The Review
When replacing brake pads on certain disc brake systems, pressure needs to be applied to the caliper piston while it is screwed back in to have clearance for the new brake pads. The Mueller-Kueps Air Brake Piston Resetter does an excellent job of this says Randy Kaiser, service manager and part owner at Rost Motor, Inc. in Manson, Iowa.
“This tool is truly a time saver and extremely easy to use,” Kaiser says. “You just install the correct adapter, adjust it to the correct size, then hook up an air hose to apply pressure to the piston and turn the handle to screw the piston in.”
The tool is lightweight and easy to grip, although Kaiser still suggests users hold the tool with both bands when operating.
“It’s a nice size, not too big, but hefty enough to get the job done,” he notes.
Kaiser was also appreciative of the craftsmanship of the tool. He expects it to last for a long time.
In the shop, Kaiser used the tool to retract brake caliper pistons and found two key features that stood out - the first being the tool’s adjustable adapters. The adapters adjust smoothly, and the technician doesn’t have to “haul a whole bunch of different adapters to the vehicle.” Kaiser mentions that with other brake caliper piston tools he has used, there were multiple adapters to sort through to find the correct one with just the right pin spread to fit the piston. With this tool, there are two adjustable adapters, a two-pin and a three-pin.
“You just select which one you need and adjust it to fit,” Kaiser says.
The second key feature Kaiser likes is that the adapters are magnetic. He notes that it was nice not having the adapter fall to the ground after or during the process of retracting the brake caliper piston and removing the tool. The tool saved him time by making it easy to find the right adapter, and not having to pick it up from the floor.
When the tool arrived, it came in a heavy cardboard box with foam inserts to keep everything in place. The tool came completely assembled and ready to use. No accessories or manual were included, and none needed - it’s easy to understand how the tool works, Kaiser says.
Before using the product, Kaiser changed out the air inlet adapter to fit the couplers on his shop air lines. Since the tool was not tapped for NPT, Kaiser says, technicians may need to find an adapter to change the fitting.
Overall, Kaiser found the Mueller-Kueps Air Brake Piston Resetter to be a well-made, high-quality tool, and found the magnetic adjustable adapters to be a great time-saving feature.
