Winding back calipers - painful story

[deadmau5]

I put some new discs, calipers and pads on the rear today as well as bleeding them. I wound the calipers back just far enough to fit them over the disc and pads, but they were binding ever so slightly.

I'm not sure whether this is a stupid question or not, but can the calipers wind themselves back, or will they only ever go as far back as you wind them? I'm asking because after I had put everything back together I went for a 30 second drive to make sure they were working but it always felt like the car was being held back slightly. When I got back I touched the disc to see if it was warm and actually heard the skin on my finger sizzle. Ouch!

Is this likely to be because I haven't wound it back far enough or is it likely to be something else?

 

[Foxspeed]

you have answered your own question...

they wind back almost flush - you fit the pads and caliper then pump the pedal and work the handbrake to make the pistons take up the adjustment

is the handbarke fully off - ie the arms on the calipers againt the stops?

if the handbarke is over adjusted it will cause binding brakes

 

[deadmau5]

Cheers, I was hoping you'd show up .

I'll have to try again tomorrow!

 

[Foxspeed]

Cheers, I was hoping you'd show up .

I'll have to try again tomorrow!

double check what you have done - check the small levers on the back of the caliper that work via the handbrake cable - these should be fully back on the stops when the handbrake is off...

if all seems fine then wind the psitons back in and start again

also make sure the springs on the tops of the new pads are sitting correctly in the "fist" of the caliper (the u shaped ones)

if the handbrake needs adjusting you need to undo the screws at the rear sides of the centre console to get to the adjuster which is on the handbrake lever - aim for 3-5 clicks for fully on

 

[deadmau5]

Cheers Si. If I ever meet you I'll buy you a pint (or five)

 

[deadmau5]

Thankfully it was just a case of not having wound the caliper back far enough

 

[Foxspeed]

Thankfully it was just a case of not having wound the caliper back far enough

glad its sorted - they need to be fully back so when you press the pedal the pistons move out from the auto-adjusters and take up the adjustment correctly :thumbsup: