Got them installed earlier this evening. Easy peasy. My 15 year old son assisted. Next weekend we do the front pads - rotors are ok. Went with the large c-clamp trick to compress the caliper piston. Thanks for all the tips folks.

 

1) once you've done disk pads/rotors on one car you are 90% familiar with most cars. Specific tools might differ but the procedure is the same

2) SEARCH is your friend ..... a search on BRAKE DIY bring up many references . . . .

I sure hope you turned those rears and didn't just shove them back in . . . .

 

New rotors on the rears. The fronts measure out ok.

 

I sure hope you turned those rears and didn't just shove them back in . . . .



That was my first thought when I read the OP, "used a large c-clamp". I loaned a tool from Autozone to turn them in.

 

doesn't sound like he did, that's not good

 

Uh oh...now what?

 

You don't know what I mean? Hmmm, I'm pretty sure it is discussed in the DIY I referenced, that's why the DIY files are different for front and rear in what I pointed to.... here's the deal.

The rear calipers have a sort of a ratcheting system inside that provides the mechanical e-brake function. This is a common system for e-brake on disk systems. To retract the caliper piston properly it is TURNED while being pressed, it sort of screws back rather than a simple press (as you would do up front)

There are tools sold to facilitate this process altho it CAN be done with something as simple as a pair of needle nose pliers.

Harbor freight:



Outmotoring:


Just pushing without turning can break this ratcheting system and result in no more e-brake . . . I've seen this happen on one side but not the other so it is not an always thing ..... maybe you got lucky.

WHAT NOW - test the e-brake function ... on each rear wheel.

So far as I know, if you DID mess it up, the only solution is a rebuilt caliper.

Discussion in the tool description from outmotoring:

The Mini Cooper (Clubman, etc) has the parking brake system incorporated into the rear brake caliper, which is common with nearly all modern cars. This system allows you to hydraulically (via the brake pedal) apply the rear brakes while pulling the ebrake handle will mechanically move the piston. This combination requires the use of a special piston retracting tool when installing new rear brake pads because of the hybrid nature of the caliper. This brake caliper tool is specifically designed to lock into the Mini Cooper rear brake caliper piston and apply the required pressure as well as screw the piston back into the caliper housing in the same motion. There is really not another safe way to get the piston to back out {sic, they mean IN} and having this tool will save you hours or frustration if you end up needing to stop halfway through the the project to hunt down the correct tool (s) locally.

This kit allows you to rotate various pistons back into their caliper housing when changing brake pads. This kit works with MINI, Ford, GM, Volkswagen, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Toyota, BMW, Audi and other vehicles.

p.s. the harbor freight set has both a left and a right twist tool as recently manufacturers have begun using both .... my older set has only one tool and is fine for a MINI.

There are other tools, either of these will run around $50 .... most of the larger chain parts store have tool loan programs. Leave a deposit, borrow the tools, get $ back when you return undamaged.

 

Ok. Looks like I got lucky. My fault for not being more detailed oriented in my reading! Live & learn! Whew...


Thanks!

 

Glad you lucked out. Didn't have to learn the $$$ way.

 

No doubt!