Replacing Front Brake Pads

[dismatpe]

Hello All,
My front brake pads are due for replacement and I thought it looks an easy enough job, is it a good DIY project? The plan so far was to remove the caliper, remove old pads, push piston back with clamp, insert new pads, reattach caliper. Problems I see, is the torque critical when doing up the pin bolt (27Nm)? Does the ABS cause issue when replacing pads? What are the pitfalls and are there any tips?

Or should I just get the dealer to do it?

Thanks,
Peter.

[Joe]

Easy job dismatpe. Exactly as you described it with no pitfalls.

Have a look here for some pictures

[ultimate]

Hi Troy,

Thanks for including me into the emails. Its to see your going in the right direction and will get the kit engineered.

You have the process down pat but there are a couple of other points you need to consider. Firstly the original rotors are much good and you will find a lot of benefits in upgrading to an aftermarket rotor specifically designed for 4wds. If you are going to stick with the original rotors; you will most likely have to get them machined before fitting the new pads. "Pad slapping" is dangerous and can premature wear and poor braking performance. Depending on the condition of the rotors, braking ability can be reduce by up to 30% as the pads can't bed in properly and do not get the correct amount of contact with the rotor.

You should also consider flushing the brake fluid and replacing it with a high quality HD fluid.

We ran a group buy on a brake upgrade last month and I'm pushing to get similar pricing again. I have a few enquiries about another group buy on the rotors and should have a fresh batch organised fairly soon.

Here's the link: http://www.newtriton.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=5372&hilit=+brake+upgrade&start=0

[mattz]

If you do it yourself my only advise is, before driving make sure you apply the brakes to push the pistons back out so the pedal doesn't go to the floor when you need the brakes.

[gregned]

Go the group buy again

[slimv6]

I'm gonna do seal kits for the front calipers later today.....

photies to follow!

Got my 3rd set of stock pads at 177000km. Last set was done at 90k. No issues, just a bit of a squeak.

Anyone toyed with the idea of DOT5 fluid?

[gregned]

Dot 5 not a good idea there was a writeup or a link on here i think the crux was and im going from memory here the fluid compresses leaving the brakes feeling spongy it absorbs water more than dot 3 or 4 and there is seal material compatibility issues if the system wasn't designed to run it

[slimv6]

Hm. Castrol DOT 4 then. I Just ask because I use it in my bike and it handles a lot better than the dot 4.

They do all say "use only DOT 4 or equivalent..."

I haven't run into fade issues with the van as yet. only a slight shudder wit the older pads. but the new ones sorted it.

[AussieAnth]

Haven't been able to find anything specific for my planned rotor & pad upgrade on the forums. Not even sure what section Brakes belongs to under the Technical section.

My Triton's only 7,000kms old, but Im a fan of slotted rotors and upgrading the pads. Im fitting front Bendix HD pads & DBA T3 4000 slotted rotors this weekend. There's a pretty comprehensive Youtube video under the Ultimate suspension area, where they detail the steps to fit DBA rotors to a 200 series Cruiser. http://www.newtriton.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=7194&hilit=rotors

They go into great detail about cleaning the hub mounting bracket and hub surface, to remove surface rust, and also using a dial gauge to check for hub run-out. They also go through resetting the caliper by disconnecting the brake line to flush some fluid....I assume they do this because you're likely to have a worn pad, so fitting new/thicker pads would require the calipers to be pushed back.

Given the Triton is only 9months/7000 kms old, not done too much work so far and always garaged, should I be concerned about hub run-out, using a dial gauge, or resetting the calipers? I was planning on using a clamp to push the calipers back if necessary, and I'll clean the hub & rotor mount but don't expect to see much there.

Anyone done a rotor or pad swap out and have some wisdom to share? Hopefully Im just being cautious and it will be a pretty simple job.

[NowForThe5th]

Anth, I've moved your post from a new thread to here, which is where it should have gone. The second post in this thread has a link to another which has detailed photos of the process.

TBH, I have to ask whether you think you should be doing this yourself, if you don't have the knowledge to have to ask the questions you have. Brakes are a pretty basic safety item and fitting rotors and new pads is something that mechanics do every day and probably won't charge you much to do. Bleeding is not complex but you do need to know what you're doing. Alternately, do you have a mate who knows about things like this who could mentor you through the process so that you can do it by yourself, next time?

