brake pads
#1
04-17-2005, 04:47 PM
brake pads
i have a 02 blazer xtreme with disc brakes all around. i just bought some new brake pads and i went to get them installed but they were chargin way to much for installation. so i was wonderin if any of u guys have put brake pads on ur car and what tools i need and what do i need to do to swop on some new ones. thanks
#3
04-17-2005, 07:49 PM
RE: brake pads
yeah disc brakes area sinch to work on you propably just have to remove the two caliper slides to get that offf slip in the new shoes nad colpase the caliper to get it back on and if remember right the caliper bolts have a hexagon head so that would be the only "special " tool that i know of
#8
10-03-2005, 02:50 PM
RE: Need "how to" for pads and rotors
Disc brakes are all set-up the same way.
Remove tire. (break lug nuts loose while tire is on the ground).
Jack up truck and place jack stands under it.
Remove caliper, either a metric socket (13mm, 15mm, 18mm) or torx bit, 45/50/or 55. I don't remember at the moment. Hang the caliper up, don't let it hang from the brake line. If you crack that brake line you will have to replace it, and bleed the brakes.
Remove caliper bracket bolts. 13mm, 15mm, or 18mm don't remember at the moment. Thinking 15mm though.
Take rotor off and get it turned or replaced. Should cost less then $10 to turn a rotor, if it is turnable. See below for more info on why you must get it turned/replaced.
Its worth the $10 for a "brake tool". Leave the old pad in place next to the caliper piston and use the tool. The tool forces the piston and pins back into the caliper. If you don't do this, you will never get the new pads over the rotor. I prefer the tool over a c-clamp. With a c-clamp you risk pushing the piston in at an angle. Not good. It needs to go straight in. See pic of brake tool below.
Clean all the brake dust off the parts, especially the shiny ones. Old toothbrush works great for this. Apply brake/caliper grease to all the shiny parts. Your pads have to slide on them, if they rust up they won't slide and your brakes will hang up causeing more problems.
Reassemble, spray all the crap off the rotors and pads with brake cleaner. Its cheap so use a whole can per brake. Oil and grease on the pad or rotor will cause them to squell and you will have to take it apart agian. If you bought new rotors it comes with a light coat of oil to protect the steel from rusting on teh shelf. If you have your rotor turned, more then likely it has greasy finger prints on it, even if you cannot see it. Worth the $2 a can per side in headache later. Plus the grease could cause the rotor or pad to glaze over and you will have to replace the pad or get the rotor turned, again. If it is turnable. Worth the $2 per can of brake cleaner.
The rear discs are slightly different in the way they come off. Look for a 2 sided bolt under that rubber boot next to the caliper bracket. Put a wrench on it (5/8" I think), and unbolt the caliper. Carefull not to gouge the rubber boot. That rubber boot protects the slide pin from dirt and corrosion. Otherwise the rears are just like the fronts.
Slide pins. These are more technical then you think. They have a protective coating on them, do not polish them with anything other then a rag. Once the protective coating is gone, they will rust and your caliper will hang up. Once that happens you need new rotors, pads, and caliper. And since you have the caliper off, you might as well replace the brake hose. This gets expensive. If the pins are showing signs of corrosion, buy new ones. Again they are cheap in comparision to the stuff you WILL be replaceing later. Make sure the slide pins have plenty of grease. Let it ooze out and wipe it off. Careful not to get the grease on the pads or rotor face.
Turning rotors- simple. Rotors will warp over time. Heat generated from brakeing warps them. As pads wear they also wear groove(s) in the rotors. Just becuase the rotor "looks" OK, it isn't. A severly warped rotor is only warped by thousands of an inch. You cannot see the warpage, but you sure can feel it in the steering wheel. Most front disc brake rotors can be turned at least once. There are a few exceptions, if they are so rusted that the outer face is flaking off, replace. If they are grooved too deep, machining them will not remove the groove, replace. If they don't fall within in mimimum spec, they must be replaced. The shop turning them can tell you if they are within spec. before they start to turn them. No charge to make sure first.
Rear disc brake rotors are usually made of a composite material, we cannot turn them. 9/10 times they have to be replaced with after market rotors. IF the shop doesn'
Remove tire. (break lug nuts loose while tire is on the ground).
