Tech Tips

[Wreck It Ralph]

Remember when you first started working on your Fiero and something kicked your butt and then sometime later someone showed you a trick to do it easier, better, or faster?

I need these tips for the newsletter. i want to do one per month. So give me all you got and i will archive them for future newsletters.

[scottb]

When changing rear brake pads, do NOT turn the pistons

[TopNotch]

When changing rear brake pads, do NOT turn the pistons

That one requires a bit of explanation, since the Fiero Store sells a tool explicitly made for turning the rear caliper piston, to retract it. But a (I think) better way to retract it is to remove the e-brake lever and push the piston in. What you must NEVER do is push the piston in with the e-brake lever in place.

[Wreck It Ralph]

Is that on all years?

[scottb]

84-87 for sire, not sure about the 88 (Steve?)......

The factory service manual says to push the pistons in with pliers,  the Fiero Store tool might be needed to rebuild the calipers

[Fierofool]

On the 86, 86, and 87's I've owned, I always removed the lever on the back of the caliper and pressed the piston back.  I remove it, repace the nut finger tight, and put a large socket over it to clamp against.  I left the pad in place against the piston to prevent the piston from turning and also it prevents the possibility of pushing the piston too far into the bore as the back of the pad will come to rest on the calliper body.  The reason I put the nut back on is to prevent the adjuster screw from going inside the calliper.  That would require disassembly and some internal parts may not be available to the general public.

When Roger and I replaced the pads all the way around on the 88 Lil' Duke Coupe, we used the same procedure. 

[Fierofool]

This might be better suited in the Tech Tips section. 

[Raydar]

I take off the parking brake lever, and (IIRC) put the nut back on.
Then I place a large socket over the nut and shaft, and use a C-clamp to press the piston back in. Always feels a little bit "dicey", but then it always works.
If you can find "Ogre's cave", through the link on Pennocks, he goes into a long dissertation about how to do it.
My take? Pretty much if you do it, and don't break anything, and your parking brake still adjusts and works, you're golden.

With that said... since '97 when I "got back into" Fieros, I've had one pre-88. Never could get the brakes right on that one, for whatever reason.

[scottb]

So we all agree to not reset the pistons by trying to turn them ( as it says in the service manual)?

[Fierofool]

I have the brake piston tool but have never used it.  I really don't know if that works, or not.  I have heard that one side turns in clockwise and the other counterclockwise.  I guess if one turns it the wrong way, the adjuster screw or whatever could be damaged. 

[TopNotch]

The main reason for not turning the pistons is age. Our calipers are very old, and while the pistons have moved out and in over the years, they haven't turned. I'd be afraid of ruining the seals if I tried to turn one.

[scottb]

The main reason for not turning the pistons is age. Our calipers are very old, and while the pistons have moved out and in over the years, they haven't turned. I'd be afraid of ruining the seals if I tried to turn one.

I disagree..... the reason for not turning the pistons is because the tech manual says not to