[DeTomaso] Fun w/ brakes and questions

[Szwab,Konrad,HOUSTON,IT]

Yup, I did the same trick with vise grip when I cleaned the pistons on my 1986 Biturbo, but felt pretty bad about it. Car then stopped great. Now, about the leaking fuel, that is a different story.

All my 20 cars are a nightmare and almost nothing runs reliably. Better start fixing something worthy, like the Pantera.

From: SOBill at aol.com [mailto:SOBill at aol.com]
Sent: 2011-04-11 16:02
To: Szwab,Konrad,HOUSTON,IT; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Fun w/ brakes and questions

Konrad,

I found air to be ineffective for completely removing the pistons. It may lift them somewhat. Put a block of wood between the pistons so they can't pop out and use air to get them up as much as you can.

When you remove the dust seals you will see that they were held in small groove. You can move the pistons up somewhat more by using a large screwdriver in the groove and prying up on each side.

What finally worked for me ...... sounds crude but actually worked ..... take a large vise grip and firmly grip the piston on the part above the dust boot groove. Firmly clamp the vise grip in a bench vise. Slowly rotate and pull the caliper off the piston. It's the rotating while you pull that gets the job done. The area of the piston where the vise grip clamps can be smoothed out with a file and is a non- critical area in any case.

I must add that I had my caliper parts separated when I pulled my pistons, so I can't be sure this method has enough working room with the calipers assembled.

Worked for me. Let me know what works for you.

Have fun today,

sobill at aol.com



________________________________
This e-mail (including any attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you are not an intended recipient or an authorized representative of an intended recipient, you are prohibited from using, copying or distributing the information in this e-mail or its attachments. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies of this message and any attachments.

Thank you.