[five_star]

Finally got round to attempting to changing the rear pads on the ST, what a nightmare! Originally when I did the fronts the disks were slightly lipped but a bit of force on the piston pushed it back enough to get the old pads off the disc and do the swap. However, on the rear disc the lip is slightly more pronounced, enough to mean I can't get the old pads past the lip without pushing the piston back.

The problem is I couldn't get the rear brake piston to retract. I know I need to wind back the piston once I have the pads off, but I can't get them off in the first place!

Does anybody have any experience of doing a rear brake pad change on the ST? I was totally stumped all afternoon and eventually had to put the wheels back on pads unchanged.

 

[troy45]

Not having done rear pads on a car before, the first time I did it had me stumped at first too.

But it's actually easier than you think - you don't have to pull the caliper and pads away fron the disc as a set. The caliper lifts away on its own, leaving the pads still located in the caliper bracket. These can then be pulled out sidewards away from the disc. You need to make sure you've unbolted the caliper sider pins (7mm allen key) and not the main bracket holding the caliper assy to the hub.

The caliper will be tight on the pads as the fixed pad has a glue backing which sticks it to the 'fingers' at the rear side of the caliper, opposite side to the piston- to help it along I levered the caliper upwards gently using a big flat screwdriver putting the pressure on the caliper bracket/hub and not the disc.

This should help you

 

[ST tyrone]

Its simples. Just did mine last weekend. As Troy has said. Remove the two slider bolts. Put a screwdriver under the caliper and pries it off. Even if there is a lip it should still go. Remember to have the handbrake off! The trickiest part for me was winding back the piston, I used a pair of long nosed pliers, Probably easier with the correct tool.

 

[Dabhand16]

I've been fitting pads for a long time now - sometimes to discs that are badly lipped too. Not done the ST yet but it should not be any different.

I remove the cap from the brake fluid reservoir and use a sturdy screwdriver or short crowbar with a thin end to GENTLY put pressure on the brake pads. You can use a twisting motion rather than levering initially. With care you will not break or scratch the disc. You will find that the pads will go back into the caliper gradually. The brake fluid has to be forced down very narrow tubes/channels hence they will not just pop back. Firm gentle constant pressure will do it. As the pad goes back I reposition the lever further in to keep the angle to the disc low.

Check that the brake fluid will not overflow as the pad goes back into the caliper.

 

[five_star]

It does sound easier that it seemed on Sunday. I’m having a hard time visualising the process, if you remove the two calliper pins do you have to release the parking brake cable too? I was worried about this as I wasn’t sure how the parking brake cable re attached.

 

[fishface31a]

QUOTE(five_star @ 19 Jan 2010, 08:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It does sound easier that it seemed on Sunday. I'm having a hard time visualising the process, if you remove the two calliper pins do you have to release the parking brake cable too? I was worried about this as I wasn't sure how the parking brake cable re attached.

No you dont have to take the handbrake cable off! As Troy said just make sure the handbrake itself is released and it will come off no problem! If you dont have the correct wind back tool you can carefully use a pair of water pump pliers and thumb pressure to wind the pistons back into the calipers! I dont think Dabhands idea would work on the rear brakes if the lip is very pronounced as the handbrake stops the pistons from retracting far enough! Also (on non-handbrake calipers) unless the master cylinder was absolutely full (unlikely if you have a lip that big on the discs and worn out pads!) you can push the pistons back without the need to remove the cap!