Caliper retraction kits

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GRAHAM WALLIS

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After buying a C4 VTS that i've had my eye on for a while I found I needed to fit new rear pads and rotors. I found that it wasn't possible to retract the pistons on the rear calipers with a screwdriver as you do with 504/505 or the earlier FWD cars. So, bought a (tool) kit from Repco for $160. Then yesterday found that Supercheap have them on special for members at $48! Good buy for those that need to use this kit, will suit a wide range of cars, has a range of attachments.
 
GRAHAM WALLIS said:
After buying a C4 VTS that i've had my eye on for a while I found I needed to fit new rear pads and rotors. I found that it wasn't possible to retract the pistons on the rear calipers with a screwdriver as you do with 504/505 or the earlier FWD cars. So, bought a (tool) kit from Repco for $160. Then yesterday found that Supercheap have them on special for members at $48! Good buy for those that need to use this kit, will suit a wide range of cars, has a range of attachments.
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Sorry Graham, picked mine up for $25. Used it twice, and paid for itself using it on the C5 front pad change and Audi A4 rears.
Chinese of course, but then for the number of times I'll use it and at that price, quite happy to buy Chinese as I don't believe I'm being ripped off.
John
 
There are some local eBay dealers who have the Chinese version at quite low prices, complete with case. Worth their weight in gold, even if you never use it again.
 
II have only changed one set of rear disc pads, I used a G clamp. At first the piston would not retract, then I remembered that you need to turn the piston as it is pushed back. All I did was turn the piston a turn and pushed back with the G clamp until the piston stopped moving, then removed the G clamp and turned the piston again. From memory I had to do this about 4 or 5 times until the piston was retracted far enough to get the calliper over the new pads.

Saved me buying or making up a tool to do the job.
 
A G clamp is useful for non-handbrake calipers, but for C5 X7 rear calipers, for example, you need the tool, and it still takes muscle. The job needs a screwing motion.
 
COL said:
II have only changed one set of rear disc pads, I used a G clamp. At first the piston would not retract, then I remembered that you need to turn the piston as it is pushed back. All I did was turn the piston a turn and pushed back with the G clamp until the piston stopped moving, then removed the G clamp and turned the piston again. From memory I had to do this about 4 or 5 times until the piston was retracted far enough to get the calliper over the new pads.

Saved me buying or making up a tool to do the job.
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Pistons weren't easy to turn as they had been on the earlier cars.
 
JAJEA said:
Sorry Graham, picked mine up for $25. Used it twice, and paid for itself using it on the C5 front pad change and Audi A4 rears.
Chinese of course, but then for the number of times I'll use it and at that price, quite happy to buy Chinese as I don't believe I'm being ripped off.
John
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No way this kit would sell for $25, a big case and a heap of different attachments with both LH and RH threaded clamps which you need for the Citroen calipers..
 
Amazing, must have ordered too many, you'd pay that for one decent ring spanner.
 
They have been selling them online for years. It's a sideline for VLAND, the car lights business.
 
Bunnings aren't cheap for these either.

If only you had posted here first. These gadgets fit Citroen, and are widely used by AF Cit owners. They are Chinese. I have no idea of the steel quality, but this job doesn't require any fancy alloy, and having the case is handy.
 
seasink said:
Bunnings aren't cheap for these either.

If only you had posted here first. These gadgets fit Citroen, and are widely used by AF Cit owners. They are Chinese. I have no idea of the steel quality, but this job doesn't require any fancy alloy, and having the case is handy.
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Was on my way home from the RWC place, had to do it that day.
 
Some of these cheapo eBay kits are seemingly made of cheese when faced with something very tight. Otherwise, they are usually OK for DIY and the brake piston retractors are not under any great load. A bearing puller is a different matter. If it's a hard job you want Facom, Sykes or similar and often for your own safety too. It also appears that the same cheapo kit can often be branded differently and given a very different price. It's anyone's guess as to whether the quality is better when you pay more for a kit that looks the same as the cheap one except for the box colour and sometimes a slightly different blowpak arrangement.
 
I think the thing to note about these cheap retractors is that they aren't particularly stressed for their rather large size threads. I have had to put some real force on one when a piston got stuck, with no harm done to piston or tool. I'd buy another. I wouldn't be buying some other tools this way, though Sykes is usually well out of my price range.

Having said that, I notice that some of my 1970s obsolete put away stuff is Sykes! Cheap Chinese didn't exist then.
 
GRAHAM WALLIS said:
No way this kit would sell for $25, a big case and a heap of different attachments with both LH and RH threaded clamps which you need for the Citroen calipers..
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Currently at the Citin in Devanport.
When home, I'll take photo of the gear and post. That price was maybe 2 years old, it is Chinese and it works. Just shows the mark up Graham that resellers charge.
In the meantime Google it - it won't be much over the $25.
John
 
horses for courses....
Lots of these on ebay, $30 or less, and look the same as others on offer from amazon and the like - usually at a bit of a premium, like double the price. Repco have a similar set for $170+, however, the finish looks a lot better than the cheap one, shows a lot of promise, probably last three or more AF'er lifetimes :)
The orientals make lots of stuff, like nail guns that look just like a real one, might even be coming from the same factory, but the insides are different to the real one.
At $30, or less, it's likely worth a punt for occasional careful use, not much to lay down is it..... :)
Bob
 
The el cheapo set (VLAND) I mentioned has done full disc replacements on at least 6 cars, twice on some, and a few simple pad changes That is probably more than most non-professionals will ever do. There is still nothing wrong with it. I might have a different view if I ran a brake shop, but the average AFer will be OK on the Chinese ones.

(And my other tools are top makes. Work that out)
 
GRAHAM WALLIS said:
So Repco have a 1000% mark up!
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So Graham, there is no need for me to confirm that $25 mark, is there?
Nevertheless, I'm sure you got a far superior tool kit, albeit not 1000 times better.
John
 
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