nirwhistlr

I'd like to change my front pads but never have done my own..does anyone have some useful directions?? thanks

ejj

iTrader: (5)

Your best bet will be to find and purchase a Haynes manual for the car. Its brake writeup is great.

After that, check www.motorvate.ca

Maximax2

Very, very, very easy - and only a little harder to also take the rotors off to have them turned. If you search under "brakes" you should see some recent threads, but basically once you have the car up you take the wheels off, undo two bolts to take the calipers off, and the pads slide out. Put the new pads in, use a c-clamp to squeeze the caliper pistons back out (take off your brake fluid reservoir cap, and make sure it doesn't overflow when you do this), and bolt the caliper back on.

Here's a tip - to avoid the first time panic "oh ****, where does THAT go", try video taping the removal on the first side. If you forget where something goes, watch the video

Search for the threads though, they'll give you more detail.

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

I just did the brakes on my commuter car (Carolla). It was easier than I thought. It was a great learning experience, I recommend doing it yourself. You get a great feeling of satisfaction (especially after being quoted $250 for pads, rotors and labor and you get the job done for under $60 )
And yes, get the Haynes (or Chiltons). Good luck.

sharkulator

iTrader: (5)

Very easy. Just get the Haynes ($15) and the brakes ($18 at Advance Autoparts) and you are ready to go.

Quack 2x

The video is a great idea. Back in the day when video cameras were expensive and there was no such thing as a digital camera, we took polaroids as we disassembled things and used those as references... and before we had polaroids, we used to sketch things out and label the bolts and parts with masking tape!

I think things would probably have gone much easier had we just bought the manuals in the first place...

Aloha,

Quack2x

maxhead

Yeah,

I just changed my back pads and rotors and those are slightly more difficult than the front because you have to turn the piston. Once you know what you're doing, you can do the whole thing in less than 15 minutes per side. If you don't have to change or machine the rotor, it's a breeze. For fronts, www.motorvate.ca has an EXCELLENT write up.

A good thing about doing your brakes yourself is that you can't mess up. Well, you can mess up trying to put them back together, but they only go on one way(i.e. if the pads are upside down, the caliper won't fit, and you can't put the caliper on backwards, etc.) So you'll never put the wheels back on & have messed up brakes.

Once you change them yourself, you'll never let a shop do them again. Have fun.

StillenMax32

Its really easy. I got stillen rotors and pads and they are great. They look good and are a lot better on dust. There are basically two bolts that hold on the calipers that you take off. Then there are two little springs that you do NOT want to loose that hold each pad in. Total of 4 springs per caliper. Then if you want to remove the rotor all you need is a bolt to fit your rotor thread and use a driver to get the rotor off. Its really easy but get the hays manual.

Good Luck !!!

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

Just curious, why are all you guys mentioning Haynes and not Chiltons?

nirwhistlr

thanks..picking up haynes today

iansw

iTrader: (7)

It's spelled BRAKES, not breaks!

For the love of god.....the next time someone spells that worng I'm going to hunt them down and give them a wedgie.....

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

Ian, with all the awful grammar/spelling around here, I think spelling brakes as 'breaks' is a speeding ticket on a scale of jaywalking to murder. But I share your frustration bro. The one that just kills me every single time is 'alot'. It is 'a lot' people, there is no such word as 'alot'!!!

Sorry, I got a little worked up there.

KWheelzSB

iTrader: (1)

Hayne's is better.

slavik'sMAX

iTrader: (2)

see if using this online manual will help:

http://www.cybrrpartspro.com/Manual...odelLookup.html

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

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