Today I went to a few brake shops to install new rotors, pads and SS lines, and was quoted from 200 up to 250. This seems quite steep.

Anyway, how hard would it be for myself, rated 1-5 stars, to tackle this project. My knowledge of this car consists of doing my own oil change, rotating tires, installed my own fujita CAI and activetuning grill. So basically how difficult would it be to do it myself before I let someone else do it for me.

Could not find instructions on how to do this in the forum.

Thanks

 

Its easy for me. Even easier with my 300ZX TT calipers. I dont have to remove my calipers to change pads. I can do the whole job in under 20 min. For the OEM brakes, take the 17mm bolts off the caliper, flip it upside down and remove the pads. Take a pic or two in case ur not sure how it goes back together, or do one side at a time. I havent done rotors yet, so not sure there. If they are floating rotors then they are a piece of cake. SS lines are easy. Use LINE wrench to remove lines. Dont cheap out and use regular wrench. You then have to bleed air out of brakes, but you do this after its all back together. In order to get new pads in, you have to compress the caliper piston. I use a big giant wrench with tape on it to prevent it from gouging the piston. U can use a big clamp too. Since my brakes are painted, I protect the painted surface with a rag. Dont forget to bed in the new pads properly. I do about 10 repeated EASY stops from about 30-40 mph. Take it easy on them the first few days too. Otherwise you can glaze the rotors.

PM me with more questions.

 

We should make a full sticky changing rotors and brakes

:

 

The hardest part might be the install of the SS brake lines and the bleeding of the brakes. The rest should be easily doable. I dunno how mechanically inclined you are but this is coming from someone who have done engine swaps and rebuilt a car from a bare shell.

If your not comfortable with the bleeding of the brakes or the install of the SS lines you can change the pads and rotors and have the shop do those. Should be cheaper.

 

Do you have to bleed the brakes to change the rotors, pads, and ss lines?

There is a how-to out there for the ss lines:

http://www.6thgenmaxima.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34

 

You can get the service manuals at www.vq35de.com/ESM/Nissan/. Unzip into PDF files. There is a section just for brakes.

Pay attention to details. When you take the parts off, remember the order, position, etc. Make sure the calipers are floating freely; get some white grease on the sliding pins.

If you install SS lines, air will get into the brake lines and you HAVE to bleed them. Make sure the SS lines do not rub on anything and are long enough. Clean area around SS connections before you start. For the bleeders, you need a 7 or 8 mm wrench. They are fragile. To bleed: top up brake oil reservoir, put wrench on bleeder, and attach to a clear hose into a small can. Get a friend to press the brake pedal, and you open a bleeder. When pedal hits the floor, close bleeder, release brake pedal, and re-press pedal. Do 3-5 times and top up oil reservoir. The clear hose will let you see the color of the oil changing to clear, see if you still have air bubbles and will save your paint and driveway. Brake oil will peel paint. Use DOT3 oil or something like Valvoline SynPower which is compatible with old DOT3. Do not use DOT5; it has an incompatible silicon base.

The rotors may be hard to remove because of rust around the hub. Use WD40.

 

Just did my fronts last night. Rotors were stuck on there pretty good which surprised me because we don't get rust really bad here. Anyway, some PB Blaster and a crowbar did the job. A rubber mallet would probably be better, but I didn't have one. One tip is to put one lug nut back on leaving it loose so the rotor has room to come loose but won't fall off and hit you or the ground.

Pads are super easy to replace on the Max - you just take off the bottom bolt behind the pin and the caliper mechanism just rotates upwards and stays in place while you can get to the pads really easily. I was mad though because the shims that AZ sold me were clearly the wrong part because they were half the size of the pads.

 

I got my pads and rotors installed today, finally found a good price. Don't know how much of an issue, but the fronts were put facing the way Chernmax has it, the rears are on the opposite way. Should I have the rears facing the same way as the front or is it just personal????

 

any feedback??

 

Sorry for reviving an "old" thread (soon to be over the 15 post criteria!!)..

I tried searching and was unable to find anything on this but..

There seems to be a difference of opinion among the 'experts' regarding installing new brake pads and rotors at the same time. Is it better to install everything new, or should one install pads with seasoned rotors first?

 

I did everything new

 

only change the rotors if needed. they should out last your pads.

 

You really should replace everything pads and rotors, esp. if you're doing the work yourself. The rotors may last for ever but the surface won't be the greatest. When you get new rotors they have a rough finish so the pads wil break in evenly with the rotors. Also most likely down the road you'll get some weird braking sensations going on. Then you'll have to do it all over again

 

If your rotors are in good shape and have never been turned then they can reused. You don't want to put new pads on a rotor that is worn because it may not have a perfectly smooth surface because of the uneven wear from the old pads. Have the rotors turned and install the new pads.

 

THis link is dead.

 

I've found that for the price of having a rotor "turned" (if you can even find a shop to do it anymore), that it is almost more cost-effective to just buy a new rotor.