Rear Brake Caliper

[R00080]

I've had to replace the rear pads on our development car twice this year after a fair amount of heavy track use. Neither time I've put the car in any kind of maintenance mode. A bit more work than a car with a manual parking brake but nothing crazy:

1. Get the caliper motor unplugged and caliper removed from mount.
2. Unbolt motor from back of caliper (2 allen bolts) and remove motor.
3. Wind the lead screw in for the parking brake (clockwise). This can be done with either an E11 socket or pliers. The lead screw moves easily so pliers can do the job without damaging anything.
4. Compress the piston back until it bottoms out. Twisting makes it easier but isn't required.
5. Reinstall the motor onto the caliper.
6. Reassemble caliper etc.
7. Set and unset the parking brake to get the lead screw set properly to engage the parking brake for future use.

Probably not totally necessary but Honda does reccomend replacing the O ring and the allen bolts when taking the motor off the caliper.

Sponsored

 

[Austin@Wunderladen Racing]

Probably not totally necessary but Honda does reccomend replacing the O ring and the allen bolts when taking the motor off the caliper.

It certainly wouldn't hurt to replace them but I don't find it necessary. The o ring is just to keep dirt and water out and the bolts aren't being torqued to the point they're stretching so there's no harm in reusing them.

 

[R00080]

It certainly wouldn't hurt to replace them but I don't find it necessary. The o ring is just to keep dirt and water out and the bolts aren't being torqued to the point they're stretching so there's no harm in reusing them.

Yea I was going to reuse mine but the new calipers come with the O ring the bolts and the grease for the spindle.

 

[MirkeyZro]

If you want to try changing your rear brake pads, you can obtain an inexpensive pair from Amazon. With success, I utilized a piece of bicycle tire tubing from an old bike and pliers. I believe that all DIYers, myself included, have made costly mistakes.

 

[NYR2424]

I definitely should have researched more before starting. I was swapping out my rear brake pads and rotors and everything was going good. I used an Autel to get into maintenance mode and had the new rotors on but when I was trying to compress the pison on the caliper it would not budge. I started second guessing myself and knowing better decided to try putting the car back in normal mode and then back to maintenance mode. When I did that the piston drove to infinity and the car will not go back into maintenance mode. My question now is if anyone has run into this isssue. For me to swap the caliper how can I get the car back into maintenance mode? Or is that step necessary if swapping the caliper out? I did some searching but couldn't find a solid answer on that. If anyone knows I'd appreciate the advice. Thanks!

You're not the only one. Made the same mistake. Car currently at Honda getting two new rear calipers installed. Lesson learned.

Put brakes into maintenance mode using Foxwell scan tool. Brake pistons wouldn't depress manually, got jammed. I was even using a brake caliper tool to turn pistons. After awhile, got frustrated and stupidly put brakes back into normal mode and pistons popped out of calipers. Never again! Front brakes are easy, but will probably take to dealership for rear brakes from now on.

 

[R00080]

It happens. I opted to fix it myself and with the mistake wound up being cheaper than going to the dealer in the first place.

 

[NYR2424]

It happens. I opted to fix it myself and with the mistake wound up being cheaper than going to the dealer in the first place.

Good. I was just so irritated and new calipers would have taken a week to receive, so I just took it to the dealership.

Next time, if I muster up the courage to install rear brake pads myself again, I'll be sure to not make the same mistake again putting the brakes back in normal mode while calipers are out. Heck, I might not even use that scan tool, I hear you don't have to as long as parking brake is disengaged.

Also, since the original challenge was a stuck caliper piston that wasn't decompressing, if hear it's a good idea to open the brake master cylinder cap and let some fluid escape. Just have to make sure to top the fluid off when finished and not let much air in, from my understanding.

 

[AlphaDigital]

Good. I was just so irritated and new calipers would have taken a week to receive, so I just took it to the dealership.

Next time, if I muster up the courage to install rear brake pads myself again, I'll be sure to not make the same mistake again putting the brakes back in normal mode while calipers are out. Heck, I might not even use that scan tool, I hear you don't have to as long as parking brake is disengaged.

