I'm a professional mechanic and I've been using the Lisle break pad spreader(it's really a caliper depressor) for about 8 months now. I was worried after seeing the bad review here on Amazon, but after searching and finding no other viable options I bought this. It appears to be the same unit that the Matco truck guy sells. The quality of the unit seems exceptional and has held up great for me so far. I could see this unit possibly breaking in the wrong hands. It works great it you squeeze the handle slowly as the caliper will not want to move easily. If someone tried using this on a frozen caliper or the ratcheting style calipers I could see it breaking due to misuse - I'm not saying the other reviewer did this, I'm just surprised that his unit broke so easily. A caliper shouldn't require extensive amount of strength to depress when using this tool, if it does the problem is probably with the caliper. The metal it is made out of seems plenty solid and in no way did it seem as cheap as the other reviewer led me to believe. If mine broke today I would definitely order another one, this is an essential tool for any mechanic or diy'er. Update 2/13/13: This tool is still performing great. I just helped a buddy do his front brakes and although he insisted he had everything to do the job(he did), I brought these along just in case. I handed them to him when it came time to depress the caliper and he kind of looked at me funny. At first he wanted to use his trusty C-clamp but I insisted he try this tool. I showed them how they worked and let him try them out on both calipers. At the end of the brake job he was asking who made them and where he could get them. It's just one of those tools that some people don't even know exists, but once you do you wonder how you lived without it. Update 8/28/15: I've been using this for well over three years now and it's still working great. I also purchased the quad piston caliper compressor and the pad spreader by lisle and they all work equally well. Update 2/23/17: It's been 5 years now and this tool is still working like the day I bought it.
One can use a C-Clamp or a screw-type piston compressor to push a piston back into a caliper - both take some time to set up, and time to use. As a flat-rate mechanic - any tool that saves me time allows me to finish jobs quicker and be able to do more work in one day. This dual piston compressor works immediately - just pull the trigger. it works just like a caulk gun, but it is WAY stronger. Yes - you can use it on a single piston caliper - you just have to position it so that the black part grabs the caliper's finger, and the pushing part is square on the piston. This is not the designed use for this tool - but I find that it still works great. The Lisle single piston tool that looks somewhat similar to this one does not work as well as this dual piston one.
I was looking at a brake job on a Yukon, and figured I'd try this gadget out. It worked. It's also a fairly needless luxury. Was it slightly handier than using a C-clamp? Yes. Was the slight handierness worth the money I spent on it? Not really. Will it look cool when other guys see me doing a brake job? Probably. I don't regret buying it, but I wouldn't replace it if it broke...which it probably won't. It's pretty solid. If I did brakes every day, I might, and that's a big 'might', find this worth the money. A C-clamp can scratch calipers, and it can be a hassle on roundy surfaces. This solves those problems in an elegant, simple manner. The pro might care about such things. The cons are, it costs more than a few C-clamps, it's very bulky in comparison, and it's an extra tool to keep track of. It's also kind of weird to use until you get it figured out, after which it's quick. So if you like a lot of tools, you have extra money in your pocket, you want to impress other dudes, or you're a pro, this is just the thing. Otherwise, I suggest you go with C-clamps. I am giving it 5 stars, because it does exactly what it was intended to do, it is very well made, and I don't feel ripped off.
Love it. -Well made -Easy to use -Turns a 5 minute job into a 30 second one So, like many of you, I have done many brake jobs using the old pad and a big C-clamp. The problem is that with different styles of brake calipers it can usually be hard to find a spot for the c-clamp to press against where it won't damage the caliper and also be straight. This is the right tool for the job. Sure, it's a $33 tool that i'll use once in a while, but after using it once it appears as though it will last forever. I highly recommend this. Keep in mind, this is the single-piston type, Lisle also makes a spreader for double-piston calipers. If you're unsure of what type of caliper you have, you should either google it or you shouldn't be doing your own brakes in the first place.
I used this to compress the caliper pistons on a toyota tundra. Being a quad piston caliper it is a pain to compress all the pistons to replace the brake pads, this tool allowed me to compress all 4 pistons at once, and did it quickly. Very happy with my purchase. I had been worried about the reviews about the handle snapping, but found if you compress the tool until firm and wait a few seconds for the fluid to be pushed out before another pull on the handle (you'll feel the difference in resistance the fluid is pushed out of the caliper), and repeat this process you should have no problems until the pistons are fully compressed. If you try to go to quickly the hydraulic force resisting as the fluid is exiting the caliper, you could end up putting too much force into the handle than it was designed for causing it to break. Putting this into the instructions for the tool would solve a lot of problems in my opinion.
