03protege Senior Member

Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Louisiana Posts: 3,105

Make a brake pad spreader!



So naturally I have been looking/buying brake related tools.



My biggest pet peeve of brake jobs is bleeding the brakes, now that I got that handled I decided to focus on my second least favorite part which is retracting the brake piston. In the past I have always used a C-Clamp and HATED it but I didn't (and still don't) want to drop $30-50 on a sweet pad spreader. I was contemplating making a socket driven one but I didn't feel like welding or going to buy the hardware.



Anyway in the middle of the brake job, the point at which I was suppose to go dig for a C-Clamp, I had a vision. I couldn't get it out of my head how much the brake pad spreader looked like a caulk gun.





http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-24300-Sp...d_sim_sbs_hi_6



There is actually several zillion caulk guns that use that same grip/mechanism.



Then I remembered I had a caulk gun stashed away under the work bench I hadn't used in 5 years.





I zip-tied the grip in case I got carried away with the angle grinder.





A few seconds later..









When I have the time I am going to modify it by making the plunger smaller so it fits inside of the piston and I am going to make the part that catches on the caliper smaller so that it fits a little better in different scenarios. I also need to shorten the rod as the brake pistons don't need anywhere near that amount of travel.



Well if you read my pressurized brake bleeder thread you probably heard me mention I am doing my families brake jobs and the list is growingSo naturally I have been looking/buying brake related tools.My biggest pet peeve of brake jobs is bleeding the brakes, now that I got that handled I decided to focus on my second least favorite part which is retracting the brake piston. In the past I have always used a C-Clamp and HATED it but I didn't (and still don't) want to drop $30-50 on a sweet pad spreader. I was contemplating making a socket driven one but I didn't feel like welding or going to buy the hardware.Anyway in the middle of the brake job, the point at which I was suppose to go dig for a C-Clamp, I had a vision. I couldn't get it out of my head how much the brake pad spreader looked like a caulk gun.There is actually several zillion caulk guns that use that same grip/mechanism. http://www.amazon.com/Newborn-Brothe..._sbs_indust_10 Then I remembered I had a caulk gun stashed away under the work bench I hadn't used in 5 years.I zip-tied the grip in case I got carried away with the angle grinder.A few seconds later..When I have the time I am going to modify it by making the plunger smaller so it fits inside of the piston and I am going to make the part that catches on the caliper smaller so that it fits a little better in different scenarios. I also need to shorten the rod as the brake pistons don't need anywhere near that amount of travel.