It has been two and a half years since my last brake job, and I had pedal tremor when I hit the brakes. With the wheel removed, I placed a can of WD-40 with the straw inserted against the rotor. By manually turning the rotor, I was able to determine that the run out on the rotor was beyond specifications. My front brakes have Lucas/Girling calipers with 11 inch rotors. Rather than get the wrong part, it is necessary to carefully inspect and measure before ordering. About 60% of doing a job is getting the right parts and tools before you start.
The following is what I did. I accept no responsibility or liability for your mishaps. If you're not qualified to safely work on cars, I advise you to pay somebody else to do it for you.
Recommended tools:
one can of Brakleen
one can of PB Blaster
breaker bar
assorted sizes of six point sockets
hex head sockets
open end wrenches, preferably six point
universal joint
brake piston compressor tool
torque wrench
old paintbrush
brand-new turkey baster
a piece of sturdy wire
CRC brake grease
Motive brake bleeder
Motive catch bottle (worth springing for)
safety glasses
dust mask
1. First, practice safety. Park the car a level surface with the front wheel turned away from the side on which you will be working. Place into the park, and engage the emergency brake. Chock both rear wheels. As the front wheel was turned sideways, I also chocked the opposite front wheel to prevent rolling. I carefully jacked the car, watching the position of the jack on the frame as I raised the car. When in place, I lowered the car onto a securely placed jackstand, and use a second jackstand as well as the jack itself as a backup. Before I started work, I did a linebacker shove into the car to ensure it was sturdily placed.
- Use multiple jack stands
2. Remove the road wheel. What I thought worked best was to use the breaker bar to break loose the caliber guide pins, the hex caliper bracket bolts, and the rotor alignment pin. (Jam a socket extension into the rotor in order to immobilize it in order to remove it.) Now is a good time to double check that your replacement parts will actually fit.
- note caliper guide pins, bleeder screw
- Removing the Rotor alignment pin
- removing the caliper
5. Use the hex head socket to remove the caliber mounting bracket.
6. Remove the rotor alignment pin. Remove the old rotor.
7. Use your old paintbrush to carefully remove the dust from the ABS sensor. There will be a fair amount of it. Obviously, take care not to breathe it.
- ABS sensor wheel
- cleaning the caliper bracket. Yes, I also have a vegetable garden
10. It is a good idea to inspect your brake hoses for cracking.
11. Carefully reinstall. You'll be depressed if you drop your new rotors, so don't do it. Hand tighten the rotor alignment pin. Install the caliper bracket, and torque to specification. Work carefully around the brake hoses. Jam a socket extension in the rotor in order to immobilize it, then tighten the rotor alignment pin.
12. Insert your new pads in the caliper bracket. Carefully grease the backs of the pads where they will contact either the caliper or the piston.
13. Untie the caliper and carefully place on the new pads. Be certain to make sure that the pad springs are correctly seated into the back of the caliper. Torque the caliper guide pins to specification.
14. Reinstall the wheel, torquing in a star pattern to specification. Throw out your old rags and paintbrush, as they are covered in brake dust.
15. It is recommended to change your brake fluid every two to three years. I used the Motive brake bleeder.
16. If you have fender skirts, it's a good idea to use them. Brake fluid will remove paint and is highly poisonous. Employ goggles and common sense. Fill the brake fluid reservoir to the max line with new brake fluid. I used ATE Super Blue Racing Fluid. Let's face it, the blue color looks cool. It also makes it easier to bleed.
17. Attached the empty Motive bleeder and pressurize to 10 psi. Check for leaks. If no leaks, open the top carefully, and fill with up to two liters of brake fluid. I only used one. With the bleeder attached to the reservoir, pressurize to 10 psi.
18. It is not necessary to jack up the car to bleed it. Starting at either rear wheel, remove the dust cap from the bleeder screw. Connect your catch bottle to the bleeder screw. Open the bleeder screw one turn. (I had to use a quarter inch drive six point socket to open mine, then I hurriedly attached the bleeder bottle.) The brake fluid will start a' flowing. In my case, when the fluid turned from brown to blue, I tightened the screw back up. Proceed with the other rear wheel, then the front wheels, turning each from side to side to gain access.
19. Carefully relieve pressure from the brake bleeder, not the reservoir. Remove the bleeder, and tighten the reservoir cap. Pump the brake pedal to push the pistons up against the rotors. Check to ensure that the brake fluid level is between minimum and maximum.
20. Check for a spongy pedal. If present, air remains in the system. Bleed again until corrected.
21. Once pedal pressure is correct, test drive cautiously.
