Rear brake caliper overhaul

[Mighty306]

Had a busy few weeks so first chance yesterday to have a crack at getting the springs back in the caliper pistons.  In short, using a socket to force the spring back in does work.  I used a socket of the perfect size to fit inside the piston, but this isn't quite wide enough to get the spring started on its journey.  I had to get everything lined up just right with slight pressure on the spring and then gently press the ends of the spring in, hoping they'd stay there while getting a bit more compression on the socket.  An extra pair of hands would have been a big help.  Either that or it has since occurred to me a jubilee clip of the right size could be used to squash the spring sideways while compressing it in to the piston (a bit like a piston ring compression tool)

The first couple of times the spring didn't go in square.  When only one half of it locks in to the groove inside the piston it throws the washer out that sits on top of the internal mechanism.  You can't then get the rest of the spring to clip in to place and have to take it out and start again.  So, ....another job requiring plenty of patience.

Sorry for the poor quality pics, but you get the idea ....

   

   


Or ...if you need new pistons you could go down the easy route and purchase ones with internals already fitted.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REAR-Brake-Ca...SwImRYD0Mw  They use circlips to hold the internals in place ...much more sensible!