Easy to change disc brakes?

[Alistar7]

not usually, depends on the model of the vehicle, most can be taken off with a nut or a few bolts.

I usually pull the caliper, take the old pads off and compress LEAVING THAT CLAMP IN PLACE, then I do the other side so I'm not going back and forth, lol



just a basic c-clamp, you can get one at wally world, kmart, hardware store.....

 

[Chris A]

Some pictures including a C Clamp

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: spankyOO7

Originally posted by: Soybomb
Spanky if you're getting air into the lines you're doing something wrong

dayam
everytime i got my pads changed, i have to pump the brakes like 3 or 4 times. and the pedal always hits the floor the first 2 times...

this is superflous information, it will become obvious once he gets back in and tries to use the brakes, that they will not work at all, and the 'wtf' instinct will kick in

 

[radioouman]

Yep, it's easy.
1. Loosen lug nuts on the wheel you want to change the brakes on.
2. Jack up car so that wheel is off the ground.
2.5. Use jack stands to support the car! NEver rely on a jack alone!
3. Remove the lug nuts, and take off the wheel.
4. Remove the two long bolts on the back of the caliper.
5. Pull caliper off disc.
6. Remove cap on brake fluid resevoir.
7. Use a C-clamp to compress the brake cylinder, with the old pad still on!
8. Once compressed, remove the old pads.
9. Install new pads.
10. Grease long bolts for calipers (so they slide easily).
11. Put caliper back on, install bolts, and tighten.
12. Put cap back on brake fluid resevoir, and clean up excess brake fluid. (If it is too full, remove a little.)
13. Put the wheel back on the car, install lug nuts. Don't try to tighten all the way with the wheel off the ground.
14. Raise car to remove jack stand, then lower car.
15. Tighten the lug nuts to the recommend specs.

Quite easy. You won't even need to bleed the brakes. Don't bleed the brakes if you have an ABS equipped car!!!

 

[Alistar7]

pepsi, there is no need to bleed the brakes just changing pads or rotors..... as long as system pressure is maintained there is no loss, you don't take the caliper off, you leave the high pressure line ATTACHED, keeping everything sealed.

 

[vi edit]

Another dumb n00b question - when you guys are saying "remove brake fluid reseviour cap" you mean the cap on the power brake fluid tank in the engine bay right?

 

[radioouman]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Another dumb n00b question - when you guys are saying "remove brake fluid reseviour cap" you mean the cap on the power brake fluid tank in the engine bay right?

That's the one!

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Alistar7
pepsi, there is no need to bleed the brakes just changing pads or rotors..... as long as system pressure is maintained there is no loss, you don't take the caliper off, you leave the high pressure line ATTACHED, keeping everything sealed.

when you compress the caliper with the c clamp, the resevoir goes because it of the pressure. I have always been told to and still pop the cap off of the resevoir

 

[BadNewsBears]

Just do it, its quite easy. Done my Jimmy many times, and turned the rotors many a time, and my yukon and about all of the other 190 vehicles my record shows.

 

[Alistar7]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: Alistar7
pepsi, there is no need to bleed the brakes just changing pads or rotors..... as long as system pressure is maintained there is no loss, you don't take the caliper off, you leave the high pressure line ATTACHED, keeping everything sealed.

when you compress the caliper with the c clamp, the resevoir goes because it of the pressure. I have always been told to and still pop the cap off of the resevoir

you CAN but you don't have too, always a good idea to check your fluid level ANYTIME you repair your brakes though. The next time you do a brake job take the caliper off and LOOK at it, it is in the COMPRESSED POSITION mostly, closing it the last 1/4 inch is not going to BLOW the cap....

 

[radioouman]

Hey Skoorb, not sure how your Nissan is made, but I used to jack on the frame rails of my older cars. (Most front wheel drive cars still have some frame members along the bottom of the car.) But I found that my Saturn's frame member is so weak that if I use it to jack the car up, I will partially crush it. I guess that piece is just for reinforcing the passenger compartment in an accident. So, do the best you can to jack up the car where the manufacturer recommends, or if possible, underneath the strut mount on the lower control arm.

(I still usually jack up the Saturn on the frame member, but I have to use a piece of wood to spread out the force of the jack, and that keeps the frame member intact.)

 

[StageLeft]

Thanks ya'll! Gonna look into this in the coming days. I'm warning you now I may come cursing about how the car is sitting on the ground minus wheels and I've buggared it, but hopefully that won't happen