Hi,

I was hoping that I will get a better response from the track crowd than in the brake forum, as many here change their own brake pads...

How do you get the pins (pad retainer pins shown in the pic) out to be able to swap the brake pads on the 6 piston AP caliper?
No instructions included, and don't want to try brute force before knowing how it should work...

Any help greatly appreciated!
Thanks

BTW the caliper is huge and currently taking up a seat on my couch
Not sure if it matters that it hasn't been installed yet, at least I cannot imagine that you need to use it (heat build up) before the pins would come out more easily

 

Grip them with a pair of needle-nose pliers...not on the end, but somewhere towards the middle, and slide them out. If there are any cotter pins in place to prevent them from sliding, make sure to remove those first.

This is how I do it on my Brembos (rear), and I'm assuming it would work on AP, too.

 

GaryM05 is right: most monoblock racing calipers have similar procedures for changing pads. First, look for and remove the cotter pins or clips that hold the retaining pins in. You may have to look on the back side of the caliper itself to see these. The retaining pins themselves usually have some tension on them from a clip and as you pull out one pin, the clip may come flying out, so be ready for this. Once one clip is out, the other is usually much easier to remove. You may also need some vice-grips or large pliers to grab onto the backing plate and remove the pads themselves.

Be sure to clean the pins and clips before reinstallation and follow the reverse order.

 

No the APs are different than the Brembos. You have to find a skinny screw driver or a punch of some sort and tap them out with a hammer. They are more or less pressure fitted in there with this little piece. Really hard to explain, but you will understand once you get them out. They are kind of a pain in the a** especially when you are trying to get back in. I wish they were as easy as the Brembos.

 

Mike is right. There is no cotter pins on the AP's. Just need a ice pick and gently tap the pin out with a small hammer or rock from the end. IMO, the trouble is worth the end result which is awesome stopping power and less fade.

 

Thanks!
That's what I thought after inspecting it for a long time. I just didn't want to damage anything...
There is just so much resistance that I wanted to get some confirmation on the hammering before I go at it.

 

Go for it. Just be absolutely positive they are all the way in on the re-install. If you think they are in, try and pull them out with needlenose plieres. If you can't pull them out then you are most likely all the way back in.