Rotor and Brake Pad Install
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Rotor and Brake Pad Install
Does anybody have a somewhat detailed instrcution how to install new break pads and rotors. Just bought some new pads and rotors and not 100% clear on the install. Heard its not to difficult. Thanks
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Joined: May 2005
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RE: Rotor and Brake Pad Install
yeah dude its a cinch - take some time to do it right and it will be great, I'll give you a step by step process and if anyone sees anything I left out, say something! I'll assume you are just doing the fronts....
1 - Go to the auto parts store, get some caliper grease, some anti-squeal grease for the back of the pads, a small wire brush, some coarse emory cloth, a small flat file, and some brake kleen (or equivalent).
2 - Loosen your front lug nuts with the vehicle on the ground but dont take them off.
3 - Jack up the vehicle and support it with jack stands. Remove the lugs the rest of the way and take off your wheels.
4 - Do one side at a time so if for some reason you forget how everything goes together you can look at the other side. Start by removing the two 10 mm guide pin bolts on the back of the caliper. Do not remove the brake hose or the bleeder.
5 - Remove the caliper from the mounting bracket on the knuckle. On the right side tip the top foward first and slide it slightly up and off the rotor. On the left side tip the bottom out first and slide it down and off the rotor.
6 - Remove the outboard brake pad by pulling up on the outer clips and sliding it down out of the caliper. Then remove the inboard pad by pulling it away from the piston; there are clips on the backside holding it in.
7 - Obtain a large C-clamp or some water pump pliers. Carefully retract the caliper piston all the way back into its bore. Take a look at the dust boot, if it is ripped - replace the caliper. If the piston will not move, it is seized - replace the caliper.
8 - Remove the guide pins and inspect the boots. Be careful not to rip them when removing the pins. If they are ripped, replace them. Grease the pin with the caliper grease or something equivalent and press them back into the boots. Make sure the boot seats into the groove on the pin and the pin moves freely. Carefully wirebrush and/or file the tabs on the outside of the caliper to remove any rust or crud. Do the same for the piston face (dont hurt the piston dust boot) and the inside face where the outboard pad rides againsts. Clean any surface where two parts come together and are free to move, if you dont things wont fit together very well or the brakes may make noise.
9 - Hang the caliper out of the way with a small bungie cord or some mechanics wire. DO NOT let it hang from the brake hose.
10 - Remove the spring washer if you have one and then remove the rotor. If it is stuck give it a firm whack with a hammer on the hub face in between the studs. DO NOT hit the studs.
11 - Wirebrush and file any rust or crap off the ways on the knuckle where the pad tabs were riding. This will ensure smooth operation and eliminate noise.
12 - Wirebrush the hub face and use emory cloth to clean up the hub flange. Remove any chunky rust that will cause your new rotor not to sit flush and/or concentric.
13 - Use the caliper grease and apply a thin coat on the ways and the recess on the outside of the caliper where the clips for the outboard pad go, and a dab on the tabs on the caliper and the tabs on the new pads. DO NOT get any grease on the new rotor or pad lining material.
14 - Lay the pads lining down and put some anti-squeal grease on the backs. If they have shims - put grease on the back of the pad, then place the shims on the pad and grease the back of the shim. Clean your hands!
15 - Snap the inboard pad into the caliper piston. Snap the outboard pad into place - make sure the clips are all the way in the recess. Clean your hands.
16 - Spray the hub off with some brake kleen and grab your new rotor on the outside edge or by the flange - not where the pads will contact - and put it in place. Install the spring washer over one of the studs if you have one, it will hold the rotor in place.
17 - Install the caliper. On the right side place bottom of the capiler in first - make sure the tabs on the pads are above the way. Push the top of the caliper down till the tabs on the pad contact the way. On the left side place the top of the caliper in first - again making sure the pad tabs are above the way - and push the bottom side down until the tabs on the pad contact the way. Be sure you didnt twist up the brake hose or something stupid like that - if you did - take the caliper back off and make it right - look at the other side if you have to.
18 - Install the two 10 mm guide pin bolts by hand until they start threading in. DO NOT cross thread them. Tighten them to 192 in-lbs or untill they are good and snug. 192 in-lbs isnt alot of torque! DO NOT overtorque the bolts or they will break and you will be having a bad day!!
19 - Do the other side the same way - dont skip any steps or get lazy - be careful - use grease where I said to and it will be as good as it was from the factory.
20 - Install the wheels and lugs and snug them down. Get the vehicle back on the ground and torque the lugs down to 100 ft-lbs.
21 - Before you start the vehicle, pump the brake pedal until it firms up again.
