Discussion
I have an 09 model year 93 aero cabrio. Done about 15k miles. in about 15 months.
Had a nasty noise from the rear brakes. Off side pads about half worn. OK so far. Nearside the outer pad was worn about the same amount but the inner pad was down to the back plate.
No problem changing the pads (except see below)but what would cause just one pad of the four to wear so far out of sync. The pads seemed loose enough, i.e not sticking. Dodgy pad?
I have the new pads, but I am having an awful time trying to find a tool to drive the piston back in.
Went to my local motor factor (who never usually fail)and they said "yes guv, one of these is what you need, with this universal adaptor). Nope, none of the six options fit the indentations on the face of the piston. Bugger. As the car is now on stands in the driveway and I could do with it being back on the road quickly, I hot footed it to Halfrauds. Yes, we have one of those they said and it says Saab on the packet. Result! Bugger. Doesn't fit.
I now find myself with £50 worth of useless push back tools and no idea what makes this piston so special. I'm told it's a Vectra caliper (it has GM markings). Anyone got any ideas on exactly what tool I need. Changing the pads should be a 20 min job, that is taking days!
Had a nasty noise from the rear brakes. Off side pads about half worn. OK so far. Nearside the outer pad was worn about the same amount but the inner pad was down to the back plate.
No problem changing the pads (except see below)but what would cause just one pad of the four to wear so far out of sync. The pads seemed loose enough, i.e not sticking. Dodgy pad?
I have the new pads, but I am having an awful time trying to find a tool to drive the piston back in.
Went to my local motor factor (who never usually fail)and they said "yes guv, one of these is what you need, with this universal adaptor). Nope, none of the six options fit the indentations on the face of the piston. Bugger. As the car is now on stands in the driveway and I could do with it being back on the road quickly, I hot footed it to Halfrauds. Yes, we have one of those they said and it says Saab on the packet. Result! Bugger. Doesn't fit.
I now find myself with £50 worth of useless push back tools and no idea what makes this piston so special. I'm told it's a Vectra caliper (it has GM markings). Anyone got any ideas on exactly what tool I need. Changing the pads should be a 20 min job, that is taking days!
It looks like you have a sticking piston, the fact that you need a tool to push just one(?) piston back seems to confirm it. Your probably better off puming the piston out and seeing what is causing it to stick, rectifying it, then fitting new seals.
To push pistons back I use a cheap old woodworking 'G' clamp that always seeems to fit most calipers I've cone across.
Take the tools back to Halfords and ?? and tell them they supplied the wrong tools.
To push pistons back I use a cheap old woodworking 'G' clamp that always seeems to fit most calipers I've cone across.
Take the tools back to Halfords and ?? and tell them they supplied the wrong tools.
JensenA said:
It looks like you have a sticking piston, the fact that you need a tool to push just one(?) piston back seems to confirm it. Your probably better off puming the piston out and seeing what is causing it to stick, rectifying it, then fitting new seals.
To push pistons back I use a cheap old woodworking 'G' clamp that always seeems to fit most calipers I've cone across.
Take the tools back to Halfords and ?? and tell them they supplied the wrong tools.
The point about the piston is that it needs to be screwed back. The old G clamp method is what I have used for many many years. To push pistons back I use a cheap old woodworking 'G' clamp that always seeems to fit most calipers I've cone across.
Take the tools back to Halfords and ?? and tell them they supplied the wrong tools.
These new fangled motors don't allow that. It has to be screwed back whilst being pushed. I agree about the sticking piston and the dealer can sort that out once I have got it back together. I ust won't pay dealers to change brakes (although I'm starting to regret that now, lol)
to start with the pads do wear in stange ways. so many people get caught out. the inner pads wear more than the outers. The tool u need is normaly part of the kits u can buy. we have a tool from saab at where i work but one of the tecs has a kit and one does fit.I dont think its sized. Its 09 and i have had not one that new sized. Also it has to be turned back or it will damage the caliper.
A most helpful chap from Laser tools has pointed me towards what I hope is the right adaptor. I'll let you know!
I expect uneven pad wear. The point here is thatin 15k miles from new 3 of the 4 rear pads have 50% life, comparing them to the new ones, and one (nearside inner) is down to the back plate.
Sticking piston in my book, and the dealer can sort that under warrenty when it's back together.
I expect uneven pad wear. The point here is thatin 15k miles from new 3 of the 4 rear pads have 50% life, comparing them to the new ones, and one (nearside inner) is down to the back plate.
Sticking piston in my book, and the dealer can sort that under warrenty when it's back together.
A most helpful chap from Laser tools has pointed me towards what I hope is the right adaptor. I'll let you know!
I expect uneven pad wear. The point here is thatin 15k miles from new 3 of the 4 rear pads have 50% life, comparing them to the new ones, and one (nearside inner) is down to the back plate.
Sticking piston in my book, and the dealer can sort that under warrenty when it's back together.
I expect uneven pad wear. The point here is thatin 15k miles from new 3 of the 4 rear pads have 50% life, comparing them to the new ones, and one (nearside inner) is down to the back plate.
Sticking piston in my book, and the dealer can sort that under warrenty when it's back together.
I work for a saab main dealer. which pad is it. we have come to the conclusion that cars fitted with esp can wear a pad because when going round a roundabout or sharp corner it will brake slightly to bring the car back into line. Or it could be a fault with the hand brake but unlikely as it would wear both sides. It could be a faulty caliper but i just find it very unlikely. i would say about 15000 to 18000 mile is what u will get out of rear pads depending on how u drive.
Have an 05 rag top Aero.
My inner pads wear quicker than the outside, but wear is even left to right. Problem is that peeping through the wheels you can only see the outer pad which may look fine, whilst the inner could be almost down to the metal!
One thing that I still find strange is that the rear pads wear quicker than the fronts
Hopefully the right tool will arrive in the post today. Interesting about rear pad wear though. Mind you, based on the amount of brake dust I get, I expected teh pads to last about 5000 miles. Fron't seems ok, but as you say, you can only see the outerpads when peeping in.
I'll have the front wheels off to check while I am at it.
I'll have the front wheels off to check while I am at it.
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