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Dacious
30-12-2004, 08:28 PM
For those who've done the fit-brake-pads thing, which way do the pistons screw into the rear callipers - clockwise, anticlockwise? I can spin them both ways. I presume they run on a coarse threaded freewheeling boss inside which the park-brake mechanism operates. Our car has Lucas rear callipers - what a scary concept! Fortunately there are no electrical components in them!

Someone has posted a scan of an English Astra-G manual online, which has a desription which mentions lining the piston cut-out up with a 'raised rib' on the calliper body but the scanned image is so bad I can't make head nor tail of it. It also says to turn the piston while pushing it in, but doesn't say which way. I'm making a little flat steel tool to engage the cutout with a t-handle on the other end.

Other than that, fitting pads and discs is a doddle. I would have paid $100-150 to have the dealer do it, which is what I reckon an experienced mechanic with all the tools would take - a couple-three hours. But $700 is a bit rich. The genuine parts worked out cheaper than the aftermarket, and I think by next time they go we won't own the car.

Thanks for help to all, and especially Grudge.

Dacious
31-12-2004, 07:33 PM
Well, jobs done. Car now brakes like new. Few tricks to this, if anyone wants to know happy to help. Thanks to The Grudge for his PMs with snippets of Haynes in them.