Ok let's start off by saying my mom had my car and gave it to me. I'm now trying to make sure everything is right. Well my mom hadn't had the brakes serviced in over 5 years. so now i need to change those. i'm trying to learn how to do stuff myself now. unfortunatly i wasn't raised in a garage. sooooo I need to know first of all if this is something a beginner with lots of freetime can do and i looked through the stickies and didn't see anything about how to do it. So if someone could point me in the right direction or actually provide me with the directions it would be appreciated. thanks

 

Brakes are one of the easiest things to do yourself. Just workly slowly and carefully. Look here is an excellent howto on the front brakes: www.motorvate.ca

The rears are done in a very similar fashion - except the caliper piston is turned in rather than pushed back inside.

Do yourself a favor and get your hands on a Haynes or Chiltons manual - they aren't the best, but better than nothing and very useful to have around.

Cheers.

 

I actually just did all my brakes for the first time yesterday...the back brakes need a tool which can be bough at Advanced Auto for 10 bucks because it is a screw in piston. The fronts are really easy. Just be careful and take your time...other than that it is pretty easy.

 

I can't start threads yet so I hope you don't mind if I hijack a little............

I have a 95 that i bought in 98. It has had a chronic brake squeal since I got it. Checked it soon after purchase & pads had plenty left. Tried the spray on cure.......no luck. A couple years later I discovered the last brake job had was a Midas or LSchwab & it ruined the rotors. Had a complete job done @ a shop that uses proper parts. Shortly thereafter, the squeal was back. Still have good pad left. Just had a FE align. but no difference (didn't think it would).

Anyone else have this issue?



Side note: Love this site..........have 152K on this car & it just won't die. It has never stranded me anywhere. Nice to find out here that my worries of the timing belt breaking have been for naught.

 

A95GLE...When you say that you tried the spray-on cure, I'm thinking you're talking about the spray on brake CLEANER (which every mechanic will tell you to use after the fact). It will stop the squeak for a day or two. I'm on my second Maxima and any Maxima owner will tell you that that when you replace your pads w/ AutoZone, Advance, Napa, etc. pads, you have to use anti-squeal/squeak gel or spray or your brakes will squeal until it's time for new pads.

 

^ he is right. i normally put some stuff on back side of my pads.i had the cheap ones from some time now and not squeaks. Once in a while maybe but thats cause the pads cost me 10$ a pair :P

when doing brakes a good tool to get is a C clamp to push your piston back in and it makes your day go by quicker. Also you might need to bleed the system just for safe measures, i dont know how to do it w/o a brake bleeding system tho, so i cant help you there

 

I thought that after I had the complete works done & had Nippon pads (I think that's what was used) put on that the problem would cease.

Thanks & I'll try your method.