I have used just about every common method to push back/retract brake pistons, but this is by far the easiest and fastest method to date for pushing back non-ratcheting, single-piston calipers. I personally don’t work on cars for a living, but it has provided both cost-savings and enjoyment over the years. Enjoyable when things go well or as intended. Frustration when a seemingly simple task takes too long. Properly designed tools go a long way to reducing frustration, and making automotive maintenance more fun than a chore. This tool checks that block. A single piston takes less than 10 seconds to retract. No fumbling with a clumsy C-clamp (if you can find one that actually fits), no damage to the protective coating on the caliper or piston boot - just a few effortless steps and you’re done. Simply retract the compression head, insert the back plate to the apprising side, squeeze the caulk-gun style trigger 3-4 times (it’s obvious when the piston is fully retracted - there’s no need to try to force it either), retract the compression head a little, slide it out and you’re done in just a few seconds. If you have to squeeze hard with this tool - your caliper uses a screw-ratcheting piston (usually rear brakes where the parking brake is part of the caliper), and this is not the correct tool.
I bought this tool on a recommendation from a youtube car mechanic. It is a great quality part, seems to be well built, and its very easy to use. Just slide the plate back and squeeze the trigger slowly to compress the pistons. FAR easier than pretty much any other basic tool (like a C-clamp or a screw-down separator). Specifically works perfect for single-piston Subaru brakes (like rear brakes mostly). However, its worth noting that it isn't designed for a 2-piston sliding brake caliper where there are 3 "fingers" on the caliper (like most 2-piston Subaru front brakes in the 2000's era) since this tool is designed to go in the center, and the center "finger" of the calipers are in the way. Having said that, I was able to angle the edge of the separator plate in there and just barely make it work for both pistons at once, but I think this only worked because the calipers were in good shape, not rusted or stuck at all. If they were rusted or stuck then that likely wouldn't work. Perhaps you could also just insert an old brake pad and alternate one side then the other gently a few times.
As an Automotive Technician this Lisle tool is fantastic. I have a cheap single piston depresser and I have been using one of my coworkers Lisle 25750 and I have decided to purchase one of my own. This can do single and obviously dual piston front and rear. It is larger than the single piston ones, but I haven't had a caliper that it doenst fit into. Also I decided to get the dual one due to the fact that almost all trucks, SUV and slowly but steadily all cars are moving towards dual (at least in the front). I would suggest this to anyone who does one brake job a week or more and to the do-it-yourself in the driveway. It works very well, is built strong and just gets the job done.
I purchased this spreader to replace the Lang ratchet spreader I have. The ratchet would not fit in smaller calipers, and it would not click/advance until there was pressure on it, so I would have to hold it in place while cranking the lever until the ratchet engaged. This made the ratchet device a 2 hand operation. On my car, you have to remove the caliper to remove the brake pads, so this new tool allows you to hold the caliper with one hand and the tool on the other. I have used it now to change pads on it and it works as you would expect, and is easy enough to use with one hand. There are some comments in the reviews about the tool breaking. I did not have this problem, however the handles are plastic, and I could see them flex when I was using the tool. I found that you have to wait several seconds between each squeeze while the brake fluid flows back up the lines. When the caliper was fully spread, you don't want to keep forcing the tool (again, handles flex, etc). I can see that if you are impatient and try to force this tool to work faster it will probably snap off a handle. The spreader plates are a little smaller, however they close enough that you can put them in between the used brake pads and spread all the pots at once. I am using this on my track car, with large 6 pot Brembo brakes, changing pads about once every 6 weeks. In summary, it works better than my ratchet spreader, but you need to be patient with it.
Used this on front brake job for Lexus GX460. This truck uses fixed 4 piston calipers, and this tool makes it cake to push them all back with the caliper still on. Just take it slow and the pistons will retract--no need to crack the bleeder, just take off the master cylinder cap. Only point to note is that before use you should position the spreaders radially on the tool and tighten down the large hex collar (nut) or the spreaders won't be rigid enough, thus failing to push the pistons back. That's NOT in the instructions--so, pay attention to that. Also it seems the painted handles maybe don't hold up so well (paint came off after one use). Anyway, at least for light duty, I see this as a great tool. A little steep at $50, but--beats prying on your rotors with a screwdriver and messing around with multiple clamps, etc. to get the pistons back in. Value: 4 star Sturdiness: 4 star as I can't really judge yet, but, outlook is good Easy to use: 5 star--huge time saver.
Ahmar Khan
Essential tool that gets the job done well.
