Who does their own brakes?

[Midwayman]

Oh really? Hmm, ok - maybe it's not just them, then. I was pretty surprised to see it after ~10k miles.

Pad composition and poorly designed calipers probably have more to do with it.

 

[7window]

The aftermarket pads you buy at autozone , pep boyus or oreilly only last a year.

 

[mvbighead]

This was actually one of my first jobs that I did shade tree. Not too bad, unless something is really seized on there. We had a rotor seized on the Jeep pretty bad. I think the rotor broke before it actually broke free (no retaining screw, just stuck on).

For cases like that, you need a big hammer and a piece of wood. Place wood on rotor, beat with hammer. Hit the top a few times, then the bottom, then the left, then the right. Round and around we went until it finally broke free.

However, my Impala and Equinox were a piece of cake. Did the fronts on both in less than an hour or so.

Put on Akebono pads and Raybestos Advanced Tech rotors from Amazon on the Equinox a few months ago. Had a deer jump out in front of me on a 60mph highway, and went from 60-10 quite quickly, narrowly missing the deer. $138 wasn't too terrible and woulda been a bit over a $100 for really cheap stuff, so I'd suggest paying for the better stuff. Could save you a collision with a deer.

 

[JCH13]

Take this for what it's worth: track Miata racers seem to agree that rotor brand don't really matter too much unless there's some obvious defect. Pads, on the other hand, make a big difference. I'm a huge fan of Porterfield R4-S. They are super durable, have amazing stopping force and fade resistance, and are made in the US.

 

[leper84]

Pro tip: If your car has rotor retaining screws, apply a liberal dose of your favorite penetrating oil as far in advance as possible. That road salt will wreak havoc on those small threads.
If you intend to use them again, invest in some copper anti seize compound. They are there for ease of assembly, keeping the rotor centered on the lugs and tight to the hub flange. they do not add any strength to the assembly itself.
I recently did all of our cars, and I had to torch one of those little bastiges out after all other methods failed.

Another really good tip- take the ball end of a ball-peen hammer and hold it against the screw. Now take a bigger hammer and whack the F*** out of the ball-peen. The impact will break the screw loose.

I agree that those screws are useless except maybe on euro/german cars.

 

[Howard]

Another really good tip- take the ball end of a ball-peen hammer and hold it against the screw. Now take a bigger hammer and whack the F*** out of the ball-peen. The impact will break the screw loose.

I agree that those screws are useless except maybe on euro/german cars.

A better tip is to drill them out if they're stuck.

 

[leper84]

A better tip is to drill them out if they're stuck.

hmmmm.... I'll say I've absolutely never had one so stuck that using hammers wouldn't work, even when an impact driver couldn't do the trick.

Drilling them out it is taking a much larger risk of something going wrong. Not so much a big deal on Asian cars, but take something German with lug bolts and you're risking the hub doing so.

I'll agree to disagree. I would try using a chisel and hammer to spin it before I went for a drill. And either way it would usually take me literally two seconds vs. using a drill.

 

[jlee]

hmmmm.... I'll say I've absolutely never had one so stuck that using hammers wouldn't work, even when an impact driver couldn't do the trick.

Drilling them out it is taking a much larger risk of something going wrong. Not so much a big deal on Asian cars, but take something German with lug bolts and you're risking the hub doing so.

I'll agree to disagree. I would try using a chisel and hammer to spin it before I went for a drill. And either way it would usually take me literally two seconds vs. using a drill.

How are you going to use a chisel and hammer to spin a little set screw that's flush with or below the surface of the rotor?

 

[BUTCH1]

The aftermarket pads you buy at autozone , pep boyus or oreilly only last a year.

Mine (from advance) lasted 4. They all carry many selections and price points for replacement pads, if you get the organic $23/set pads don't expect much, just move up to ceramics and you will get plenty of usage..

 

[leper84]

How are you going to use a chisel and hammer to spin a little set screw that's flush with or below the surface of the rotor?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i39N-LukmQo#t=11m50s

Like that, just with the edge of the chisel and not so painfully slow.

 

[Midwayman]

Another really good tip- take the ball end of a ball-peen hammer and hold it against the screw. Now take a bigger hammer and whack the F*** out of the ball-peen. The impact will break the screw loose.

I agree that those screws are useless except maybe on euro/german cars.

They make these neat screwdrivers that drive the screw from a hammer impact. Stick it in, and bang on it until it loosens. No worry about it jumping out as its being hammered anytime its turning.

