Rear brakes mazda6 Sportwagon

Anyone ever done a full brake job on their 6 before?
 
I'm doing front/rear brake jobs on my wife's 6 Sportwagon this afternoon.  I've got the fronts done, but the rear calipers (according to the service manual) have an Allen head bolt somewhere on the caliper that somehow retracts the piston into the caliper.  I'll be damned if I can find the Allen head.  The diagram makes it look like you just spin the piston counterclockwise back into the caliper...Is this correct?  I'm having one hell of a time figuring out the rears. 
 
Anyone with input?  I've done dozens of brake jobs and have yet to come across a caliper like this.

No allen head bolt on the 6 rear calipers sstlaure. Rotate the piston clockwise untill it just bottoms out as shown in the drawing below. I know you do not have the special tool so try using a pair of needle nose plies to engage the cutouts in the piston. Once both side are installed just step on the brake pedal several times and the rear pistons should seat themselves.


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I've got that exact diagram.  I ended up using needle nose (what a pain in the ass).  I hate special service tools.
 
All set...thanks

I jsut did mine and it was only the needle noises that I needed.  I just couldn't get my rotors off!  The philips head screw was rusted on!

You just need an impact driver and a sledge hammer...this link is a crappy one, but you get the idea
 
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93481

AHAH!  So how hard was it to get the screws off using the impact driver?

About 6 whacks each with the BFH and they came free.

I cant believe that...I stripped one of the screws.  they were so tight, I wish I knew this before I even tried.  Shoot!

There's no way in hell you'd back those screws out with a screwdriver. 
 
Did you end up getting your brakes done?
 
If you want to get that screw out, you could weld a bolt to the head of the stripped screw, then use a wrench to back the screw out.  Use a grade 8 bolt so it doesn't snap on you.  The heat from welding would also loosen up that screw some.

haha, I got the pads done.  Not the rotors, I guess I will pick up that tool and try it again this summer...Would have been so much easier with that tool.  The only other thing that was hard was getting the bolts off that held the caliper in place.  I just had my rachet with a hammer and did it that way...

14mm closed end wrench and a rubber mallet took care of those.

Thanks again for all of your help!

No problem.  I've got the factory service manual if you need portions of it when you go to do the work.

So, to compress the pistons back into the calipers, you just rotate them clockwise? You don't use the old method of c-clamping the piston back in? Good to know!
 
David

You use the needle noise on the rear brakes, but on the fronts you just use a clamp!  Thank you SS!  i actually bought it on ebay so I have it myself!  Thank you!

Oh, ok. Thanks Spike!
 
David

Just wanted to send you a quick thanks for your post & description of how to get the piston back in.  Would probably have never figured it out without your post & diagram.  Thanks again.

No problem....