dyeinbreed

I figured it is about time to do the simple things myself. my brake warning started coming on about a month ago, and since its insanely cold out i have been putting off changing them. I bought new pads about 3 weeks ago and i took off the wheel, but i didnt know how to take off the calipers to get to the pads let alone replace it. So i put the wheel back on to wait for a warmer time, but ive been putting it off too long and they need to be changed as i dont want to screw any more up.

If anyone knows or has pictures on how to do this that would be great

91TPI5.7

Front pads are a cinch to do. If you went as far as having the wheel off, then the rest is just as easy. Get a large C-clamp to compress the piston, remove the two bolts holding on the caliper, and putt the caliper off. the pads come out, new ones go in. save the little rattle clip off the old ones, and put them on the new ones. also, avoid any grease or oil so you dont get it on the pads. Invest a few bux in a chilton or haynes book. If you really get into the DIY stuff, a shop manual is the best.

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

Piece of cake. Take off your wheel and there are 2 long bolts that hold the caliper. It take a square hex key type fitting to take them, you can buy it at an auto parts for like $5 and it will fit right on your 1/4 rachet. Remove the 2 bolts and slide off the entire caliper. The pads will fall off. Now you need to push the piston back into the caliper. You can buy the tool to do that at the parts store too and it only costs like $10, trust me, you need it and it will come in handy quite often.

If your rotors have gruves or are warped even the slightest, remove those too and have them turned by a local machine shop, should be $15 to have that done. You might want to replace the bearings too while you are at it. Once you get everything back together you have to bleed the brakes. There is a bleeder valve you need to loosen and have someone else get in the car and push the pedal down until nothing but fluid comes out then tighten it. Start with the wheel farthest from the master cylinder.

If you need help removing your rotors and stuff just post back and I'll walk you through it.

Alex

Jekyll & Hyde

Don't use a 1/4 rachet if you can help it. You might break it, they should be torqued on quite a bit. Try to use a 3/8, and you might need a mid-size extension if you don't have one. It is easy to do though.

Oh yeah, you also need to get a c-clamp or something to push the piston back into the caliper, if you do it that way. You don't even have to open the brake fliud lines, you can take the c-clamp and push the piston back into the caliper, but you need to take off the lid to the fluid resivour, and press the piston in slowly. It will push some fluid out of the resivour if you continued to fill it up as the pads went down.

Post if you need help while you are doing it...

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

3/8 is what I was trying to think of, thanks! 1/4 is that little tiny good for nothing rachet that I have It's good for removing the dash though...

Jekyll & Hyde

That is true, with the torque that those things are at, it would be a goner before it is broke loose.

dyeinbreed

where is the bleed valve for the brakes?

What's this brake 'tool' look like?

I was going to try to change the brakes while i was changing my oil today but the weather is so insanely **** [weve gotten about a 6 inches of snow in 3 hours and its no where near stopping] that i dont feel like it at all.

btw, thanks for the help guys, its good to have someone on your side I called like 5 places yesterday to see if they could install the brakes i bought, and the only place that would wanted 70 dollars with no warranty.

Jekyll & Hyde

Ok, the tool that you need to get is a 10mm or 12mm flare nut wrench. You an use a socket on it, but don't break it. I never had to bleed the system when I changed the front, but if you need to. Two people make the job easier. You will need to have someone pump the brakes slowly with the lid on the resivour. A tube on the end of the bleeder valve will make less messy. Once you make sure that no air is in the lines tighten up the bleeder valve and you are done.

Another way that you can do it, faster but you don't get the clean brake fluid. Remove the caliper from the rotor, remove the worn-out brake pads. Take the new brake pads out of the box and put a light coat of disc brake quiet on the backside. Let it dry. While it is drying remove the lid to the resivour, and use a c-clamp to push the piston back into the caliper. Go slow, a fast turn will make the fluid shoot out of the resivour, remember the lid is off at this time. Also check the level if you have kept filling it up while the brake pads have worn down. You might have to much in there. Once the pads are dry and the piston is in the caliper, install new pads, reinstall caliper. Once installed, both sides, replace lid and pump brakes a couple times. Then you are finished