Why pay those stinkin' mechanic's when you can do it yourself and feel like you accomplished something?

Word to the wise, if you plan on doing your own brakes please buy an C-clamp which will easily push back in your front piston into the caliper. And squarish looking attachment (can be picked up at you local pep boys for ~10.00) that will allow you to turn the rear piston back into the caliper. (turn to the right to push back in)

Why spend almost $400.00 at the dealer for front and rear brakes when I can spend under $100.00 (order from www.courtesynissan.com) and save the difference.

Next on my agenda, a tune up.

 

Needle nose pliers are the tool that is need to turn the piston back on the back brakes. Never did my fronts yet. How different is it compared to the back?

 

I just swapped out all my brake pads last Sat. I found front much easier than rears. I used a 4" c-clamp to push in piston for front. My front shims were in reasonably good shape. My rear-left one had disintegrated into dust!! My rear-right was very badly corroded. I had bought a rear brake shim replacement to do the rears brake pad swap properly.

 

i'm changin out my brake lines too w/ SS ones... so is it that big of a deal to clamp in the piston since there shouldn't be any pressure in the system w/ the brakes bleeded...

thanks for the help...

mike

 

Are there any written how 2's for front brake changes? I've never searched for one, but i'm sure its on there, anyone else want to just gimme a site for the place or someting? I am pretty lazy... haha
Seriously though, i'd apprieciate it! Thanks

 

www.motorvate.ca The step-by-step instructions are really good! I just changed out my front & rear pads last weekend.

 

Does this change the process very much? I know it made my fuel filter way harder than it should have been, but just because the lines were in the way..

 

brakes are super easy. I did 3 brake jobs last week, including my brake conversion to Powerslots and EBC greens.

 

Same exact procedure with ABS. Yeah, I know about the feul filter! Me and the Max be fighting come feul filter change time

DW

 

 

They are super easy once you have the right tools and you know how to use them. I could change front and rear in 1/2 hour or less now. I love doing things for myself

 

Sounds like one and all forgot open the bleeder screws while pressing in the caliper piston, you'll need to attach a 1/4 clear hose on the bleeder this is crucial especially if one owns a max with abs reason being is that the old latent hygrospic contaminated brake fluid is pushed back up into the master cynlinder allowing any and all contaminants to possibly clog the master cylinder additionally to also clog the orifices in the abs unit. The proper procedure when exchanging pads is to open the bleeder screw and force the latent fluid from the caliper while pushing the piston in.

Same goes for the rear however one must turn the piston in.

 

I didn't notice that detail in my Haynes manual. What I did was loosen up the cap to the brake fluid resevoir (but didn't take it off completely).

 

I did open my bleeders. My maxi was crying

 

if all you're doing is brake lines you won't be taking the caliper off, so you won't need to compress it back in

i just did my brakelines last night, upgraded to Goodridge stainless steel, along with Brembo blank rotors from Porterfield that i had cryo-genically frozen and Performance Friction pads on the front axle

also put Speed Bleeder screws on each caliper, and flushed the old fluid that i think came with the car (62,000mi) and am now running Motul 600 (got the lines and the fluid from Phuong at EatRiceZone.com)

i haven't gotten a chance to drive it yet (searching the forum right now for break-in instructions for new rotors and pads), but the pedal feel is great

 

thanks for finally someone answerin my problem... not to *****... but thanks! but yes i will be doin pads, rotors, and lines... so pretty much i'll be bleeding the system... take off the lines, take of the calipers, then exchangin the pads and rotors then reinstallin everything... right?

i got the haynes manual so i think it's explained in there... i just wanted a head's up on what to exspect!

thanks again yossarian

much respect,
mike

 

i'd do the pads and rotors first, because pad thickness is a consideration in brake fluid levels and such

then swap in the new brakelines using the instructions on Maxima.org ShopTalk section - and make sure you do them in the order described (passenger rear, driver front, driver rear, passenger front), otherwise your brake system either won't be bled properly

 

i will... thanks again for the tips!

mike

 

Actually, the correct tool is called Disk Brake Piston Tool. And looks like a centerless cube. There are two different types at this site. The third and fourth Items.www.mytoolstore.com/kd/kdbrak07.html#3376

 

Which is the correct one for the Maxima?? I used the needle nose pliers before on my rear calipers and it was a major PIA!

DW

 

Buy the square one. It is a universal one. Each side is a different pattern. Once you find the side that fits best, you put a 3/8" ratchet into the opposite side.

 

Cool. Just ordered. Thx!

DW

 

Thx for the info. Wow, that tool looks awesome. It must beat the plier method by a country-mile. On one of my pistons, it was really hard to turn w/ the pliers (major PITA!!). The plier tips kept on slipping toward the centre due to the "sloped channels".