22 - Start the car and go out for a drive and seat in the pads and listen for any strange noises that may indicate that you screwed something up. Seat in the pads by doing 4 or 5 moderate brake applications from about 35 to 10 mph. Let them cool for a second or two between application. Do a couple more stops from 20 to 25 mph and if nothing is rattling, grinding, or falling off your car you can pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
1 - Go to the auto parts store, get some caliper grease, some anti-squeal grease for the back of the pads, a small wire brush, some coarse emory cloth, a small flat file, and some brake kleen (or equivalent).
2 - Loosen your front lug nuts with the vehicle on the ground but dont take them off.
3 - Jack up the vehicle and support it with jack stands. Remove the lugs the rest of the way and take off your wheels.
4 - Do one side at a time so if for some reason you forget how everything goes together you can look at the other side. Start by removing the two 10 mm guide pin bolts on the back of the caliper. Do not remove the brake hose or the bleeder.
5 - Remove the caliper from the mounting bracket on the knuckle. On the right side tip the top foward first and slide it slightly up and off the rotor. On the left side tip the bottom out first and slide it down and off the rotor.
6 - Remove the outboard brake pad by pulling up on the outer clips and sliding it down out of the caliper. Then remove the inboard pad by pulling it away from the piston; there are clips on the backside holding it in.
7 - Obtain a large C-clamp or some water pump pliers. Carefully retract the caliper piston all the way back into its bore. Take a look at the dust boot, if it is ripped - replace the caliper. If the piston will not move, it is seized - replace the caliper.
8 - Remove the guide pins and inspect the boots. Be careful not to rip them when removing the pins. If they are ripped, replace them. Grease the pin with the caliper grease or something equivalent and press them back into the boots. Make sure the boot seats into the groove on the pin and the pin moves freely. Carefully wirebrush and/or file the tabs on the outside of the caliper to remove any rust or crud. Do the same for the piston face (dont hurt the piston dust boot) and the inside face where the outboard pad rides againsts. Clean any surface where two parts come together and are free to move, if you dont things wont fit together very well or the brakes may make noise.
9 - Hang the caliper out of the way with a small bungie cord or some mechanics wire. DO NOT let it hang from the brake hose.
10 - Remove the spring washer if you have one and then remove the rotor. If it is stuck give it a firm whack with a hammer on the hub face in between the studs. DO NOT hit the studs.
11 - Wirebrush and file any rust or crap off the ways on the knuckle where the pad tabs were riding. This will ensure smooth operation and eliminate noise.
12 - Wirebrush the hub face and use emory cloth to clean up the hub flange. Remove any chunky rust that will cause your new rotor not to sit flush and/or concentric.
13 - Use the caliper grease and apply a thin coat on the ways and the recess on the outside of the caliper where the clips for the outboard pad go, and a dab on the tabs on the caliper and the tabs on the new pads. DO NOT get any grease on the new rotor or pad lining material.
14 - Lay the pads lining down and put some anti-squeal grease on the backs. If they have shims - put grease on the back of the pad, then place the shims on the pad and grease the back of the shim. Clean your hands!
15 - Snap the inboard pad into the caliper piston. Snap the outboard pad into place - make sure the clips are all the way in the recess. Clean your hands.
16 - Spray the hub off with some brake kleen and grab your new rotor on the outside edge or by the flange - not where the pads will contact - and put it in place. Install the spring washer over one of the studs if you have one, it will hold the rotor in place.
17 - Install the caliper. On the right side place bottom of the capiler in first - make sure the tabs on the pads are above the way. Push the top of the caliper down till the tabs on the pad contact the way. On the left side place the top of the caliper in first - again making sure the pad tabs are above the way - and push the bottom side down until the tabs on the pad contact the way. Be sure you didnt twist up the brake hose or something stupid like that - if you did - take the caliper back off and make it right - look at the other side if you have to.
18 - Install the two 10 mm guide pin bolts by hand until they start threading in. DO NOT cross thread them. Tighten them to 192 in-lbs or untill they are good and snug. 192 in-lbs isnt alot of torque! DO NOT overtorque the bolts or they will break and you will be having a bad day!!
19 - Do the other side the same way - dont skip any steps or get lazy - be careful - use grease where I said to and it will be as good as it was from the factory.
20 - Install the wheels and lugs and snug them down. Get the vehicle back on the ground and torque the lugs down to 100 ft-lbs.
21 - Before you start the vehicle, pump the brake pedal until it firms up again.
22 - Start the car and go out for a drive and seat in the pads and listen for any strange noises that may indicate that you screwed something up. Seat in the pads by doing 4 or 5 moderate brake applications from about 35 to 10 mph. Let them cool for a second or two between application. Do a couple more stops from 20 to 25 mph and if nothing is rattling, grinding, or falling off your car you can pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
Rookie
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 88
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From:
RE: Rotor and Brake Pad Install
Anytime - I forgot to add that after you put your calipers back on - spay your rotor with some brake kleen to get rid of any greasy fingerprints you might have accidentally placed on there - try not to hit the areas where you greased tho becuase that would defeat the purpose. Happy wrenching.