Jack up truck and place jack stands under it.
Remove caliper, either a metric socket (13mm, 15mm, 18mm) or torx bit, 45/50/or 55. I don't remember at the moment. Hang the caliper up, don't let it hang from the brake line. If you crack that brake line you will have to replace it, and bleed the brakes.
Remove caliper bracket bolts. 13mm, 15mm, or 18mm don't remember at the moment. Thinking 15mm though.
Take rotor off and get it turned or replaced. Should cost less then $10 to turn a rotor, if it is turnable. See below for more info on why you must get it turned/replaced.
Its worth the $10 for a "brake tool". Leave the old pad in place next to the caliper piston and use the tool. The tool forces the piston and pins back into the caliper. If you don't do this, you will never get the new pads over the rotor. I prefer the tool over a c-clamp. With a c-clamp you risk pushing the piston in at an angle. Not good. It needs to go straight in. See pic of brake tool below.
Clean all the brake dust off the parts, especially the shiny ones. Old toothbrush works great for this. Apply brake/caliper grease to all the shiny parts. Your pads have to slide on them, if they rust up they won't slide and your brakes will hang up causeing more problems.
Reassemble, spray all the crap off the rotors and pads with brake cleaner. Its cheap so use a whole can per brake. Oil and grease on the pad or rotor will cause them to squell and you will have to take it apart agian. If you bought new rotors it comes with a light coat of oil to protect the steel from rusting on teh shelf. If you have your rotor turned, more then likely it has greasy finger prints on it, even if you cannot see it. Worth the $2 a can per side in headache later. Plus the grease could cause the rotor or pad to glaze over and you will have to replace the pad or get the rotor turned, again. If it is turnable. Worth the $2 per can of brake cleaner.
The rear discs are slightly different in the way they come off. Look for a 2 sided bolt under that rubber boot next to the caliper bracket. Put a wrench on it (5/8" I think), and unbolt the caliper. Carefull not to gouge the rubber boot. That rubber boot protects the slide pin from dirt and corrosion. Otherwise the rears are just like the fronts.
Slide pins. These are more technical then you think. They have a protective coating on them, do not polish them with anything other then a rag. Once the protective coating is gone, they will rust and your caliper will hang up. Once that happens you need new rotors, pads, and caliper. And since you have the caliper off, you might as well replace the brake hose. This gets expensive. If the pins are showing signs of corrosion, buy new ones. Again they are cheap in comparision to the stuff you WILL be replaceing later. Make sure the slide pins have plenty of grease. Let it ooze out and wipe it off. Careful not to get the grease on the pads or rotor face.
Turning rotors- simple. Rotors will warp over time. Heat generated from brakeing warps them. As pads wear they also wear groove(s) in the rotors. Just becuase the rotor "looks" OK, it isn't. A severly warped rotor is only warped by thousands of an inch. You cannot see the warpage, but you sure can feel it in the steering wheel. Most front disc brake rotors can be turned at least once. There are a few exceptions, if they are so rusted that the outer face is flaking off, replace. If they are grooved too deep, machining them will not remove the groove, replace. If they don't fall within in mimimum spec, they must be replaced. The shop turning them can tell you if they are within spec. before they start to turn them. No charge to make sure first.
Rear disc brake rotors are usually made of a composite material, we cannot turn them. 9/10 times they have to be replaced with after market rotors. IF the shop doesn'
#10
09-02-2007, 11:26 AM
RE: Need "how to" for pads and rotors
ORIGINAL: vtboss54
Hanr3
how do you change/replace the rotors, do they just pull off? Im in the process of changing my brakes and my rotors need to be changed as well. can you help?
thanks
Hanr3
how do you change/replace the rotors, do they just pull off? Im in the process of changing my brakes and my rotors need to be changed as well. can you help?
thanks
Zed
*Combining Consecutive Posts*
Just to add to that , on the production line when the truck was built they put the rotors on and then a little clip that threads onto a stud to hold them in place as it move down the line , if you see one on a stud it will have to be removed with a pair of side cutters or twist em off with a pair of pliers ..
Zed
*EDIT by swartlkk* - Combining Consecutive Posts - Please use the edit feature to add additional information to your post if another member has yet to reply. Please PM me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. Thanks!