perhaps a pressure diff? wierd caliper?

 

1) make sure the caliper slide bolts are free of gunk and rust to allow the caliper to slide freely side to side and lub as needed, 2) use brake grease as necessary on the various clips and make sure they are clean (or better yet buy the kit [>$20] which includes them and the shims and just replace the whole bunch as they are a bitch to clean) so the pads can freely slide in the caliper on them, and last but not least 3) if you didn't perform a good and thorough brake fluid purge and bleed, there could be air on one piston making your braking a 1-piston affair with the other just compressing some air for much of the brake stroke.

 

We only have 1 piston per wheel and its on the inside (ie piston side) thats getting all the wear. However I think your on the right track here with #2.

Was the issue on only 1 corner? Was the outside wear even or on an angle? Normally if I dont change my pads around (inside top out) after a track day I will starts to get more wear on the leadng side of the pads compared to the trailing.

Cheers

Andrew

 

Blah, it's late, it's dark and im getting frustrated.......

how can i get that darn piston back in without the use of a C Clamp??? i've already put the pads on but now, i hav no immediate way of putting the caliper back over...

i tried to remove cap from m. cylinder and push it in with enuh... my hands...

is this suppose to work?

 

if you have a C Clamp you can use that.

 

well i found a easier way for those of us (like me who doesnt hav every random tool at their house but basic tools)....

i jus placed brake pads on the upside down caliper ... wedged a screw driver btwn the pads and threw the hole on the top and applied lateral pressure with the cylinder open.

worked like a charm.

 

I feel like a beast after reading these piston problems. I just used my two thumbs and pushed the piston back with my brute manliness.

 

more like your gorilla powers, monkeyboy.

 

An easier painless way to get tight bolts off I use all the time.

Put your wrench tight on the bolt and instead of pulling/pushing on it...use your hydraulic jack stand under the end of it and slowly pump up the jack, adding pressure to the wrench/bolt. Using the cars own weight against it it will loosen with no problems and no banged up hands. Remember pump the stand slowly allowing for constant pressure on the bolt. Works like a charm every time

 

Just thought I'd add my experience:

I do not open the MC. With a good clamp setup, I've never had issue pushing the piston back in, and it's just one less mess to potentially make.

I did the fronts first. I did not open up the caliper, I only removed it from the rotor. I popped the outermost pad out, but left it in the caliper, then just used a standard woodworking-style clamp to push against the old pads to push the piston back in. Pushed the old pads, one at a time, toward the center, lifted them out, new pads in (with shims and anti-squeal), pushed out towards the outside and clicked into place. Slide the caliper over the rotor and re-bolt. Easy breezy.

Rears were tougher, only because I didn't know about the little alignment peg. I have this tool from Harbor Freight (I got it on sale for $10):

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40732

Perfect for pushing/turning the piston back in. To use this, however, you do have to take off one of the 14mm caliper bolts so you can swing the top open. Once you know to end with the "slot" for the peg facing the proper direction, it becomes as easy as the fronts. I installed the new pads with the caliper open since it was open already, then swing it closed, tighten caliper bolt and reinstall caliper to rotor.

I always do a bed-in with new pads as well. First, a very slow test drive with several pumps of the brake pedal to rebuild pressure. Then, I do four or five 30mph -> 5mph stops, first with moderate pressure, then a pretty hard stop, with about thirty seconds of cool-down in between. Then, I do another three or four 50mph -> 5mph stops, again first moderately, but increasingly harder. After that, I'll drive around for several minutes without braking at all to allow for cool-down. I've always had good results, never getting squeals or shudders after any of my brake jobs.

 

I need some help guys...I'm doing the front brake pads now. The right side was easy, but the left was stuck. I can go as far as put the new pads on, and push the piston back. But when I try to reinstall the caliper, the bottom slide pin was stuck. I can spin it with a wrench with some force, but it won't slide like the other pins. I tapped it a few times and it goes in a little further, but still not far enough to slide the caliper back in place. Does anybody has any idea how to get the pin loose? I'm sure the Wisconsin weather has a lot to do with it.

 

The next time someone changes their pads, could you please take a picture of the the 5th clip (screech clip or audible wear indicator) and how it's supposed to go back on. It should be intuitive but I think one way it sits too proud and the other it doesn't sit proud at all. (maybe it broke).

Much appreciated.

Is there one on the rear brakes too?

 

Please explain??

Happy to do it this weekend for you but no idea what this is.

Cheers

Andrew

 

The OEM rears have the clip attached to a pad. HERE is a photo of the front.

 

Auzoon, the screech clip starts to scratch the rotor like nails on the blackboard if the pads wear down to nothing. It's attached to the brake bad and then fits intoth eguide clips at the top and bottom of the pads.

Thank you Expo1. I did do it right and my clip looks just like that. Not broken at all.

Peace of mind gained.

 

Thanks to everyone who posted in the this forum, I was able to buy the recommended tools at Advanced Auto for $20 and perform the change in about 1.5 hours. The DIY section has taught me so much about my car and saved me so much money. Thank you all!!!

 

I had never done a brake job before tonight.

Replaced front brake pads.

It took my dad -5- minutes to do both sides. Five. That is 2 minutes for the left side and 3 minutes for the right because it had been overtorqued. Complete pad replacement on the 2 front brakes. Wow.

Jeez. The dealership really makes money there don't they.. it's incredible.

One bolt to undo, retract the piston from the outside, slide the caliper up, get both old pads off, put new pads on, slide caliper down, torque the bolt. The end.

 

Don't forget to put some brake grease into the clips in which the sides of the pads sit and slide.

 

How does one go about using the c lock to recompress the brake piston? I didnt have this problem with the left wheel I was able to just slide the caliper back over the rotor.

 

scribed - i'm gonna attempt to do this today...

 

I'll give you a hand... or rather, attempt all the work.

 

Does anyone know what size the extra hole is on the rear rotors mine are frozen on the hub and i need to know the scre size so i can use the impact wrench to break them free

 

get a rubber mallet and hit all around the rotor really hard. What the mechanics do. Should loosen it up enough to get it off.

 

Assuming you're talking about the threaded hole, it is the same thread as the screws holding the front rotors on - at least it was on mine. Just rob one off a front rotor - there are two on eacch rotor - and you should be good to go. You shouldn't need any impact tools to break it loose - just a big phillips screwdriver and maybe a rubber mallet to bang on the rotor - turn the screw as far as you can, hit it a few times with the mallet and repeat until it comes off. That being said, you might need an impact screwdriver (and some good penetrating lubricant like PB Blaster) to get the screw out of the front rotor. Just be sure to put some anti-sieze on it when you put it back. It's also not a bad idea to smear a thin film of anti-sieze between the hub and the rotor - just don't get any on the wheel studs.

 

^ thanks i got everything off with an impact driver took two seconds i guess the right tools make the difference