I'm a professional mechanic and I've been using the Lisle break pad spreader(it's really a caliper depressor) for about 8 months now. I was worried after seeing the bad review here on Amazon, but after searching and finding no other viable options I bought this. It appears to be the same unit that the Matco truck guy sells. The quality of the unit seems exceptional and has held up great for me so far. I could see this unit possibly breaking in the wrong hands. It works great it you squeeze the handle slowly as the caliper will not want to move easily. If someone tried using this on a frozen caliper or the ratcheting style calipers I could see it breaking due to misuse - I'm not saying the other reviewer did this, I'm just surprised that his unit broke so easily. A caliper shouldn't require extensive amount of strength to depress when using this tool, if it does the problem is probably with the caliper. The metal it is made out of seems plenty solid and in no way did it seem as cheap as the other reviewer led me to believe. If mine broke today I would definitely order another one, this is an essential tool for any mechanic or diy'er. Update 2/13/13: This tool is still performing great. I just helped a buddy do his front brakes and although he insisted he had everything to do the job(he did), I brought these along just in case. I handed them to him when it came time to depress the caliper and he kind of looked at me funny. At first he wanted to use his trusty C-clamp but I insisted he try this tool. I showed them how they worked and let him try them out on both calipers. At the end of the brake job he was asking who made them and where he could get them. It's just one of those tools that some people don't even know exists, but once you do you wonder how you lived without it. Update 8/28/15: I've been using this for well over three years now and it's still working great. I also purchased the quad piston caliper compressor and the pad spreader by lisle and they all work equally well. Update 2/23/17: It's been 5 years now and this tool is still working like the day I bought it.
Димитър Райков
A tool that saves time
One can use a C-Clamp or a screw-type piston compressor to push a piston back into a caliper - both take some time to set up, and time to use. As a flat-rate mechanic - any tool that saves me time allows me to finish jobs quicker and be able to do more work in one day. This dual piston compressor works immediately - just pull the trigger. it works just like a caulk gun, but it is WAY stronger. Yes - you can use it on a single piston caliper - you just have to position it so that the black part grabs the caliper's finger, and the pushing part is square on the piston. This is not the designed use for this tool - but I find that it still works great. The Lisle single piston tool that looks somewhat similar to this one does not work as well as this dual piston one.
Rochelle Gooneratne
A handy tool
I was looking at a brake job on a Yukon, and figured I'd try this gadget out. It worked. It's also a fairly needless luxury. Was it slightly handier than using a C-clamp? Yes. Was the slight handierness worth the money I spent on it? Not really. Will it look cool when other guys see me doing a brake job? Probably. I don't regret buying it, but I wouldn't replace it if it broke...which it probably won't. It's pretty solid. If I did brakes every day, I might, and that's a big 'might', find this worth the money. A C-clamp can scratch calipers, and it can be a hassle on roundy surfaces. This solves those problems in an elegant, simple manner. The pro might care about such things. The cons are, it costs more than a few C-clamps, it's very bulky in comparison, and it's an extra tool to keep track of. It's also kind of weird to use until you get it figured out, after which it's quick. So if you like a lot of tools, you have extra money in your pocket, you want to impress other dudes, or you're a pro, this is just the thing. Otherwise, I suggest you go with C-clamps. I am giving it 5 stars, because it does exactly what it was intended to do, it is very well made, and I don't feel ripped off.
Robert Niles
The right tool for the job!
Love it. -Well made -Easy to use -Turns a 5 minute job into a 30 second one So, like many of you, I have done many brake jobs using the old pad and a big C-clamp. The problem is that with different styles of brake calipers it can usually be hard to find a spot for the c-clamp to press against where it won't damage the caliper and also be straight. This is the right tool for the job. Sure, it's a $33 tool that i'll use once in a while, but after using it once it appears as though it will last forever. I highly recommend this. Keep in mind, this is the single-piston type, Lisle also makes a spreader for double-piston calipers. If you're unsure of what type of caliper you have, you should either google it or you shouldn't be doing your own brakes in the first place.
Sharon Jane Waters Moore
Right tool for the job
I used this to compress the caliper pistons on a toyota tundra. Being a quad piston caliper it is a pain to compress all the pistons to replace the brake pads, this tool allowed me to compress all 4 pistons at once, and did it quickly. Very happy with my purchase. I had been worried about the reviews about the handle snapping, but found if you compress the tool until firm and wait a few seconds for the fluid to be pushed out before another pull on the handle (you'll feel the difference in resistance the fluid is pushed out of the caliper), and repeat this process you should have no problems until the pistons are fully compressed. If you try to go to quickly the hydraulic force resisting as the fluid is exiting the caliper, you could end up putting too much force into the handle than it was designed for causing it to break. Putting this into the instructions for the tool would solve a lot of problems in my opinion.
Christopher Fawcett
Helps make brake jobs easier. Great tool.
