickly and I got stranded last sunday calling roadside assistance when my rear caliper locked up. my dealership says they wont get a part for 30 days. so I called ford usa and told them they can pull the same part off a car on the assembly line and ship it to me....the guys in service told me it was a bad design of the calipers that even chevy used to use the design but they scrapped it....hmm makes you wonder..

[glenncof]

Special; caliper compression tool.

I did a search on the above in Google and I found that Hummers, Mustangs, and some Nissian require "special" compression tool that turns while compressing. There may be others. It appears this is part of the parking brake system therefore doesn't apply to fronts. Here are two url's on the Hummer tool (I'm not recommending them for this application.):

http://www.redhummer.com/myhummer/to...Mooretool.html

http://www.bluehummer.com/rebrcacoto.html

At least two issues remain.

ColoradoMountianDriver identified one possible issue; does passenger side go counter-clockwise (which would require a second tool) ? This should be resolved before attempting as it could cause serious binding and probable damage if this is correct. This can be checked via Ford P/N's. If they are the same then the calipers would be identical. I looked at Motorcraft site and no listing, need to ask dealer parts guy. ColMtDr indicated a differnt arrow direction.

Another may be the thread pitch of the tool; ideally it should be the same otherwise binding may occure. Slippage can occure between the tool and the piston but this would not be a good approach given the force.

Searching the Mustang forum may give a clue also on this items.

I would like to know the manufacture/model number on the Freestyle caliper(s) if someone finds them.

I did read where someone on a Hummer used needle nose pliers into two notches on the piston to turn it. One person suggested PepBoy's for loaner.

BTW, I assume rears are not dual piston like the fronts. Right ?

[glenncof]

More info but not the full solution yet...

I checked Chiltons manual on 1998 Mustang. It shows a tool with a disc and two alignment nibs that mate with the piston and has a handle. The diagram says to turn clockwise and say not to use C-clamp or needle nose plier as damage to the dust boot may occure.

There is no part number for the tool.

rjtanguay, Is this the type of tool you used on FreeStar ?

[glenncof]

NOTE THE LH CALIPER PISTON TURNS CLOCKWISE AND THE RH CALIPER PISTON TURNS COUNTERCLOCKWISE.

per TSB

See post at http://www.myfordfreestyle.com/forum...hp?p=5930#5930

[R-WEST]

Don't know how germane this is to the discussion, but, the wife's Freestyle had a caliper on the passenger side rear hanging up at 22K miles. She came in the house one day and said "something smells really hot on the car" (words we just love to hear!! ). The dealer changed the caliper/pads/rotor under warranty. Yessss!!