pistons on rear calipers

[mscmor]

Recently I purchased the REAR pads and rotors for my 2000 se max.

Everyting came apart ok. I am having a really hard time pressing in the piston on the caliper. They mention to do it with a c-clamp., which i tried. I actually ruined a 6 inch clamp trying to move the piston back.

Does anyone have any ideas or did I miss something. A manual says to compress the piston while everyting is assembled. You are suposed to just fit the clamp over the whole assembly and use the pad rotor and pad to press against the piston and back it off.

A manual I have mentions to remove some of the brake fluid from the reservoir before pushing back the piston. I took everyting apart on both REAR sides, including the bracket that holds the cliper. Everything came apart ok and looked alright.

What would the chances be that I have two seized REAR calipers? Is there a trick I don't know about. Also, I was thinking about loosening the little bleed valve on the caliper. Does anyone know if that is a necessary step?

Thanks.

Mike

[Dean R]

The piston screws in to retract.

[mscmor]

would that be a right handed thread, i.e. ccw to retract?

[Dean R]

clockwise to retract I used a tool from an auot parts store.

[Waveridr85]

or you can use a set of needle nose pliers

[glregez]

I just did the front and rear pads on my 1999 Maxima last weekend. First time for me on the Nissian, but many times on other cars. After replacing the rear pads and all the other parts, screwing the piston back and aligning it correctly, I still couldn?t get it align for the bolts. It took me about a half hour to realize that the ?floating pins? ( I am sure that?s not the correct name) have to be turned correctly so the flat side allows the unit to align so you can put in the bolts. It was driving me nuts for a while.

The front pads also require you to ?snap? them in. Align them, push down on the spring device on the bottom at an angle and slide toward the rotor. Another trick I had to learn.

Now I could replace all these pads in about hour, but by the time it needs it, I will have forgotten all.

Car had 40K miles, rear pads gone and the front about half gone.

[osteridge]

i replaced the back pads on mine about two weeks ago and to get the caliper to retract i had to get a tool from the local nissan dealerships where my uncle is a mechanic (great connection for "cheap" parts ha) it connects to a ratchet preferabbly one with an extension and skrew it in clockwise and it goes back... from what i hear you can get this part from auto zone

[mscmor]

after getting the tool at autozone i did the work on the rears in about an hour of so. thanks for the info!

[osteridge]

not a problem thats what im here for ha