I have used just about every common method to push back/retract brake pistons, but this is by far the easiest and fastest method to date for pushing back non-ratcheting, single-piston calipers. I personally don’t work on cars for a living, but it has provided both cost-savings and enjoyment over the years. Enjoyable when things go well or as intended. Frustration when a seemingly simple task takes too long. Properly designed tools go a long way to reducing frustration, and making automotive maintenance more fun than a chore. This tool checks that block. A single piston takes less than 10 seconds to retract. No fumbling with a clumsy C-clamp (if you can find one that actually fits), no damage to the protective coating on the caliper or piston boot - just a few effortless steps and you’re done. Simply retract the compression head, insert the back plate to the apprising side, squeeze the caulk-gun style trigger 3-4 times (it’s obvious when the piston is fully retracted - there’s no need to try to force it either), retract the compression head a little, slide it out and you’re done in just a few seconds. If you have to squeeze hard with this tool - your caliper uses a screw-ratcheting piston (usually rear brakes where the parking brake is part of the caliper), and this is not the correct tool.
Claudia Kaya Leal
Easy to use, works well, good quality. May not work for some caliper designs though
I bought this tool on a recommendation from a youtube car mechanic. It is a great quality part, seems to be well built, and its very easy to use. Just slide the plate back and squeeze the trigger slowly to compress the pistons. FAR easier than pretty much any other basic tool (like a C-clamp or a screw-down separator). Specifically works perfect for single-piston Subaru brakes (like rear brakes mostly). However, its worth noting that it isn't designed for a 2-piston sliding brake caliper where there are 3 "fingers" on the caliper (like most 2-piston Subaru front brakes in the 2000's era) since this tool is designed to go in the center, and the center "finger" of the calipers are in the way. Having said that, I was able to angle the edge of the separator plate in there and just barely make it work for both pistons at once, but I think this only worked because the calipers were in good shape, not rusted or stuck at all. If they were rusted or stuck then that likely wouldn't work. Perhaps you could also just insert an old brake pad and alternate one side then the other gently a few times.
Rosa Murphy
For any brake job
As an Automotive Technician this Lisle tool is fantastic. I have a cheap single piston depresser and I have been using one of my coworkers Lisle 25750 and I have decided to purchase one of my own. This can do single and obviously dual piston front and rear. It is larger than the single piston ones, but I haven't had a caliper that it doenst fit into. Also I decided to get the dual one due to the fact that almost all trucks, SUV and slowly but steadily all cars are moving towards dual (at least in the front). I would suggest this to anyone who does one brake job a week or more and to the do-it-yourself in the driveway. It works very well, is built strong and just gets the job done.
Maani Khan
Works fine and allows one handed operation.
I purchased this spreader to replace the Lang ratchet spreader I have. The ratchet would not fit in smaller calipers, and it would not click/advance until there was pressure on it, so I would have to hold it in place while cranking the lever until the ratchet engaged. This made the ratchet device a 2 hand operation. On my car, you have to remove the caliper to remove the brake pads, so this new tool allows you to hold the caliper with one hand and the tool on the other. I have used it now to change pads on it and it works as you would expect, and is easy enough to use with one hand. There are some comments in the reviews about the tool breaking. I did not have this problem, however the handles are plastic, and I could see them flex when I was using the tool. I found that you have to wait several seconds between each squeeze while the brake fluid flows back up the lines. When the caliper was fully spread, you don't want to keep forcing the tool (again, handles flex, etc). I can see that if you are impatient and try to force this tool to work faster it will probably snap off a handle. The spreader plates are a little smaller, however they close enough that you can put them in between the used brake pads and spread all the pots at once. I am using this on my track car, with large 6 pot Brembo brakes, changing pads about once every 6 weeks. In summary, it works better than my ratchet spreader, but you need to be patient with it.
Jade Jones
Big Time Saver, Good Quality
Used this on front brake job for Lexus GX460. This truck uses fixed 4 piston calipers, and this tool makes it cake to push them all back with the caliper still on. Just take it slow and the pistons will retract--no need to crack the bleeder, just take off the master cylinder cap. Only point to note is that before use you should position the spreaders radially on the tool and tighten down the large hex collar (nut) or the spreaders won't be rigid enough, thus failing to push the pistons back. That's NOT in the instructions--so, pay attention to that. Also it seems the painted handles maybe don't hold up so well (paint came off after one use). Anyway, at least for light duty, I see this as a great tool. A little steep at $50, but--beats prying on your rotors with a screwdriver and messing around with multiple clamps, etc. to get the pistons back in. Value: 4 star Sturdiness: 4 star as I can't really judge yet, but, outlook is good Easy to use: 5 star--huge time saver.