According to the pix there is no mystery about this one. Should push
straight back in. Check carefully to be sure the leading edge of the piston
hasn't been damaged by forcing - I'm sure you've already done that but just
in case... then it should be just a matter of starting the thing completely
straight into the hole. The tolerance is pretty close, so you don't get much
leeway. The "VW" tool pictured in my Bentley is a generic American piston
installer - you can probably get one at your FLAPS (Lisle is a fairly
reputable make, so is SK). It may help with the alignment by virtue of the
fact that it should set the long axis of the piston closer to true
perpendicular to the outer pad pushing surface than you can do by hand.

Coby

Valley Wagonworks
"Intimately acquainted with VW Vans since 1959"

Volkswagen Bus, Vanagon, Westfalia and Eurovan
Repair and Service Specialists

1535 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo, CA 94933
Voice:(415) 457-5628
Fax: (415) 457-0967
http://wagonworks.com
mailto:contact@wagonworks.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Brent Christensen
Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2000 1:44 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Rebuiilding *#$&^ Brake calipers! [Syncro]

You'd think it would be the simplest thing in the world, looking at them - a
single o-ring and a rubber boot.  But how the *#$&^ do you get the piston
back into the caliper???  I have done dozens of caliper rebuilds and I have
NEVER had such a problem getting the piston back into place.

I have tried using a C-clamp and a piece of wood (my usual method) and that
won't work.  It appears that the piston refuses to go in straight, and is
"cocking" off to one side and getting jammed.  Do I need the special VW tool
to do this???  What is the *#$*& trick?  (is there one?)   I am about ready
to take the calipers into the VW dealer and see if they can get them in
straight.

Sorry for all the *&$#(&* language, but this 2-hour job is turning into an
entire weekend...!

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA