Weird Brake Tool I've Never Seen Before

I just bought a caliper piston/pad wind back tool because I'm changing my pads soon. While on Amazon, I noticed this strange tool for brakes and I was wondering how it's used.

Has anyone ever used this thing before?

 

That tool is used for the twist style calipers. You find what two prongs fit the piston on the caliper and stick a 3/8 extension and ratchet in one of the holes to twist the caliper closed. I believe the tc and matrix are the only toyotas that uses that style caliper

 

Thank you Lord

I'll have to find a vid of it in action.

 

A lot of cars, SUVs and CUVs use this tool as well. Not specific to Toyota. Done a Honda and a Chevy with it.

 

Also the older MR2's also had that type spiral caliper piston.

Uses a 3/8 inch drive ratchet and extension.

Here is a video in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlMU8K36Hjo

 

Well that's weird as fuck and super obnoxious!

 

I learned the hard way doing an MR2 Brake job and couldn't get the pistons to retract... After I disassembled everything it seemed so simple.

 

@Jimmyh I know I've said this before, but your posts are great (they're nearly all in this type of thread matter) and super informative.

You are also the king of random experience and information.

 

Thanks. I do what I can.

All you guys are great. I am in good company! This includes you. File IFR and landphil and too many others to mention.

 

Many rear calipers that use the rear pads / rotor for that parking brake need this tool to turn and retract the pistons and re-set the auto-adjusting parking brake mechanism. Some are retracted other ways though, at least some mazdas simply have a plug and a screw on the back side of the caliper.

And many more vehicles with rear discs use a separate drum style parking brake within the rotor "hat", and no parking brake mechanism within the caliper.

Funny thing, I bought one of those tools years ago on one of those "too good to say no" sales, yup, never used it yet. LOL

And yeah, that Jimmy is pretty wise for his age. And shares his wisdom well too.

 

I don't know man, looks a lot like the puzzle cube from Hellraiser to open a gateway to a separate demonic dimension!

 

I have one in my tool box, had to find out the hard way in my wife's TSX.