Also, since the original challenge was a stuck caliper piston that wasn't decompressing, if hear it's a good idea to open the brake master cylinder cap and let some fluid escape. Just have to make sure to top the fluid off when finished and not let much air in, from my understanding.

To be honest, the solution to me is pretty obvious. Regardless of whether or not the piston is compressing. Dont take the rear brakes out of maintenance mode until the caliper is bolted back on.

if the rear isnt compressing, do what you have to, to get the caliper remounted so that you can take it in and have it looked at.

Or am I understanding what you did incorrectly?

 

[NYR2424]

To be honest, the solution to me is pretty obvious. Regardless of whether or not the piston is compressing. Dont take the rear brakes out of maintenance mode until the caliper is bolted back on.

if the rear isnt compressing, do what you have to, to get the caliper remounted so that you can take it in and have it looked at.

Or am I understanding what you did incorrectly?

No. You're correct. I was just really frustrated, irritated and wasn't thinking. Stupid on my part. Ugh.

 

[CTR37555]

I definitely should have researched more before starting. I was swapping out my rear brake pads and rotors and everything was going good. I used an Autel to get into maintenance mode and had the new rotors on but when I was trying to compress the pison on the caliper it would not budge. I started second guessing myself and knowing better decided to try putting the car back in normal mode and then back to maintenance mode. When I did that the piston drove to infinity and the car will not go back into maintenance mode. My question now is if anyone has run into this isssue. For me to swap the caliper how can I get the car back into maintenance mode? Or is that step necessary if swapping the caliper out? I did some searching but couldn't find a solid answer on that. If anyone knows I'd appreciate the advice. Thanks!

I did the exact same thing... I'm stuck trying to get that actuator back in. The spindle just spins forever without bottoming out. May have broken the caliper.

 

[keller]

Heck, I might not even use that scan tool, I hear you don't have to as long as parking brake is disengaged.

Sorry for bringing this up this late. This is BAD info. If you are not using the scan tool, you most certainly need to manually retract the ebrake spindle before pushing the piston back in. Just disengaging the ebrake is not enough.

 

[Chizzo]

I dont understand why peeps are having issues at all with rear brakes. Just go to autozone and borrow the rear abs brake tool kit and use "F" then just turn the piston righty tighty until it bottoms out. Put your new brakes on and actuate the Ebrake 1 time to engage it. And done...no scan tool needed.

 

[Si_chRis]

I dont understand why peeps are having issues at all with rear brakes. Just go to autozone and borrow the rear abs brake tool kit and use "F" then just turn the piston righty tighty until it bottoms out. Put your new brakes on and actuate the Ebrake 1 time to engage it. And done...no scan tool needed.

This is the way. I have done this three times with no issues, and at 86K miles, no issues with my e-brake engaging/disengaging, or any dash errors.

When a thread comes up on a rear caliper/brake pad change, it is always a repeating story of a scan tool causing issues with the rear calipers, and causing dash errors.

 

[RookieOfTheGear]

When I change rear brakes I only have this cheap brake piston kit and when I say cheap it was the cheapest I could find $16.99 Amazon, I don’t enter maintenance mode no electric devices to help me. Jack the rear up release the e brake I don’t even have a #7 allen key I struggle with a 1/4 key but it works.

95% of the kit is useless for a 10th civic u only need the two compressors twist handles right and left , the big curved washer and the #7 disk .

if you have enough space to squeeze something into the piston area and rotate it backwards maybe some allen keys or needle nose pliers in the two notches on the piston face.

if you have the know how to fabricate something similar the #7 disk is roughly 1 inch 3/4 wide and the first nipple is about 3/16 in center and the second one is 1 inch 1/2 center or if it’s easier they are both 3/16 from the outside edges. I’m sorry I don’t know how to help you with ur exact situation but that is all the knowledge I have to give maybe you can use it some how. Good luck man

 

[Chizzo]

This is the way. I have done this three times with no issues, and at 86K miles, no issues with my e-brake engaging/disengaging, or any dash errors.

When a thread comes up on a rear caliper/brake pad change, it is always a repeating story of a scan tool causing issues with the rear calipers, and causing dash errors.

Hands down sooooo true. I always see issues with a scan tool, weird stuff happens to people that use it.

Sponsored