Calliper spring trouble

Hi all,

After changing the brake pads on my Fiesta without any problem I tried to reassemble the brakes on the Ka after aborting a suspension arm change (due to it suddenly chucking it down with rain and then running out of time). All went fine until I tried to refit the spring holding the caliper to it's carrier on the outside. I've tried to get the stupid thing back into place using a number of different methods and tools but it just won't go in. I've tried twice for about half an hour each time and have to stop as I can feel my blood pressure going up and up (and up and up...)!

I mean, could they have not have used calliper bolts on the wheel side too? :)

The method I believe you're supposed to use is get the bottom half in and then get the top end into it's hole and lever the clip over the carrier tab using pliers. However on the Ka the design is such that it's not possible to get the top end in the hole as part of the pad guide rail on the carrier gets in the way of the clip part. Grr. I've tried putting the clips in the right place then bending the middle of the spring to make the holes line up and that almost works but when one end goes in it's hole the other end refuses to follow suit.

So.... what method do people use most? I managed it OK on the Fiesta twice with just my hands but the Ka is just impossible!

TIA,

Peter.

Reply to
Peter Spikings
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When I get to this point I pack it in for the day or have a long break and start bakc on it with fresh hands.

Hopefully someone who knows how to do this will reply sounds very annoying.

:)

Reply to
magicman

get a good pair of mole grips, grip one end of the spring so that the pin is clear of the jaws, ie use the tips of the mole grips, insert the free end of the spring and just twist the mole grips a little to get the other end in and all at the same time hook the middle bit over the caliper lug. it is easier than it sounds. a quick tap and a lever as necessary to snug it all down. I always copaslip the spring clip holes and ends.

mrcheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

Excellent, I'll try that. I have a pair of long nose pliers but they don't grip it hard enough.

What's the point of copaslip? That looks like it's designed so that you can undo threaded metal-to-metal connections that have been exposed to lots of heat (so I guess it'd be good for the calliper guide bolts), however getting the spring out is dead easy, I just ease a screwdriver under the spring near one of the holes, twist a bit and out it flies ;)

Thanks....

Peter.

Reply to
Peter Spikings

until it rusts solid and snaps off!!. the tips that rub on the caliper mount need copa-grease too.

mrcheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

:) It's still in good nick atm but I'll look into getting some of that.

Just had another session with good old Mr. Springy, this time armed with some mole grips but still no luck. There's no middle lug on the calliper which would make it a lot easier :( On the Fiesta I can get both ends on their holes quite easily using the method you described but on the Ka it's impossible because when the bottom side is in place getting the top end into it's hole involves the top clip passing through the calliper bracket / pad guides.

To ask again, what's the problem of having guide bolts on both sides? :) Is it just Ford being stingy?

About to give up..... :(

Thanks,

Peter.

Reply to
Peter Spikings

Reply to
Peter Spikings

Peter Spikings ( snipped-for-privacy@spikings.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

PLEASE tell me you mean the piston, not the caliper.

Reply to
Adrian

I'd put the calliper back on fairly tightly over half worn pads so the holes for the spring were too close to the disc and too far back to lever the spring over the lug when the ends were in the holes - in fact it stopped me getting the ends in the holes altogether.

So we levered the outer edge of the calliper away from the disk and outer pad in it's normal plane of movement, hence compressing the piston. Spring was then put in place and brake pedal pushed to get things back together again.

What's wrong with that? :)

Peter.

Reply to
Peter Spikings

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