[Cluffstarr]

Hi All,

I'm having a go at changing a rear wheel bearing myself and the Spider as it's getting very loud. I got a mate to help me this afternoon and while I was looking for some tools he unscrewed the top and bottom bolts highlighted below in red.
View attachment 177034
First off - what are these called and what purpose do they have?

I have undone the caliper bolts such that it now moves but it is clamped to the disc via the pads... Have those other bolts being loosened let the piston move to press the pads to the disc? If so - how do I fix this and get the caliper off so I can get on, remove the disc and see about getting the bearing off?? I have the handbrake off...

I need the car to drive to France in three days so you can imagine I am a little anxious about this!!

Cheers in advance, Cluffy

 

[Alfafamily]

It's always best to remove the caliper and pads from the carrier . It makes it far less fiddly to re assemble too. The two bolts highlighted are the ones that need to be removed to do that. You might need to wind in the piston slightly to get the pads back in.

 

[Cluffstarr]

At the moment both the caliper bolts and these bolts are removed but I cant move anything off the disc so have no options just yet wrt rewinding the piston...
When you say remove the caliper from the carriers - do you mean actually disconnect the caliper from the brake lines? I was hoping not to do that as I have not go the means to bleed the system (and am quite a novice at this!!)...

 

[Alfafamily]

No don't disconnect the pipes. Undo the two bolts and it should come away with a bit of wriggling. It could be that your handbrake is stuck on slightly or someone has over adjusted the cable. Make sure that the lever that the cable pulls on is as far back as it can be against it's stop.

 

[Cluffstarr]

Will give it a look shortly! Thanks for the advice (so far...!!)

 

[Cluffstarr]

Sorry, could it be explained to me just how un-doing the first bolts will have effected the pads / piston?

 

[ransoman]

What you have highlighted bolts the caliper to the carrier. Remove these 2 and you can pull the caliper out of the way. You don't need to remove the 2 larger bolts as the disk can be wiggled out if you manoeuvre it correctly.

Hopoe this helps.

 

[Cluffstarr]

Managed to wriggle the caliper out and the pads fell out with it! But now struggling with the disc bolt. Due to the disc now being able to rotate it's difficult to work against! Any tips? I've looked at the guide from the sticky threads but it seems to not be an issue for most?
I'll try a bit of plusgas and keep my fingers crossed - really don't want to damage the bolt head...

 

[rickie_20]

Managed to wriggle the caliper out and the pads fell out with it! But now struggling with the disc bolt. Due to the disc now being able to rotate it's difficult to work against! Any tips? I've looked at the guide from the sticky threads but it seems to not be an issue for most?
I'll try a bit of plusgas and keep my fingers crossed - really don't want to damage the bolt head...

it will only take a couple of minutes putting pads and caliper on, why dont you do that, then put handbrake on to remove screw, before removing them again

 

[Cluffstarr]

Good thinking! Should've done it earlier!

 

[Alfafamily]

Hold the disc still with a pair of mole grips. Use cardboard under the jaws to prevent damage. The screw that holds the disc in place is not essential so if you do damage it or have to drill the head off it's not the end of the world.

 

[pkr]

Another trick that should work -

Put on the space saver spare wheel ( if you have one! ), and lower the car back onto the ground. Slacken off the hub nut ( the hole in the centre of the space saver spare is larger than the hub nut recess so you can get the socket in unlike a standard alloy ), lift car, remove spare wheel, remove hub nut. Best done before removing the caliper though as you can use the handbrake and first gear to resist the turning force on the hub nut.

An advantage of doing it that way is that the car is a lot more stable when putting force on the hub nut.

 

[Cluffstarr]

Think I'll try and reassemble the caliper and discs tonight and try that but lots of good suggestions above and I'll hopefully sort it!

Will let you all know how I get on...

 

[Cluffstarr]

Can anyone confirm what way the piston is pushed back into the caliper? I've been to Halford and a local motor factor place and they only have clockwise tools...

 

[ransoman]

Try Machine Mart.

I got a complete caliper wind back set for around £60. Overkill for what you need but you should be able to find an anticlockwise windback too.

Of try the slow way. Put pressure on the piston with a clamp and turn the face with a pair of pliers. DOesn't work very well but it is how I did it on my 145.

 

[Cluffstarr]

So it is an anti-clockwise wind back then? Will keep looking if that's the case...

 

[pkr]

I'll just go and check my rewind tool.

 

[pkr]

My rewind tool is this one :

Rear Brake Caliper Rewind Tool (1.822.108.000) :: TotallyAlfa

To expand the tool and wind the piston back into the caliper, the bolt is turned in the normal manner - clockwise.


( I have used to to change my rear pads once - so I know it works - on both sides ).

 

[Cluffstarr]

Having Spoken to Autolusso they have confirmed it is Clockwise, which is good as I can nip out at get one at lunch!

 

[Cluffstarr]

P.S. Cheers for the quick response - want to make life as easy as possible when refitting the pads...!

Back to my earlier query, I've bought a deep 12mm socket for the disc bolt - going to use my breaker bar on it so as to make sure I have plenty of torque and hopefully do no more damage - I think if I'd have kept at it with the spanner on Sunday I would've rounded it no question!