hi all,
my brakes are squeaking and i bought my car into goodyear. they quote me $600+, saying that i need new rotors. with that price i decided to try to do it on my own. i have never done brakes before and always have a feeling that i shouldn't fool with it, but after hearing how much it cost, i'm willing to give it a shot. my question is...ABS brakes any different from non ABS? or is the procedure the same? and when you use the C-clamp to push the caliper piston, how do u know when to stop? and, is bleeding the brakes always done?


thanks.

 

i did some search and came up with this http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/300
but he doesn't show hwo to bleed the brakes. so just wondering if bleeding was necessary.

again thanks

 

The proceedure is so easy its not even funny! First off.. Get a Haynes Service Manual. Then pick up a 14mm and a 19mm socket and rachet. Buy the rotors from Tirerack.com or Automax_95 here on the forum. Buy some brake fluid.. Just need a jack and jackstands.. It WILL NOT run you close to 600 dollars. ABS and non abs is the same.

ZuM

 

bleeding is only necessary if you have really dirty brake fluid. like if you have it for about 30k miles.

 

brakes are cake...just make sure u have a c clamp. wear a nose mask too. brake dust has absesptos in it.. its can cause cancer..most people dont but i like to be safe...why do u need new rotors?.. arnt rotors usualy good for life of the car.. or just get them refinsihed. or hit up a junkyard and get some from a newer max,

 

I found a 4" c-clamp works great for the front calipers. For the rear, I invested in a piston turning tool that attaches to a ratchet to turn in the piston.

 

I don't understand why the rear pistons need a piston turning tool and the fronts don't. I used the piston compressor on all four of my calipers.

ZuM

 

i can see the scrappings on it. and the mechanic said it was unresurfacable. i had the same brakes over 60k.

 

That's an excellent question. I wished I understood how the rear piston and caliper is designed differently from the front, but I don't. If the rear pistons were designed to be pushed straight in, I can't account for why the face is "notched" with the 4 slots.

How does your piston compressor work? Is there a twisting motion or simply pushing one? I read about some guy who tried to push the rear pistons straight in with no luck. His efforts ended up being a waste of time.

 

My piston compressor is one of those 5 dollar tools from autozone. It's just a plate that connects to one side of the caliper and a big screw with a plate at the end. It doesn't turn the piston at all. Doesn't make sense. If the piston has to be spun to move.. how do the brakes engage?? I know for sure the piston doesn't spin around behind the pad.


ZuM

 

Hey Zum - you got my brains smoking here I don't dispute that you were able to get your rear pistons in with your tool. I googled "brake piston turn rear". I found info for Subarus, NSXs, Hummers and Maximas which all describe a turning motion to as the way to push the rear caliper pistons back in. In one link, there was a guess that the rear pistons **may be** designed that way for the e-brake to work. So far, I've found no solid technical info on WHY it's designed that way. So, I'm still ...for now.

 

I only had the move the rear calipers very little. Maybe there was a little play? It def moved though. I couldn't easily slip the caliper over the pads till I used the compressor. I'm very confused too. Because if a turning motion was REQUIRED to put the piston in.. you'd think a turning would be required for the piston to come out. I know that is def. not the case. I'm baffled. Anyone know the answer to this?


ZuM

 

My thought exactly! I posted a question about that a month ago but no one answered. One guy's guess seemed reasonable but I was hoping for more insights to add to it or confirm it.

 

You just need to look a little harder: http://groups.google.com/groups?thre...0earthlink.net

 

u need to turn the rear caliper piston in. if you push it in with a c-clamp or a compressor u will damage the caliper. the rear is designed different because of the e-brake.