hi...so this is pretty dumb,
but i need to change my pads and have my rotors resurfaced
and i wanted to do the job myself, minus the resurfacing part.
problem is that i have no clue how to do this or what tools i'll need
am wondering if anyone can lay it out for me by steps
or if anyone has pics.
...the paranoia is that i'll not do something and that fluid will go everywhere somehow
should i flush the fluid as well? how do i do this? and do i take the used fluid to a pep boys etc for proper disposal?
will any fluid be fine?

thanks!

jean-pierre

you don't have to worry about fluid leaking anywhere to change pads. If you are gonna get teh rotors resurfaced i would bring that to the shop and have them take em out n all that. But for the pads you jus have to take out the two bolts holding on the caliper, slide the old ones out, and slide the new ones in. Rotors are a lil tougher and the bolts are usually rusted in for some reason.

Acutally you do have to disconnect the brake lines and bleed the brakes after you get the new pads in. Since your new pads are going to be much thicker than the old ones, the piston inside the caliper will need to be pushed back to fit them over the rotor. The only way to move the piston back is to disconnect the brake lines. To get the caliper and rotor off, you're going to need a 17mm socket/wrachet, a jack to get the car up, and either some muscle, a hammer, or in my case bolts to thread into the old rotor to pull it off the hub. Hades Omega has a pretty good write up for the install.

my bad....i always jus put the new ones in and tehn tap the brakes a few times when its all back together and then they are nice n tight.

You don't need to bleed the brakes, but you should.

You'll need a wire hanger, baster (yes like what they use when preparing a turkey), 17mm socket, ratchet, C-clamp (or if you have a spare $5 a brake piston tool), breaker bar, and preferably a torque wrench. Two 8?mm bolts to remove rotors. ( I forget what pitch they are and what socket they use)



If you just want to change the calipers you just need to remove the yellow bolts (they are actually the guide pin and the lock pin). The caliper will come off and you can then remove the pads.

If you want to remove the rotors you’ll need to remove the red bolts as well.

Hang the caliper using the wire hanger. You don’t want to let the caliper hang by the brake line!

If the rotors are rusted on use the 8mm bolts. Thread them into the two bolt holes in the rotors to push against the hub.

To push the caliper pistons back in use the C-clamp or the piston tool to push it back in. You may need to remove brake fluid from the reservoir, use the baster. Keep an eye on the reservoir as you push the piston back in. If brake fluid spills it can eat through your paint.

Bolt everything back together. Torque the bolts (red) to 65 ft lbs. Torque the guide and lock pins (yellow) to 54 ft lbs.

actually I just had to use a 7mm bolt to go into the rotors.

Buy a C-clamp to push the piston back in. It'll run you maybe $5-7 at a hardware store (I got mine at Checker). That way you won't have to disconnect any brake lines. Just screw the clamp into the piston until it's flush with the caliper, then set the pad into place. The piston will set itself once you pump the brakes a couple of times (after you've put everything back together, of course :-) ). Good luck!!

-Ponce