Techno Duck

Took a peak at my rear brake pads today, i noticed that the left rear outter pad is much thicker than the right rear. Not a major difference but enough to notice still. I have read in older posts its normal for some uneven pad wear and that it can be attributed to the caliper binding. I am doing my front pads over the Thanks Giving break and figure it would be good practice to lubricate the front and rear calipers while im at it.

Here are a few questions that come to mind...

1. What is a good lubricant to use to cure any binding?
Can i use high temp anti-seize here or is there a product specifically for this?

2. Once i have the calipers off, will it be evident what needs to be lubricated? I am pretty competent mechanically, however have never done a brake job before.

3. Which is the easier approach to changing the pads, Tech-Session and Clarks-Garage both have different methods.

4. Also anyone have experience with Ferodo brake pads for our cars? Im in a throw up between these and the Hawk HPS. Car sees street and autocross use. I am looking for something not to hard on rotors, but with good initial bite (if something like that even exists!). Also preferably under $85.00 (cost of the Hawks).

Please quench my need for mechanical / automotive knowledge and educate me!

And i thought id add, i wish i had those 4-piston Turbo / S2 brakes. I saw a video that was less than 1 minute long of someone replacing the pads with a pair of Channel-Locks...damn that looked easy!

apierce918

3. you really probably wont need either, they are so easy its scary. take off the vibration clip thingy, take out pins, press in caliper, gank out pads, in with new pads etc. etc. very straitforward

Techno Duck

How exactly do you press in the caliper? Can you elaborate on that?

My only experience with brake pads was watching my father do them on his 275k (from central LI to NNJ every night...still ran strong at 285k when we sold it!) Toyota Camry. They were a single piston type also, i remember him taking the caliper off completley and using a C-clamp with a block wood on the piston to compress it. Thats about the extent of my knowledge.

apierce918

i used a screwdriver and pried carefully. calipers dont need to come off. mine pressed in fairly easily. but i have used the wood block and c-clamp method on my truck

83na944

1. Anti-sieze works for me.

2. Lubricate the pins, the antirattle springs where they touch the springs, the part of the caliper where the pads slide, and the back of the pads.

3. Pull the pins and the anti-rattle spring. Lift out the pads. I used a large pair of channel-lock pliers to squeeze the piston in enough to put the pads in. Note that the back of the pads have square depressions. There are matching pins on the caliper. You'll have to make sure that the pins go into the recesses or they will hold the pad out so far you'll not be able to get it in.

Dave in Chicago

I've always used the old pads (the ones being removed) to pry the pistons back into their bores, allowing room for big beefy new pads. Usually I have turned the pad sideways to do so.

I figure the pad material against the rotor is better than other harder materials. Works like a charm.

There's hydraulic pressure involved so give the piston a few seconds to retreat into the bore.

fezz

i havent changed my rear pads yet but i assume the caliper frames are the same front and rear.

remove the inner pad first. push the sliding part of the caliper away from you as you face the wheel to maximize the space between the rotor and piston. the inner pad can be stubborn but it will pull straight up and out. once the inner pad is out, pull the sliding caliper towards you maximizing the space between the rotor and outer frame.

the outer frame has a protruding tab that locks into the notch in the center of the outer pad backing plate. that is why it is done in this order - otherwise you cannot pull the pad up as it gets caught on the tab. installing the new pads is the reverse.

install the outer pad first, engaging the caliper frame tab into the back of the outer pad. then push the sliding frame in, away from you again to maximize the space for the inner pad. when trying to slide the new inner pad in - make sure the face of the piston is flush with the caliper body, otherwise the pad will not clear. if the piston need to be pushed in, open the cap on the resevoiur, pace a rag or thin metal plate against the piston on pry it into the caliper body with a large screwdriver. protect the rubber boot around the piston from damage. the inner pad will go in with a little persuasion if necessary.

i hope i've stated the push/pull bit right and this wordy description is helpful and saves you a little trial and error.

Scott at Team Harco

Jon,

One thing not mentioned above: you'd do well to loosen the bleeder screw before pushing the piston(s) back into the caliper. This will not only make it easier but will also expel some of the old fluid. You'll very likely want to bleed the brakes when you are done anyway.

Also, please do the environmentally responsible thing by capturing the used fluid and mixing with the used motor oil that you take to your local recycling center.

Techno Duck

Hey, thank you all for the advice. I am hoping removing those retaining pins is not as bad as i have read in the posts...they actually look to be in pretty reasonable shape, not rusted or anything (just heavily coated in brake dust). I did however buy the hardware kit in the event i need to cut anything out.

I have not purchased the pads yet, still trying to decide against the Ferodo's and Hawk HPS. I figure pads by Ferodo Baggin's may be pretty good considering he is a hobbit and has the power of the ring.

Scott, did you ever recieve the money order for the wheel?

Dave in Chicago

Joe hit on a point I'd forgotten about (maybe I've been away from the single-piston calipers too long ). There is this fussing with push/pull required to make it all easy. Like Joe said, hard to explain in words. Best way I can describe it is that the caliper has a tendency to want to rotate down towards the hub on the outside. Kinda lifting/rotating it back does make the pad swap easier.

Like Joe said, you will go "ah" when you mess with it and see what we mean.

Scott at Team Harco

Yes - received and cashed. Will be spent soon enough.

Was the wheel to your satisfaction?

Techno Duck

Absolutley,i liked the finish on it. Tire is in great shape to, cant bring myself to have it unmounted!

89magic98

Have the hardware handy.

Do not use a hammer to pound out the pin from the back side - the pin will bend or break.

I think you have to separate the frame into two pieces in order to properly lubricate the caliper assembly so that you don't get the wear pattern you have. There's also a plastic/nylon bushing in there that you will want to replace.

Techno Duck

Kevin, i acutally read about your experiences trying to get the pins out. What is a good method to remove them, Channel-Locks?

89magic98

I wound up cutting the pins in half with a dremel, and taking a pair of channel locks from the inside (where the pins cross behind the rotor) and twisting them back and forth and working them out - used a liberal amount of PB blaster too, I might add.

The pins were destroyed during removal - but mine were really seized in there. You might be able to tap them out.