 

[JCH13]

Like this kind of kit.

I tried one of those on the rotor screws of my fiance's Civic, totally ineffective w/ a 3lb hammer. They were REALLY stuck in there.

 

[skyking]

yes, I've had an impact driver for years like that. Those were some stuck screws, I destroyed them.

 

[Keeper]

I would do it with disk brakes.

I'm done drum's before and never again.

I'd also pay for brake fluid change out. IMHO far more can go wrong doing that, plus if you do it alone, its a f-ing pain in the ass.

LOL Right there with ya...

OP, do ONE wheel at a time.... This way you ALWAYS have the other to cross ref. My son, one time took off all 4 and then went to replace and went "Ummmmmmmmmmm."

 

[BUTCH1]

I would do it with disk brakes.

I'm done drum's before and never again.

I'd also pay for brake fluid change out. IMHO far more can go wrong doing that, plus if you do it alone, its a f-ing pain in the ass.

If your doing drums just go ahead and get new wheel cylinders, those rebuild kits are a crap-shoot at best and if the cylinder spews fluid on the shoes you just wrecked 'em. Oh, you WILL be bleeding the system if you change out the cylinders or calipers but it's not a big deal really..

 

[jlee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i39N-LukmQo#t=11m50s

Like that, just with the edge of the chisel and not so painfully slow.

They must be bigger than I remember...could've sworn the ones on my stepdad's Silverado were screwdriver-sized.

 

[yhelothar]

The most difficult thing for me when I started working on cars was breaking free very tight bolts and having tools that fit in the tight spaces. But once I had access to a set of very fine tools, it made the work a cinch!

I would at least have a breaker bar for this job, if not the addition of a pipe cheater bar to get you extra torque.

 

[jlee]

The most difficult thing for me when I started working on cars was breaking free very tight bolts and having tools that fit in the tight spaces. But once I had access to a set of very fine tools, it made the work a cinch!

I would at least have a breaker bar for this job, if not the addition of a pipe cheater bar to get you extra torque.

mmmm...leverage...

 

[KingerXI]

Brakes are so easy. If you live near Northern VA, I could help for $$, computer parts, and beer! I have done so many brake jobs. As long as they are rotors, it is relatively simple. Good luck.

If you haven't changed your brake fluid, that is a great idea too. Super Blue Ate.

 

[yhelothar]

mmmm...leverage...

Jaysus Choist, you must've had at least a 1" drive for that badboy.

 

[7window]

mmmm...leverage...

I bet you didn't have to do much with that leverage. lol

 

[jlee]

I bet you didn't have to do much with that leverage. lol

More than you'd think - the axle nuts were surprisingly tight.

Jaysus Choist, you must've had at least a 1" drive for that badboy.

I think the side in the picture came out fine, but the other side broke two 1/2" breaker bars before I went out and bought a 3/4". It let loose with a pretty good bang...

 

[BUTCH1]

More than you'd think - the axle nuts were surprisingly tight.



I think the side in the picture came out fine, but the other side broke two 1/2" breaker bars before I went out and bought a 3/4". It let loose with a pretty good bang...

Was it rust or is the torque spec just really high?. When my car went out of warranty I started doing my own oil changes, the dealer had the drain nut on so tight I had to jackstand the car to gain clearance for the breaker bar to get it out, it was on over 100 ft/lbs!, I guess they let Magilla gorilla do lube/oil, one time it was one full qt. over, I had to bring it back..

 

[jlee]

Was it rust or is the torque spec just really high?. When my car went out of warranty I started doing my own oil changes, the dealer had the drain nut on so tight I had to jackstand the car to gain clearance for the breaker bar to get it out, it was on over 100 ft/lbs!, I guess they let Magilla gorilla do lube/oil, one time it was one full qt. over, I had to bring it back..

They weren't rusty...just really fking tight. I think the spec is 217lbs, but that shouldn't twist the head off a breaker bar, heh...the guy at Autozone pretty much told me I wasn't getting any more under warranty after I brought the second one in the same day.

 

[BUTCH1]

They weren't rusty...just really fking tight. I think the spec is 217lbs, but that shouldn't twist the head off a breaker bar, heh...the guy at Autozone pretty much told me I wasn't getting any more under warranty after I brought the second one in the same day.

Hey, if they advertize lifetime warranty they have to IMO, I guess the manager got pissed that in your case it's "lifetime" was one hour LOL!..