How To Change Front And Rear Rotors And Brake Pads

Xtrm · 07-02-2009, 12:10 PM

I would just like to know the easiest way to change front and rear rotors and brake pads, I have never done this before but I would like to know how to so I can save some $$

Thanks

99alerogirl · 07-02-2009, 12:37 PM

cake...remove wheel, undo the 2 bolts for the caliper, and the 2 for the mounting bracket (on the back side), remove caliper, bracket, pads, and rotor, reassemble. don't pay someone to do it, way too easy!

Gr1m · 07-02-2009, 12:48 PM

yes, very easy, the only thing is that your going to need a decent sized C clamp (i use a 6" clamp) in order to compress the caliper piston back into the cylinder. auto parts stores sell kits for over $75 to accomplish this but the same can be had for a $5 C-clamp

lonnie · 07-02-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99alerogirl

cake...remove wheel, undo the 2 bolts for the caliper, and the 2 for the mounting bracket (on the back side), remove caliper, bracket, pads, and rotor, reassemble. don't pay someone to do it, way too easy!

It's not that easy to someone that may not have done it before or watched someone do it. Plus you are leaving out some important details...like compressing the piston with a c-clamp, and not disconnecting the brake line or he will have to bleed them, also he will have to pump the brakes to build the pressure up...etc. Do a search on here about brakes and you should find a detailed how to or steps to do it. Good Luck!

99alerogirl · 07-02-2009, 12:50 PM

yeah... when i did my brakes my calipers were getting done too (they were crap), and they didn't need compressed... cause they were trash haha.

Redog · 07-02-2009, 02:12 PM

Take off the wheel

Use a 13 mm bolt of the calipers a 15 mm on the brackets (removal of bolts is in the same directon that the lug nuts go on, since the bolts are facing the oppiste way, I always have truoble with this)

Rotor just comes off after removal of bracket and caliper

Use a "C" clamp to push teh piston back into the housing of the caliper (I put one of the old brake pads over the piston so I don't have to put the "C" clamp totally inside the piston

Use brake clean on the rotors only, spray on both sides of rotor, let dry and wipe rotor (drying takes all of 4 seconds)

Put rotor on hub

put on bracket

put on caliper

Get in car, start engine, and pump up brakes. The pedal WILL go to the floor. You'll have to do this a few times to get the pedal back.

Drive around the block a few times, makeing complete stops from 10, then 20, then 30, (then 40 and 50 if they are perfromance brakes) but do not jam on them for at least the frist 200 miles or so (300 to 400 according to EBC perfromance brakes)

Now one side of my front brakes sport 12 and 13 mm bolts those bolts had to be replaced, keep that in mind. I rounded them by turning the wrong way.

What I do is put a lug nut on the hub and turn as if I was putting it on the car, then I turn the caliper and bracket bolts the same way

I would take off the wheels and at least loosen all the bolts first JUST LOOSEN only do one side at a time, but be sure you can get all the bolts off first. You must do one axle per brake service, not one wheel

AleroChick785 · 07-02-2009, 02:31 PM

this is something i will def need to remeber, cause my cash is a little tight lately

Xtrm · 07-02-2009, 02:59 PM

Thanks alot everyone. Really appreciate the help.

Nate's Alero · 07-02-2009, 03:03 PM

and if you do pads and check them often, and dont beat on them, then you dont usually have to do rotors

Psyfox · 07-02-2009, 04:19 PM

And while you have your calipers off...you may as well paint them...like me!

07-03-2009, 01:31 AM

take off brake fluid cap in engine bay before pushing the caliper piston in

Nate's Alero · 07-03-2009, 03:57 AM

or the piston will play the revenge game and pop back out at you..... like my rear caliper pistons did... lulz

Xtrm · 07-03-2009, 07:21 PM

Thanks for the tips.

dbailey · 03-22-2013, 09:13 PM

Was looking for steps to replace rear pads and after reading this I didn't notice anybody saying to release the bleeder screw on the caliper so when pushing the piston back in, the fluid will come out of the bleeder and not back thru the anti-lock brake system. I've heard if you force fluid back thru the system to the master cylinder that you can screw up the anti-lock brakes and they ain't cheap to replace! Just heard.

billytheman1188 · 03-22-2013, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbailey

Was looking for steps to replace rear pads and after reading this I didn't notice anybody saying to release the bleeder screw on the caliper so when pushing the piston back in, the fluid will come out of the bleeder and not back thru the anti-lock brake system. I've heard if you force fluid back thru the system to the master cylinder that you can screw up the anti-lock brakes and they ain't cheap to replace! Just heard.

NO.....no way you don't do that....then you'll get air in the system and have to bleed them. I've changed pads plenty of times with no problems. I know people who have changed pads hundreds of times the way i do and they have no issues. Nice thread revival

dbailey · 03-23-2013, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billytheman1188

NO.....no way you don't do that....then you'll get air in the system and have to bleed them. I've changed pads plenty of times with no problems. I know people who have changed pads hundreds of times the way i do and they have no issues. Nice thread revival

Yeah I do agree. I've changed my fronts a few times and have always done the c-clamp approach but just had heard that from somebody on the antilock brake part. Seemed to make sense.

zzyzzx · 05-31-2018, 01:00 PM

I've never had to use a C clamp while doing any brakes before. Nice to know that a 6" will work, but if I don't have that I might buy an 8" clamp.

dbailey · 05-31-2018, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zzyzzx

I've never had to use a C clamp while doing any brakes before. Nice to know that a 6" will work, but if I don't have that I might buy an 8" clamp.

Make sure you open bleeder screw when you start cranking on the clamp to make sure you don't hose the antilock brake module.

jokerl90 · 03-23-2019, 09:33 AM

Going to give this thread another kick back to life.
Just read through the procedure in the Haynes Manual.
It does say take the cap off the reservoir.
It does say to take about 2/3 of the fluid out of the reservoir (so it doesn't overflow when pushing the piston back into the caliper)
It does not say anything loosening the bleeder screw, for this part of the job.

zzyzzx · 01-27-2023, 06:40 PM

If I understand YouTube correctly, the rear disc brake calipers don't screw in, they push in like a front disc brake caliper, right?