How To Change Brake Pads?

[Storm]

I need to replace my pads. I think I'll do it on myown this time. How do I do it? Is it just to remove the wheels remove the caliper (how?) and change pads? thanks for any help.

[Vtolds]

Remove the wheel.

Remove the Caliper, 2 bolts hold it on.

pull the old pads off.

Push the piston back in with a C clamp. (have brake fluid resevior, open and drain a small amount out)

put the new pads in.

Put caliper back on the rotor.

Tighten up the 2 bolts.

Put the wheel back on.

Repeat on the other side.

[Storm]

Ok thank you
that doesn't sound very hard.

drain a small amount of breakfluid? Why and how am I doing this, is there a drain plug on the caliper? Do I have to fill with new?

[Vtolds]

Just take a rag and soak up a little, so when you push the caliper back in it doesnt over flow on to the ground. Make sure to have some new brake fluid to top it off and there is no need to blead the brakes but the may be a little squishy for a while but the peddle should harden right up.

[turtles_ride]

also when you take off your calipers you may want to take the whole assembly off (just another 2 bolts holding them to the spindles), so you can grease your slider pins. You should also lube the metal pieces that the pads slide on. Also, if your gonna have everything off anyways, you might as well throw a garbage bag over your rotors and tuck one around your wheelwell, and buy 2 cans of engine paint $5 a can, and paint em up, makes a world of difference. You can do it with the brake lines still attached

[Grouch]

you shouldn't have to drain any brake fluid out. As pads wear the fluid level drops. When you push the pistons back in the fluid will return to it's original level.

[knowfear]

i just did mine last weekend. new pads and rotors, and ive done about 200 other brake jobs and i have never drained any fluid from the master cylinder.

[Fast Eddie]

agreed, plus if you put a rag in the master cyl. you could get crap, like lint, in there.

[Vtolds]

Originally posted by Grouch+May 2 2005, 06:32 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Grouch @ May 2 2005, 06:32 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>you shouldn't have to drain any brake fluid out. As pads wear the fluid level drops. When you push the pistons back in the fluid will return to it's original level.
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<!--QuoteBegin-knowfear@May 3 2005, 02:59 PM
i just did mine last weekend. new pads and rotors, and ive done about 200 other brake jobs and i have never drained any fluid from the master cylinder.
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unless your fluid is already low. Both times I have changed brakes I have overflowed becuase they had been previously topped off. And yes the normal way to get rid of some fluid is to soak it up with a rag.

[Grouch]

Unless you have a leak you shouldn't have to top it off. Fluid levels drop as the pads wear down. This is normal. When you put new pads on the fluid will go back up to it's original level.

[turtles_ride]

i was told that the heat from braking breaks down the brake fluid, this is one of the many reasons your brakes could start feeling squishy. I was told if your not going to change your brake fluid completely, you can syphon off as much as you can and refill it with fresh stuff. Not sure how much this really does, but it couldn't hurt.