I am SO !@#$ing dumb (squeezed brake lever with tires off)

[tussey]

I was gonna be so smart changing my tires. I was gonna do EVERYTHING by the book and OF COURSE I knew not to pull the brake with the tires off...

I'm talking to my gf in the garage and I'm standing next to my bike andI start fiddling with it (you know how you twirl a pencil or play with something in your hands) and I start squeezing the brake lever unconsciously then I begin to wonder why its so easy to squeeze then I come to my sense and realize what the !@#% I'm doing and I start screaming and cursing...

so my brakes have been clamped down with no rotor in it. What steps do I need  to take to get them pulled apart? Thanks 

[Kasumi]

Oh crap... Well you can first try with a screw driver pushing them back in if you can get a screwdriver between them. If that won't work try draining the brake fluid to remove the pressure before forcing the pistons back. Whatever happens you have to find a way to push them back into their housing or your into breaking the cases.

[Teek]

Maybe this was the Universe's way of telling you it was time to change your brake fluid!   

[sledge]

Remove the caliper from the fork-leg and then remove the pads from the caliper to prevent them getting damaged. Remove the cap from the reservoir and gently, and I stress gently, pry the piston back into the caliper with a lever or better still squeeze it back into situ with waterpump pliers while keeping it square relative to the cylinder. Refit the pads and the caliper back on the fork-leg. ....Next time you take the wheel off place a wooden wedge (half a clothes peg will do) or some thick cardboard between the pads.

[nightrider]

take one-a them thin pieces of wood... like they make lattice out of. break it in half then pull the pieces apart. One end of each piece will be pointy and graduated. This is a good and highly effective tool in wedging apart your pads, and wood is soft.

Eventually you can work up to the full thickness of the wood, then twist the wood back and forth to get it to open more. Shouldn't be a problem.

[Kerry]

Check out the photos in [THIS OLD POST].  They seemed to help the '96 owner who had the same problem.  The procedure may vary a bit depending on your model year....

[Raydr]

That reminds me of the time that I had a winning lottery ticket in my hand - and I was so excited that I went to talk to someone about it, and as I was talking I was subconsciously ripping the ticket into tiny little pieces.

Good thing it was only for a couple of dollars.

[erbilabuc]

you could just take a small c-clamp and push the piston back with that

[SmartDrug]

you could just take a small c-clamp and push the piston back with that

She's absolutely right, this is a very simple fix so don't do it ghetto style, remove the caliper (keep the hydraulic line still attached), take a piece of wood and lay it across both pistons, then put a c clamp on the piece of wood and slowly but firmly begin to apply pressure to the clamp.  As long as your pistons aren't stuck, you'll be fine and they'll sink right back into spot.  No need to remove fluid, don't use a screw driver or any other ghetto tool, you'll damage your pads or risk scoring the pistons.  This is simple but do it right.

[Oklahoma_Mike]

you could just take a small c-clamp and push the piston back with that

+2 done that several times.

[The Buddha]

Spray and clean the visible parts of the pistons. Pistons should be very very clean and the seals should be very very wet with wd40. Then slowly push it back in. Usually the sliders will be the ones that have moved in tighter and make it clamp down, so make sure you lube them also and get them also nice and gooey. BTW they need that white lithium grease I believe.
Cool.
Srinath.

[calamari]

lube and goo are the solution to 90% of the problems... the last 10% can be solve with brute force 

[tussey]

I got it fixed took a bit of work and some c-clamps, thanks gstwins!