In a message dated 10/11/00 5:20:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jesserobinson2@hotmail.com writes:
<< The shop manual says to install the new fluid seal, push the new piston in
so that 5/16" are sticking out, then place the wiper seal and retainer
around the piston body and push down into place. Then clamp down, with a
piece of wood, the piston and the whole thing should go into place. I did
all that, but I keep either bending the retainer or the retainer goes down
into place on one side and pops out on the other! It is such a tight fit,
not to mention the retainer is so delicate. AHHHHHHHH! I'm going nuts! I
don't have any more retainers to screw up. >>
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I suppose this is too late for your situation, but I had the same problem
when I rebuilt the calipers on my Midget.
I made a circular piece of thin plywood that was just slightly larger in
diameter than the retaining ring. Push in the piston as it says and put the
seal in the retaining ring. Lubricate the seal and the outside of the ring
with brake assembly lube or brake fluid. Put the retaining ring over the
piston so that the piston is the same height as the top of the retaining
ring. Put the piece of wood on top of the piston and retaining ring.
I used a c-clamp to put some pressure on the wood, holding the piston and
retainer down against the caliper. Invariably, the retainer will be slightly
larger than the opening it must seal.
With some pressure created by the clamp, but not enough to deform the
retainer, I used a small flat screwdriver to nudge the edges of the retainer
into the opening. When you get it right, the retainer will start to move
into the opening. Too much c-clamp pressure and it will bend the retainer on
the opposite side, so be careful.
The procedure requires some finesse, and I would think that a lot of
experience helps. But we all have to start somewhere. I only bent two
retainers beyond recovery the first time!
Hope you figured it out.
Allen Hefner
SCCA Philly Region Rally Steward
'77 Midget
'92 Mitsubishi Expo LRV Sport
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