New to the forum, and grateful for all the others on here!

Im trying to change my rear brakes on my 04 x-type 2.5 5-speed, and am having a HELL of a time retracting my piston! Ive read all the forum postings here, and it sounds like Im doing everything I should (got the little cube tool, removed the e-brake cable, turned c-clockwise on the drivers side while applying pressure [even, what seems to me, Hurculean pressure], yadda, yadda, yadda), but the little guy will NOT go back home...he just happily spins and spins.

It doesnt seem like it should be this hard. Is there a trick that Im missing? Do I need to do it standing on my head or use only my non-dominant hand? Am I just a girly man who needs to spend a little more time with a dumb-bell before attempting such astrenuous task as changing his brakes?

Ive read that there might be tools that can be rented that would help...do these tools do the pushing and turning all at the same time?

Can someone give me very specific information on what I can do to get my piston to retract?

Next round is on me for anyone who can help me out!

CHEERS!

Spencer

 

At first one of mine didn't want to retract either....But what I did to get it going was, I Cracked open the bleeder nipple and squeezed the pistion a little with a "C" clamp and or caliper compressing tool..once I did that I remounted it rigid to the caliper cradle for leverageand pushed and turned and it went in.

 

Had the same problem changing the rear pads on my 06. The caliper tool set from Harbor Freight did the trick for me. It pushes and turns the piston at the same time. Wound both pistons right on in.

Regards:
Oldengineer

 

jajaja, I had the same problem; ok, rear passenger side, turn clockwise, AND rear DRIVER'S side, turn counter-clockwise; don't try to push the piston, you'll only ruin the tread on the bolt.I hope that helps.

 

Agreed, using "Left" and "Right" can also be confusing but they are refrenced in relationship to the driver being SEATED at the wheel and, of course, facing the front of the car. So for a LHD car the Left side is the Driver's side but for a RHD car the Left side is the passenger side.
For either car howeverthe left will be the left no matter where the steering wheel is. The driver's perspective is the correct way to refrence what side is what.

Chris