[dradernh]

Originally Posted by imperialgrunt

Is it really this easy to swap pads on this vehicle? Does this method not require the caliper compression tool? DIY noob here just trying to save myself $1200.

A claw hammer is a new one on me when it comes to retracting caliper pistons. Looks like one owner made it work, though!

I've used whatever works, most frequently using a screwdriver with a long shaft and a wide blade.

Don't forget to remove your master cylinder's cap before retracting your caliper's pistons. If, before you start, your master cylinder's reservoir is nearly full, you'll want to remove some of the fluid from it so that caliper piston retraction doesn't push enough brake fluid back up the lines to overflow the reservoir.

While there are more sophisticated tools, I've used dedicated turkey basters to reduce the fluid level in brake master cylinder reservoirs. "Dedicated" in the sense that you do not want to hand them back to the wife after they've had brake fluid in them!

I like keeping my calipers' paint unchipped, so I bought Starrett's 5/8" nail punch for driving the pins out: (https://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/800E).

I also bought a small, short hammer at Harbor Freight for tapping the pins back in. However, I've not had occasion to use either of them, so I can't report on how well they work.

My recommendation is to find out what works for you before your pads require replacement. Choose tools that you think will work for you, and practice with them ahead of time so that when the work needs to be done, it's a no-brainer.