After replacing this set of pads, I couldn't get the wheel hub back over the brakes. Turns out this piston was bound up, and probably had been for some time.
Fortunately the other side was completely free. I took the right piston head out, allowing access to the backside of the jammed one on the left.
I inserted an aluminium rod in behind the jammed piston, and gave it an almighty smashing with a mallet. Still wouldn't budge...I was at this point quite stuck...
But my incredibly large brain whipped up an awesome press from bits at hand.
An offcut of aluminium tube allowed me to press over the top of the jammed piston, and allow space for it to fall inside the cavity of the tube. Here you can see the piston has been pressed almost completely out.
Large C-Clamps are sometimes better than quick grip bar clamps.
There was evidence of prior damage to the piston. Some workshop clown had clearly dropped this one at some point in the past. It had large burrs in two locations. (not possible for me to have caused these from my previous mallet attempts, the impacts don't match the locations, nor tools I was using. Couldn't even see these burrs 'till I'd partially cleaned the pistons. Honestly I think someone had to use a mallet to get them back in previously.)
Really obvious, ugly prior damage. Remarkably sloppy.
So I cleaned everything up with a sanding disc, deburring the messed up edges, and got it all back together...and then found this spring on the ground that I'd forgotten to reinsert.../sigh. Re-do everything...
Job complete.
So I cut the offending (and broken) ends off the handles, and added some serious reinforcement
1/2 pipe aluminium sheathes form large extended washers to prevent the tube-steel from collapsing where the bolts are drawn down tightly. I think they'll work fine.
