2000 Grand Am SE Front Brakes

[MaxCamaroZ28]

Hey, i was changing the brake pads in my grand am and got the rotor turned and when i went to put in the new pads i couldn't because of the cylinder like thing in there which doesn't give me enough room to put the caliper back on the rotor. I tried bleeding the brakes and turning on the car and all that great stuff but it just sits there like a rock, i'm really close to just putting on the caliper without the pads and driving it to a mechanic to do it right.

[justin0717]

The piston is stuck out? Thats what i get from your explination. I had a similar problem, i just used a little extra force and some grease and wd-40 and shoved the piston back in (this was after i drained the lines-the piston wasnt just forced out by brake fluid, it had gotten stuck out, im guessing from sitting for a while). Hope that may help you.

[gm-andy]

If you put the old inner pad back on,and just crack open the bleeder screw, usually a c clamp will get in unstuck. As the pads wear, it will move out too far sometimes.
Good luck

[Igovert500]

Yeah, I always use a large C-clamp and a thin piece of wood or something to apply even pressure to the piston. Just make sure the bleeder screw is open a bit, as gm-andy said, or you can do damage to your master/slave cylinders.

[CarSuperfreak]

and make sure that the piston is going into the bore straight! clamping down on even a slightly tweaked piston can easily cause it to crack. happened at the shop where i worked at. needless to say the guy was more careful from then on out, after having to replace a caliper at his own expense

[Slade901]

You don't have to open your bleeder valve. It would be better to invest in a tool Disc Break Pad Spreader KD 3376 http://www.mytoolstore.com/kd/kdbrak07.html

It is available at your local autoparts store. It would make your brake pad replacement very easy.