The Bentley Service Manual (2007-2011) says that you need a special tool to move the rear brake pad piston, because it "turns the piston while pressing in." [I used a generic disk brake pad spreader just fine on the front pistons.]

Samstag Sales sells such a tool. However, when I emailed them to find out if it would work on a 2nd gen MINI (i.e. 2007-2011) they basically said they didn't know.

So, my question is: Will the same special tool that is used to move the rear brake caliper piston on a 1st gen MINI (thru 2006) work on the 2007's and later?

I happen to have a 2007 Cooper Hatchback.

 

yes

as long as the pins match up and in my experience they do

the e-brake system on MINI needs the piston turned as they are retracted due to a pad change / refresh

NOT unique to MINI

 

Pretty good universal one available at NAPA. Worth a look.

 

Got this cheesy one and it works just fine.

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-piec...kit-97143.html