Picked up a trick for stubborn caliper pistons at the junk yard

I was pulling parts at Pick-n-Pull over in Tacoma last Saturday and saw this old timer unstick a seized caliper piston using a brake bleeder and a grease gun. He just pumped grease through the bleeder hole and the piston popped right out. Tried it myself on a rusty 2005 Ford F-150 caliper and it worked like magic. Has anyone else used this method or do you just go straight to the c-clamp?

2 comments

2 Comments

willow2441mo ago

You seen that trick before? My buddy Dave tried the grease gun method on a 2000 Subaru Outback he found at the dump. He hooked it up, pumped once, and the piston shot out so fast it hit his toolbox. Left a decent dent. He uses it all the time now but stands way back.

caseyclark1mo ago

I saw a video of the grease gun trick on a Hyundai that got the piston stuck at a weird angle and the whole caliper just broke off the bracket. Dave's lucky it just dented his toolbox, I've heard of guys getting hit in the leg with those things. That Subaru outback must have been rusted solid if one pump launched it like that.