DIY: how to change your front brake pads
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
DIY: how to change your front brake pads
here's a short DIY for changing your front brakes. the picture quality isn't that great because it's from my cell phone. if u guys find something wrong or something i need to add, please let me know and i'll try and fix it.
pop the hood, and open the brake fluid cap. put a rag around it.
the front brake pads (from advance auto): wearever part number mkd829 ($27.79)
brake pads
jack the car up and take the wheel off. here's the disc brake:
you'll need a 12mm wrench for the bolts marked A and C and a 21mm for the nuts marked B and D. loosen A while holding B. and take out C while holding D.
**don't take out A all the way, just loosen it!
pull the caliper up and use a strong cord/wire to keep it from falling down.
use a screwdriver to pry out the old pads
comparing the old and new pads:
take off the holder from the old pads:
get some brake lubricant for 99 cents
apply the lubricant onto the pads as shown:
put the new pads on
brake pad spreader tool
use the brake pad spreader tool with one of the old pads to push the piston back in. the old pad will help keep it even when pushing. when you do this, the brake fluid will spray out.
here the piston is flush with the caliper
push the caliper back down
put some lubricant on the bolts (A and C) and then re-tighten them.
put the wheel back on, and repeat for the other side. then put some more brake fluid in. (remember to put the cap back on.) then go in your car, turn it on, and pump the brakes 20 times.
pop the hood, and open the brake fluid cap. put a rag around it.
the front brake pads (from advance auto): wearever part number mkd829 ($27.79)
brake pads
jack the car up and take the wheel off. here's the disc brake:
you'll need a 12mm wrench for the bolts marked A and C and a 21mm for the nuts marked B and D. loosen A while holding B. and take out C while holding D.
**don't take out A all the way, just loosen it!
pull the caliper up and use a strong cord/wire to keep it from falling down.
use a screwdriver to pry out the old pads
comparing the old and new pads:
take off the holder from the old pads:
get some brake lubricant for 99 cents
apply the lubricant onto the pads as shown:
put the new pads on
brake pad spreader tool
use the brake pad spreader tool with one of the old pads to push the piston back in. the old pad will help keep it even when pushing. when you do this, the brake fluid will spray out.
here the piston is flush with the caliper
push the caliper back down
put some lubricant on the bolts (A and C) and then re-tighten them.
put the wheel back on, and repeat for the other side. then put some more brake fluid in. (remember to put the cap back on.) then go in your car, turn it on, and pump the brakes 20 times.
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 15,082
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I prefer to keep the cap on the master cylinder and simply let fluid go through a bleeder valve via vinyl tubing and into a bottle.
I agree with the above comment about the turkey baster. I like to remove old contaminated fluid via the turkey baster so I don't have to flush the dirty fluid ALL the way through the system.
I agree with the above comment about the turkey baster. I like to remove old contaminated fluid via the turkey baster so I don't have to flush the dirty fluid ALL the way through the system.
#4
Registered User
1. There is no need to loosen bolt A.
2. The piston on the front caliper can be retracted without a special tool - I use the blunt end of a 1/2" Craftsman breaker bar to pry it back in place. [Though not addressed here, rear caliper pistons must be screwed back into place]
Otherwise, nice write-up.
2. The piston on the front caliper can be retracted without a special tool - I use the blunt end of a 1/2" Craftsman breaker bar to pry it back in place. [Though not addressed here, rear caliper pistons must be screwed back into place]
Otherwise, nice write-up.
#5
Check the DIY/FAQ section at the top of the forum.
Click Me
....where you'll find write-ups like this.......
Brake Pad DIY
Also, open the bleeder screw instead of pushing fluid back out the master and making a mess. The less mess you make with brake fluid the better.
-Hockey
Click Me
....where you'll find write-ups like this.......
Brake Pad DIY
Also, open the bleeder screw instead of pushing fluid back out the master and making a mess. The less mess you make with brake fluid the better.
-Hockey
#7
Originally Posted by mzk784,Feb 11 2008, 09:13 AM
Can somebody locate the bleeder screw with a pic ? or at least tell me where it is ?
wheel off, top of caliper towards the half closer to the car you'll see a small nipple with a black rubber cap. Remove that to find the bleeder screw. Front is 10mm and rear is 8 mm (i think). They are brass so you don't want to horse them super tight when you are done. Keep them closed as much as possible to keep from drawing air back into the system.
-Hockey
Trending Topics
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 675
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The secondary advice here is MANDATORY. When you retract the caliper piston, the bleeder screw MUST be open. Forcing fluid backwards through ABS can be BAD juju.
I have seen people do it on ABS cars with no ill effects, but I have also seen people do it and have to replace their entire ABS. Apperently, the valves that control an anti-lock brake system can fail when fluid is forced in reverse.
So, to be safe, leave the cap on the master and open the bleeder valve when retracitng the caliper piston.
I have seen people do it on ABS cars with no ill effects, but I have also seen people do it and have to replace their entire ABS. Apperently, the valves that control an anti-lock brake system can fail when fluid is forced in reverse.
So, to be safe, leave the cap on the master and open the bleeder valve when retracitng the caliper piston.
#9
Originally Posted by TJF,Feb 11 2008, 10:32 AM
The secondary advice here is MANDATORY. When you retract the caliper piston, the bleeder screw MUST be open. Forcing fluid backwards through ABS can be BAD juju.
I have seen people do it on ABS cars with no ill effects, but I have also seen people do it and have to replace their entire ABS. Apperently, the valves that control an anti-lock brake system can fail when fluid is forced in reverse.
So, to be safe, leave the cap on the master and open the bleeder valve when retracitng the caliper piston.
I have seen people do it on ABS cars with no ill effects, but I have also seen people do it and have to replace their entire ABS. Apperently, the valves that control an anti-lock brake system can fail when fluid is forced in reverse.
So, to be safe, leave the cap on the master and open the bleeder valve when retracitng the caliper piston.
Look at what comes out, do you really want to push that backwards through the MS??? Not me.