So just put new rotors and pads on the rover. Pretty straight forward job, but not without some aggrivations of course.

Here is my question. The front caliper has two pistons instead of one like the rear. I used a 'rent-a-tool' from auto zone to push the pistons back. Don't have any c-clamps but the auto zone tool was free, so moving on...
The tool could only do one piston at a time. The first front caliper I pushed each piston back separately. On the second on, I used the old brake pad and used a different clamp (kind of like a c-clamp) to push both pistons back as evenly as I could.

Would pushing one piston back, and then the other ruin my caliper? I am hoping not, but I thought maybe I read somewhere that it's not good...

The truck seems to brake fine, but just making sure I didn't mess something up...

Thanks

 

If the other piston didn't pop out while you did it, you're fine.

 

What is now wrong with your brakes? I always push both pistons back a the same time. Did you also flush your brak system with 2 quarts of DOT 4?

 

Thanks jafir.

Mike, nothing wrong the brakes. Just changed them and bled them with new dot 4 fluid. Just wanted to make sure I didn't mess up my pistons. Sounds like from what jafir says, they are fine.

 

Your fine... only way to mess it up really is to pop out a piston or booger the seals up by pushing on those instead of the piston face. Sounds like you have nothing to worry about.

 

I push pistons back one at a time with the same c-clamp. Never had an issue. Like the others said, as long as the other didn't come out or unseat then you're fine.

Are your brakes doing something weird? It takes a little bit for the new pads and rotors to break-in.

 

Nothing weird going on that I can tell. Braking is nice and smooth. The new pads and rotors are great. How long do they take to brake in? Also any special instructions for brake in?

 

They will eventually seat themselves if you do nothing, that's why new rotors have the "cross hatch" marks on them. To be honest, it's more important IMO if you are putting new pads on older rotors. The reason being is until they are "broken in" you are basically stopping on the high ridges that are on the rotors. Breaking in is essentially just wearing the grooves on your rotor into your brake pad face. I generally take them up to 40-50mph and step on it pretty good until I stop and repeat a few times (within reason, you don't need ABS to kick in to accomplish this). Make sure afterward you drive around and let them cool down before parking it. Rotors will warp if you park when they are overly hot. What happens is the heat will dissipate on the open are of the rotor than behind the area covered by the caliper. This cooling at different rates can cause your rotor to warp prematurely.

 

Here is how I push the pistons back.

1) Since the pads you have in there when you start the job are bad anyway -
hammer in a screw driver between the pads and the rotor.

2) Work a gap in between the pads and the rotor.

3) pry back the pads to make large gaps.

4) Fill in the gap on one side with a large screw driver.

5) On the other side pry a large gap as you can.

This pushes the pistons back in - using the existing pads.

Sort of a hack but it works.