Review on 🔧 BikeMaster Brake Caliper Piston Puller by Travis Caminiti

I used this tool on a 1969 VW Karmann Ghia. The front brakes are calipers, as are the bugs from that era. You do not have to remove the piston, but you must rotate it while it is in the caliper to install the caliper backing plate. This tool is very similar to the tool in the repair manual, although the image in the manual only partially shows the tool. Definitely this tool works, but it needs some modification, hence the rating is 3 stars. The quality of this instrument is "Harbor Freight". Like everyone else, it doesn't hold the inside of the piston very well. I don't know what to call those crescent-shaped metal protrusions on the end of the tool, but they're the problem. This is the working end of the tool and they have a diamond shaped rough pattern on the outer surface. These surfaces touch the inside of the piston when you squeeze the tool. I stuck a tool into the first piston and pushed with all my might to turn the piston. I felt a "pop" as the piston disengaged from the seal and then rotated. The problem appeared on the second piston when I tried to pinch and rotate it. The 1/2 hole lugs just continued to slide into the piston and didn't compress it. By the time I looked at the lugs, the diamond pattern of what only a piston would do was already so worn it couldn't stick. The plunger is a very hard metal and the 1/2 lugs are something softer, so the tool loses the fight. The tool was useless at this point. But I made 2 changes that got it working. See pictures for details.1. I used a Dremel tool to carve ridges into the crescent's metal grommets. Fortunately, these protrusions can be loosened using an Allen key. I clamped them in a vise and made moldings. I was surprised at how easily the dremel cut into the metal. No wonder it wears out so quickly in the piston. These ridges could be cut multiple times to keep them sharp, but I only had to do it once. Because when I put them back on the tool, I was able to rotate the remaining 3 pistons with no problem.2. The second change may only be necessary if you try to rotate the piston while the caliper is still attached to the rotor. Basically I drilled out the rivet that holds the locking mechanism (as you can see in the picture). This is because you have to repeatedly turn the tool off and on again as the piston rotates. You insert the tool into a small space and can only rotate the piston about 2mm at a time. I had to rotate the piston 180 degrees. When you squeeze the tool as hard as possible to grab the plunger, it automatically locks the latch (thanks to the spring mechanism). Now you have to try to unlock this lock and you have to push it harder! Maybe it would be nice to do it once, but doing it every 2mm was annoying and complicated. So I drilled this lock and left a serrated ratchet in it. That's all. The tool worked great with these mods. I would recommend buying it but it should be 14.99. I hope I don't need it too often.