xantia brake calipers

Unread post by **graham593192** » 24 Jan 2006, 23:29

HI I've just changed the front brake pads and discs on my xantia after they failed the mot this afternoon.
I had real trouble getting the cylinder/ram to retract so i could get the caliper back on with the new pads on. I ended up using a large g clamp to wind it back in.
Is there an easy way of doing this that doesn't encourage a fair amount of swearing?

jeremy · Unread post by **jeremy** » 24 Jan 2006, 23:38

You don't give much detail of your Xantia but most should be screwed in. they can be rotated with a square-shafted screwdriver placed in the grooves.

Care must be taken on some to get the correct slots on the pistons aligned with any lump on the pad.

Unread post by **graham593192** » 25 Jan 2006, 00:02

its a '95 1.8 16v hatch. I tried turning the end with a bar to screw it in as suggested in the book of lies but it just seemed tu turn and not move inwards at all.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 25 Jan 2006, 00:28

For the next time you try anything on the caliper try and get hold of something along the lines of:

http://www.toolmix.com/browse/product.a ... &pid=61700

Halfords sell a Sykes Pickavant version BUT you'll need to grind the collar on the end adapter that's included with the kit to create two big lugs to enagage onto the slots of the piston. Took 5 minutes with the grinder and IIRC the kit cost about £18. Makes the whole process quite 'pleasant' really. OK tolerable is a better word for it!!

Andrew

Mandrake · Unread post by **Mandrake** » 25 Jan 2006, 00:44

graham593192 wrote:its a '95 1.8 16v hatch. I tried turning the end with a bar to screw it in as suggested in the book of lies but it just seemed tu turn and not move inwards at all.

Be patient....

It takes a LOT of turning to retract the piston far enough to account for the difference between worn and new pads...(also make sure the handbrake linkage is free, or it wont retract) I would estimate I had to turn mine at least 10 turns.

I used a pair of poly-plyers to turn mine as I didn't have the right tool. A bit tedious but got there in the end, as long as you're careful not to pinch the boot around the piston..

Regards,
Simon

Unread post by **RichardW** » 25 Jan 2006, 07:49

I'd say more like 100 turns. If you just levered it in, chances are you've buggered the handbrake mechanism, and you will need to rebuild the calipers in a few 000 miles when the handbrake stops working

Xantia is easy compared to BX - at least you get the caliper off and can get a decent run at turning the piston - on the BX you had to do it through the pad hole in the top - now that was fun. Not.

dnsey · Unread post by **dnsey** » 25 Jan 2006, 08:43

In case it's not obvious, you need to push the piston at the same time as turning - there's a bit of a knack to it, but a suitable square bar helps a lot.