Galaxie500XL Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 Just a quick check, just to make sure. To retract the rear disc pistons on my '95 Cutlass, remove the parking brake lever, then turn while pressing in...counterclockwise on driver side, clockwise on passenger side, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 Just a quick check, just to make sure. To retract the rear disc pistons on my '95 Cutlass, remove the parking brake lever, then turn while pressing in...counterclockwise on driver side, clockwise on passenger side, right? I think its clockwise on both. Don't quote me, but that's how I always remember doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted May 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 That's why I was asking...found several different answers when searching the site. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 hmm...... i remember it being clockwise for both sides as well. if you go the wrong way, it shouldn't cause problems though, you'll just have to work more to get it where you want it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliasCT Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 I just did a brake job on my 93 GP. It was clockwise on the passenger side, and I thought I had remembered it being clockwise on the driver side as well. Nope, it didn't budge. Tried doing counter-clockwise on the driver side and it went in just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 93 is the older style rear calipers, they may be different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted May 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 Hence the irony of asking the question. I find it interesting that even my factory service manual neglects to mention WHICH DIRECTION to turn the piston. Epic fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted May 14, 2011 Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 93 is the older style rear calipers, they may be different. I find it interesting that even my factory service manual neglects to mention WHICH DIRECTION to turn the piston. Epic fail. I want to stress that the calipers may be different from early to later model years. That said, when working on the rear brakes of my '92 and '93 Luminas, I find it much easier to NOT TURN THE PISTONS. Just DON'T. I remove the park brake lever from the back of the caliper--one nut, one washer, lever pops right off--then PUSH THE PISTON STRAIGHT IN, let the friggin' screw turn instead of the piston. It's much easier for the screw to turn on it's small sealing o-rings than to spin the bigass piston on it's huge sealing rings. Later calipers MAY be different. Sorry I can't give specifics. I would EXPECT that the piston screws in based on which direction the park brake lever turns the adjusting screw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted May 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 Thanks, everyone, for the information. I'll be headed outside, assuming the rain stops, and doing the brakes in a little while. I'll let you all know what I find out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted May 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 '95 Cutlass Driver side rear caliper piston turns CLOCKWISE to retract. The worthless square tool didn't help, it was about the size of the opening in the caliper. 14" double-jointed straight needle nose pliers work great. The rotor on the driver's side is toast. Cannot get it to release from the hub. Any suggestions? I'm soaking the lugs and center of the hub in PB Blaster now. It started raining (of course), so I'm in a holding pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted May 14, 2011 Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 i've hammered them off without damaging anything before. heat usually does wonders too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted May 14, 2011 Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 Yeah one of mine was stuck and I used s hammer and gently hit it on the back side until it came lose. PB blaster is FTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted May 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 X2 that...I hit it with PB Blaster, waited for the rain to slow down (I don't have a garage), after soaking in PB for 15 minutes, it came right out after about 10 good hits. Found the pulsation I've had on brake apply. That rotor was ugly. Found inexpensive (chinese) replacements at NAPA for $22.99. That cheap, I"m replacing the pair. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted May 14, 2011 Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 for rears? i think i got the ones for the GP for less than $9 each on rockauto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted May 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 Robert; Yes, for rears. I hadn't counted on needing any, and needed them right away. Got to fly to Texas Wednesday, and the Cutlass is the car I leave at the airport. BTW, BOTH calipers turned CLOCKWISE to retract. Removed the emergency brake lever, and they turned right in. Thanks again everyone for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted May 14, 2011 Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 You don't have to remove the parking brake cable, as least I never did... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted May 14, 2011 Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 You don't have to remove the parking brake cable, as least I never did... X2 I was able to retract the piston with no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Yeah, removing the ebrake cable isnt gonna change anything. And the only rear calipers that dont retract clockwise are ones found on the passenger side on newer Fords, i.e. 500, Freestyle and a few of the like. They have to go counterclockwise. I have this exact kit, I love it:thumbsup: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sunex-3930-Complete-Brake-Repair-Caliper-Kit-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem483b536099QQitemZ310232965273QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutlassdude96 Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Yeah, removing the ebrake cable isnt gonna change anything. And the only rear calipers that dont retract clockwise are ones found on the passenger side on newer Fords, i.e. 500, Freestyle and a few of the like. They have to go counterclockwise. I have this exact kit, I love it:thumbsup: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sunex-3930-Complete-Brake-Repair-Caliper-Kit-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem483b536099QQitemZ310232965273QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools you can rent that kit from Autozone for $15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 you can rent that kit from Autozone for $15 No you cant. The OEM branded elcheapo kit from Autozone has less adapters, is cheaper quality and doesnt have the reverse thread tool for the Fords. Im sure the AZ special will work for most people here, but im a auto tech, which means I need a more complete kit to be able to deal with any car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted May 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 I had removed the e-brake lever, because the factory service manual had said to. It didn't say to remove the cable, but I did, and it did make the job a bit easier, since I removed the caliper support, and replaced the rotors...I just rotated the caliper upside down on top of the hub, and did my work using the strut as a backstop. ...But that little square "tool" for turning the caliper piston was garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 I agree about that square tool. I tried to use it, but after I wasn't getting any where I used a needle nose and those worked great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirkdaddy Posted May 16, 2011 Report Share Posted May 16, 2011 FWIW, I have not had luck with those cheap rotors and willingly now pay a LOT more for top end rotors and they last longer, don't warp. Just my experience, YMMV. When I tried them on my on my GM minivan that was really hard on brakes being so heavy they would wear the same rate as the pads - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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