Changing brake pads by myself for the first time

[neovan]

I went out to Kragen and bought some tools namely some C clamps and a socket wrench. Still looking for a low profile jack so it will fit under the car.

Has anybody else change their own brake pads? What have been your experience? Easy?

 

[NutBucket]

EASY! Low-Pro jack; get the all aluminum "racing" one Kragen carries. Its about as low as they get.

 

[DougK62]

What vehicle? Disc brakes? It's usually very easy.

 

[Phoenix86]

Have someone else test the work!

 

[brtspears2]

Disasseble one side at a time just in case you screw up and need something to look at. Get a small rope to hold up the caliper out of the way. First time, hard. Next time too easy. Get a torque wrench so everything will be reassembled to spec.

 

[volrath]

Don't forget to take the shims from your old pads. And probably put some anti-squeaking stuff on the back of the pads. Maybe tighten a lug on the rotor when you are putting the caliper back on so that the rotor seats straight.

 

[MikeMike]

remember to pop the lid off of the brake fluid container so as to allow there to be less pressure on the calipers when you go to clamp them back in.

MIKE

 

[Amorphus]

Don't spill the blinker fluid.

 

[fredtam]

Remove bolt. Flip up caliber. Remove old pads and shims. Clean and add grease to contact points. Grease under the clips. Apply grease to back of pads. Replace shims . Use C Clamp to push the caliber piston in (take cap off brake fluid reservoir). Install pads. Press brake a couple times.

 

[Ausm]

Learn how to bleed brakes or you'll be screwed


Ausm

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: nourdmrolNMT1
remember to pop the lid off of the brake fluid container so as to allow there to be less pressure on the calipers when you go to clamp them back in.

MIKE

Hmm, maybe thats what I missed last time when I did my brakes. When I first started the car, there was very little pressure and the car wouldn't stop. After going into neutral and using hte parking brake the stop, I pumped it a few times and brakes worked again.

Haven't died in a year and a half.

 

[fredtam]

Originally posted by: Ausm
Learn how to bleed brakes or you'll be screwed


Ausm

Why? If done properly no air is introduced.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
EASY! Low-Pro jack; get the all aluminum "racing" one Kragen carries. Its about as low as they get.

How high does that extend? I would like to get one that can be used on my MINI or my Jeep. Its too much money to buy one of each

 

[neovan]

Originally posted by: Ausm
Learn how to bleed brakes or you'll be screwed


Ausm

Do I really need to bleed the brakes if I'm just changing the brake pads?

BTW...I'm going by this guide Brakepad guide

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: NutBucket
EASY! Low-Pro jack; get the all aluminum "racing" one Kragen carries. Its about as low as they get.

How high does that extend? I would like to get one that can be used on my MINI or my Jeep. Its too much money to buy one of each

I think about 15". I have one but I'll go check the specs.

Text That's the one I've got. The specs on the Kragen ones are identical (cause they're the same thing!)

 

[Modeps]

I'm too wary of brakes to do them myself, I just take them to a mechanic.

 

[imported_vr6]

^^ you have to be a registerd user

 

[neovan]

Originally posted by: Kwan1
^^ you have to be a registerd user

oopss...here's the guide...in word format

 

[NutBucket]

BTW, Neovan, if you plan on using those tools I'd return them and head to Sears. The cost is almost the same but the tools are much better.

 

[neovan]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
BTW, Neovan, if you plan on using those tools I'd return them and head to Sears. The cost is almost the same but the tools are much better.

what tools? the c-clamp was $2.99

 

[ScoobMaster]

Originally posted by: neovan

Originally posted by: Ausm
Learn how to bleed brakes or you'll be screwed


Ausm

Do I really need to bleed the brakes if I'm just changing the brake pads?

BTW...I'm going by this guide Brakepad guide

Just changing the pads should not require bleeding them (just go slow and easy pushing the piston back in the caliper & make sure the cap is off the fluid reservoir. Since you will be pushing the pistons ALL the way back in, they will require a few pumps to extend back out to contact the pads to the rotor (in other words, the pedal will fall to the floor with ease the 1st few times - it will take a few pumps to push them back out. This can surprise you if your drive way is on a hill and you forget to do this before driving down it for the first time after a pad replacement )

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: neovan

Originally posted by: NutBucket
BTW, Neovan, if you plan on using those tools I'd return them and head to Sears. The cost is almost the same but the tools are much better.

what tools? the c-clamp was $2.99

"and a socket wrench"

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: neovan

Originally posted by: NutBucket
BTW, Neovan, if you plan on using those tools I'd return them and head to Sears. The cost is almost the same but the tools are much better.

what tools? the c-clamp was $2.99

I think he means your wrench. If you're starting to work on your car, you need more tools anyway. I'd grab one of those small craftsman tool kits for like 50 bucks with metric and domestic measurements. Lifetime warranty and I just put my receipt in a plastic bag and taped it to the top of the tool box.

It'll come with spark plug sockets, a screwdriver and 2 sizes of wrenches.

 

[Luden]

Originally posted by: Amorphus
Don't spill the blinker fluid.

:beer:

 

[neovan]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick

Originally posted by: neovan

Originally posted by: NutBucket
BTW, Neovan, if you plan on using those tools I'd return them and head to Sears. The cost is almost the same but the tools are much better.

what tools? the c-clamp was $2.99

I think he means your wrench. If you're starting to work on your car, you need more tools anyway. I'd grab one of those small craftsman tool kits for like 50 bucks with metric and domestic measurements. Lifetime warranty and I just put my receipt in a plastic bag and taped it to the top of the tool box.

It'll come with spark plug sockets, a screwdriver and 2 sizes of wrenches.

oh...i already have the other tools. i just got the c-clamp because i didn't have those and the socket wrench because i thought i lost it but found it underneath a pile of other tools.