So, I am doing my brakes and I have a major problem! I just got done with the front passenger and its done. Now, I'm on the front driver. One of the pistons is over extended and will not compress with a c clamp. What do I do!!!

 

Get a bigger c-clamp . Why won't it compress...does it seem seized or you just can't get the clamp over it?

 

im sure its not the best thing to do but when my didnt work i put the old pad over the piston and hit it with a hammer a couple times just to make it move

 

ive been calling parts guys and they say its "sprung". what happened was when i used a c clamp to conpress the pistons, the rubber boot was higher then the piston and i didnt want it to pinch the rubber when the pads went back on, so I pressed the brake pedel a little bit to get it back up again. when i did that, one of the them came up a little bit and was able to be pushed down but the other one came up more and now it wont compress.

 

If your rotor is warped you may as well get a new caliper anyway

 

What kind of advice is this? That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard all day. A caliper has nothing to do with a warped rotor.

I always compress the pistons while the old pad is still on there. Works every time. I wouldn't worry about the rubber boot. It's flexible and it won't be a perfect accordion every time they get compressed. I would start the truck so the power brakes relieve the pressure and then pop your reservoir cap off your master cylinder and then compress it. You've air locked your master cylinder by pumping your brakes.

 

+1 on^^

 

thanks for the reply buddy but that really has nothing to do with what my problem was.

 

Ok, so after the c clamp wouldnt compress the piston even after bending the little arm that you use to crank it, something had to give. so, i unbolted the brake fluid line from the caliper, took it off the truck, put in on the ground and took a hammer to it. after a few hits, the piston compressed. i must have just over extended it from pumping the brakes without any pads in there. here is where things go bad. i put the caliper back on and get this goin. i then try to bolt the brake fluid line back to the caliper and after a little tightening something feels like its wrong. with out a whole lot of pressure, the bolt snaps! to make it worse, dodge parts closed over an hour ago and after searching the whole town, autozone, pepboys, napa ect. they all dont carry it! so now, i have to wait till dodge parts opens on monday and after work, when its dark, i have to rebuild my brakes and try to bleed them too!!!!