Would someone who has replaced the front pads themselves please confirm that the front brake pistons press back into the caliper (i.e. they don't turn back in).
Thanks

 

Yup, they just go straight back. Here are the calipers and pads from my 2020 Td6 that I removed at around 775 miles. TRW two-piston, floating caliper.

 

Yup. Used a big C clamp on my 2017. The only unexpected part was the inner fender well pieces you need to take off to replace the sensor. Next time it will be an easy 30 minute job.

 

I thought I'd replied but I don't see it. Thanks very much for the pictures and answer.
I'm not changing the sensor. If it hasn't touched the rotor it's still good to use.

 

For those of you who have changed out your pads, what condition were your rotors in?

Took mine in for service and was told the rears were down to 2mm (no wear indicator had come on). It'll be over $1k to change because they say the rotors have to be changed as well (policy).

WTF??

 

I measured my rotors and they were still in spec. They weren’t damaged or pulsating so I did not change them or even have them machined. That might be your dealers policy but you don’t have to abide by it or even have it done there unless you have some lease requirement. My dealer didn’t require new rotors or even new wear sensor since my light didn’t come on.
New pads are about $100 per axle. I like Porterfields R4S. No dust and they stop great.
Easy do it yourself but you MUST activate service mode and be certain it is activated to disable electronic parking brake in rear or your bill will be over $2K after you have it towed in to fix it. There’s an alternative way around that too.
Fronts are easy.

 

Thanks.

Fronts will probably come due in the next 6 months. Sounds like they're easier than the rears.

Quick question: How do you activate "service mode"?

 

Activating Service Mode is explained somewhere else on this forum - search for rear brakes. I'm not that good at locating things and pointing to them.

Note that after you activate service mode, your dash should tell you it is in service mode. If it doesn't say that then you are not in it and you will destroy your caliper and electric parking brake. I falsly assumed mine was in service mode because the parking brake was not on and I could turn the wheels while jacked up.

If you can't get it into service mode, then you can follow the other procedure I posted which is when vehicle has no power. Basically you would disconnect the battery so the electric parking brake can't activate (and don't assume you'd be smart enough to not activate it yourself - it can activate on it's own), then you can remove the electric parking brake motor from the back of the caliper and back off a torx bolt that the motor normally turns. Backing off the torx bolt will allow you to depress the piston back into the caliper. It's impossible to push the piston back in without backing off this torx bolt. I assume activating service mode must cause the electrip motor to back off this torx bolt.
I failed to get it to service mode, assumed it was, the motor kept advancing and kept me from being able to depress the piston. I damaged the motor, the caliper and even the caliper carrier by putting so much pressure on it. Plus a tow charge and an embarassing feeling of failure.

And to answer your other question: My rotors were smooth and well within the allowable thickness, but they did have a ridge on the outer edge where the pad doesn't contact.
I didn't replace them. I've had no negative effects that I'm aware of. And even if it caused the new pads to wear faster with the old rotors, pads are only about $100. I don't think I've ever replaced any rotors on any vehicle up to about 135K miles.

 

Thanks!

FYI, here is the thread where you posted the Service Mode pdf

CLICK HERE