anyone local with a piston retraction tool i can borrow?

[xpress]

hi there, anyone with a draper style 1/2 inch drive piston retraction tool so i can get my pads in? i am in west london/surrey area.

[CovKid]

On a T25? You only need G clamps for that job.

[xpress]

story so far ..

tried to g out the inner piston both sides, they're stuck fast. the left side seal didn't survive trying to free the piston so i have purchased a seal kit. two bleed screws, the one on the right, the drain screw, opened that and let a good bit out, took the top off the master cylinder cap. still no joy. i might have to get a 1/2" drive draper tool that gives more accurate and even push on the whole of the piston to free them. will definitely have to recon one, but i might have to take them both off, strip them, take the pistons out and autosol polish them and reassemble. i guess i can try and pop them out with a footpump once off the van. i have a seal kit for one side.

i will look at my finances, however, if i am going to replace both front discs, i am just going to chop them in for a set of recons.

[CovKid]

Ah didn't realise you were still trying to work on those. As others have said its often a false economy and you might be better off picking up some S/H ones

[CovKid]

If you're renewing seals I think it'll be a combination of lots of plus gas, possibly heat and even a club hammer in the right places.

[jamesc76]

these are things that will save your life, and stop you killing others! NEVER mess about with brakes if they wont budge get rid and get new ones!!!! It just aint worth it!

[Tug]

Mmm

Im afraid I agree to. My finances are a bit short at the mo but ive had to bite the bullet and purchase 2 recon calipers as both mine are shot. One is binding and I cannot undo the bleed nipples (Fluid needs changing).
Remember these things way in excess of 2 ton and when they are moving thats a lot of weight to stop. You dont want the brakes failing matey. My calipers were quite resonable. Euro parts or GSF are the best priced.

[xpress]

i think it's pretty likely i am going to chop them in for recon ones.

the outer pistons on both sides g clamped out nice and easy. am i right in thinking both pistons on each side should turn back quite easily with a g clamp with the same/not too much force?

i think the pistons that are stuck move forward with tons of hydraulic pressure but for my purposes they're maybe not going to come out easily. i was going to clean the edges and inspect them, if i have to take the calipers off, and it's not much trouble to pop the pistons out, then i will assess, if not i will chop them in. thanks for your advice. it might not be worth spending out 25 quid on a retraction tool for calippos that are shot.

[xpress]

i went outside with a brake spanner set, i had 10 and 12mm but not 11! so i didn't even really get going on it, i know how easy it is to strip the faces of the unions with normal spannering.

secondly, there's no point doing crusty crudded up 25+ year old calipers without new brake pipes for the calipers, so i am going to get some made up before i even start, you can betcha that they're going to snap and they're not worth reusing anyway, do people make do with what's on there or do they make up new ones?

does anyone know, what size pipe do i need and what size unions? also i can't remember how it went on, i used to keep a bit of scrap pipe and flexi hose just to jog my memory, the bottom of the brake flexi pipe, does that turn anticlockwise out of the brake pipe union, sort of pulling the spanner up and towards you, to undo?

[CovKid]

If it were me (and it was the first job I ever did on my bus), is fit brake lines that last longer than the cheapo sets - do the lot. In fact I bought the pipes plus new rear cyclinder and new front discs and pads before the bus arrived. I have learnt over many many years that on something unknown, its best to start with a brand new braking system then worry about minor things like engine, body etc. When you consider how much man hours you're putting in on this, you might just as well replace whats there. That way you KNOW you can trust them....

I know theres a cost attached to that but its nothing compared to sliding sideways out of control when you have to brake in a real emergency. Been there, done that.