Pressing brake pedal with no pads in caliper/connected ? ( brake and disc job )
I was changing out the rear brake discs and pads.
I got a mechanic ( he claims to have been working on car's over 35 years) friend to drive over and help as I became stuck on the job as a caliper bracket bolt was stuck solid and I could not get the caliper pistons to wind back in.
I had the car on axle stand both sides so that each caliper was easily accessible.
He removed the stuck bolt and eventually wound back the piston on the one side.
Next thing I know he is in the car pumping the brake pedal several times before asking if I had done the other side !
I'd told him earlier I needed his help winding them in , also why didn't he walk to the other side to check and why did he keep pumping the pedal despite feeling it was slack before asking about the other side ??
He tried the other side after this but wouldn't wind back in and his tool snapped, he said he may have to take caliper off when he comes back ( still waiting for him)
I wonder if he did this on purpose to turn it into a bigger deal than it was to try and make it as a paid job, but he will be getting nothing from me.
I did open/loosen the brake fluid cap before I started the job
question : was it bad that he pressed the brake pedal without the brake pads being in on one side and the caliper wasn't connected just hanging loose and what could it mean ? thanks
I got a mechanic ( he claims to have been working on car's over 35 years) friend to drive over and help as I became stuck on the job as a caliper bracket bolt was stuck solid and I could not get the caliper pistons to wind back in.
I had the car on axle stand both sides so that each caliper was easily accessible.
He removed the stuck bolt and eventually wound back the piston on the one side.
Next thing I know he is in the car pumping the brake pedal several times before asking if I had done the other side !
I'd told him earlier I needed his help winding them in , also why didn't he walk to the other side to check and why did he keep pumping the pedal despite feeling it was slack before asking about the other side ??
He tried the other side after this but wouldn't wind back in and his tool snapped, he said he may have to take caliper off when he comes back ( still waiting for him)
I wonder if he did this on purpose to turn it into a bigger deal than it was to try and make it as a paid job, but he will be getting nothing from me.
I did open/loosen the brake fluid cap before I started the job
question : was it bad that he pressed the brake pedal without the brake pads being in on one side and the caliper wasn't connected just hanging loose and what could it mean ? thanks
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by Cleverboy1991
I was changing out the rear brake discs and pads.
I got a mechanic ( he claims to have been working on car's over 35 years) friend to drive over and help as I became stuck on the job as a caliper bracket bolt was stuck solid and I could not get the caliper pistons to wind back in.
I had the car on axle stand both sides so that each caliper was easily accessible.
He removed the stuck bolt and eventually wound back the piston on the one side.
Next thing I know he is in the car pumping the brake pedal several times before asking if I had done the other side !
I'd told him earlier I needed his help winding them in , also why didn't he walk to the other side to check and why did he keep pumping the pedal despite feeling it was slack before asking about the other side ??
He tried the other side after this but wouldn't wind back in and his tool snapped, he said he may have to take caliper off when he comes back ( still waiting for him)
I wonder if he did this on purpose to turn it into a bigger deal than it was to try and make it as a paid job, but he will be getting nothing from me.
I did open/loosen the brake fluid cap before I started the job
question : was it bad that he pressed the brake pedal without the brake pads being in on one side and the caliper wasn't connected just hanging loose and what could it mean ? thanks
I got a mechanic ( he claims to have been working on car's over 35 years) friend to drive over and help as I became stuck on the job as a caliper bracket bolt was stuck solid and I could not get the caliper pistons to wind back in.
I had the car on axle stand both sides so that each caliper was easily accessible.
He removed the stuck bolt and eventually wound back the piston on the one side.
Next thing I know he is in the car pumping the brake pedal several times before asking if I had done the other side !
I'd told him earlier I needed his help winding them in , also why didn't he walk to the other side to check and why did he keep pumping the pedal despite feeling it was slack before asking about the other side ??
He tried the other side after this but wouldn't wind back in and his tool snapped, he said he may have to take caliper off when he comes back ( still waiting for him)
I wonder if he did this on purpose to turn it into a bigger deal than it was to try and make it as a paid job, but he will be getting nothing from me.
I did open/loosen the brake fluid cap before I started the job
question : was it bad that he pressed the brake pedal without the brake pads being in on one side and the caliper wasn't connected just hanging loose and what could it mean ? thanks
Oh here we go again...
Why don't you take your car to actual reputable mechanics instead of some bloke coming to your driveway?!
Sounds like that 'mechanic' has made a rookie error. Hard to say if he's done it on purpose or if he's just stupid. If I were you I wouldn't let him near your car again!
Doesn't sound like a v good friend if you can't outright ask him 'WTF are you doing to my car?'
As above, I wouldn't let someone muck about with my car like that, when you pay people you have a degree of recourse or expressing dissatisfaction, you can insist on standards...otherwise you can end with your car (computer...fusebox...boiler ect) sitting in bits surrounded by broken tools and your pal shrugging with a bit gormless grin 'Ah well, I had a crack at it, later!'
As above, I wouldn't let someone muck about with my car like that, when you pay people you have a degree of recourse or expressing dissatisfaction, you can insist on standards...otherwise you can end with your car (computer...fusebox...boiler ect) sitting in bits surrounded by broken tools and your pal shrugging with a bit gormless grin 'Ah well, I had a crack at it, later!'
I realise this is a bit late, but if you're needing tool snapping force to push a piston in then you're doing it wrong. It's possible that the piston is a bit corroded and not sliding properly, which is a great recipe to wear out brake pads in a big hurry. It's also possible/likely that your rear calipers have pistons which need to be rotated at the same time as being squeezed, it's related to the automatic adjustment of the handbrake. If that's the case you could be looking at new calipers. Some cars may even need a (high end) code reader or computer to be used when retracting the pistons, I think my dad's Merc did.
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