[Cowboy Dave]

I got a lubemobile bloke in to do my fronts as it was all a bit foreign to me. Still is if I'm honest about it. I got Geek in to do the rear shoes and we ended up writing a howto. But they were drums and I've grown up around kingswoods with similar setups so that wasn't so different.

Subject to Chris' comments above, if it were me I wouldn't be checking the things you asked about unless you're aware of other problems in the front end. The bloke who did mine went with the clamps as you are proposing to do. Grab a can of brake cleaner and give the rotors a bit of a spray to get rid of any grease/dirt/oil you might leave behind.

Buy new fluid before you start since you don't want to drive to the shop to get it without bleeding the brakes. When it comes to bleeding there is a set order to do it in and not doing it in that order can defeat the overall purpose - in that you'll be left with air in the lines. Unless you have a suction style bleeding tool (I went and bought one) the bleeding tends to be a 2 person exercise anyway. And don't skip on the bleeding - the guy I got to do mine stuffed it up by doing them in the wrong order (before I knew any better) and I ended up at the local tyre place the next day getting a full bleed using their machine or whatever they use for a proper job.

[mattz]

What part of Melbourne are you in? I may be able to give you a hand depending when you want to do it.

[GLRkenny]

In all honesty and flame suit on, if you don't know what you are doing and have to ask how to do it FFS LEAVE IT ALONE, I personally own a franchise of a brake shop and have seen some absolute shockers come through the door of "people who have read online, watched online, etc" and they have got it so completely wrong that it kind of makes me scared to share the road with others. Plenty of people will say that brakes are easy, and they can be if you know what you are doing, but if you get it even a little bit wrong the consequences can be huge

[Cowboy Dave]

No need for a flame suit mate, it's fair advice having regard to the question and the way it was put.

[ag9111]

We have an old Nissan Navara at work that started to behave oddly when you touched the brakes. Sent it off to the mechanics for some love.
Got a phone call an hour later saying you had better drop in and have a look. The previous mechanic had somehow got the front passenger pads in upside down, no idea how as we couldnt replicate it after we got them out.
Took about 50,000km before they started to bind up.
Not just the amateurs that get it wrong.
Doubt it was the mechanic, but he has had a few helpers through the place over the years

[GLRkenny]

We have an old Nissan Navara at work that started to behave oddly when you touched the brakes. Sent it off to the mechanics for some love.
Got a phone call an hour later saying you had better drop in and have a look. The previous mechanic had somehow got the front passenger pads in upside down, no idea how as we couldnt replicate it after we got them out.
Took about 50,000km before they started to bind up.
Not just the amateurs that get it wrong.
Doubt it was the mechanic, but he has had a few helpers through the place over the years

I too have seen cars come from other general mechanics and have pads back to front, not fitted properly, etc, they tend not to like it even when you have the courtesy to call and let them know. If people who work on cars day to day can get brakes wrong too it doesn't really give you a lot of confidence with the people who have to ask how to do it

[AussieAnth]

Appreciate the advice and I'll take it all on board.

I've done pads on my cars several times including a BT-50 and Subaru Liberty and helped my old man do the 60 series Cruiser.
If it comes to bleeding, despite knowing how bleed several fiddly mountain bike systems, I wont be touching the Triton. It will be straight to a shop to do that.

My questions were more about whether I would likely need to:
a) bleed the brakes at all, since the vehicle has only done 7,000kms
b) need to use a gauge to check for hub run-out.

If the answers are YES for either, I'll be seeking further help.
If the answer is NO, then I'll carefully swap the pads and rotors out myself.

[Cowboy Dave]

I reckon a) is a yes once you work on them

[donks1]

The answer is YES. PLEASE, put the tools back in the package, step away, and let someone else do it. The fact that you feel the need to ask these questions, is enough reason not to touch it, for every ones saftey!

"If it comes to bleeding, despite knowing how bleed several fiddly mountain bike systems, I wont be touching the Triton. It will be straight to a shop to do that."

How would you get it to the shop? Tow it.

Steve

[Homer]

It's a very simple job.

Remove 2 bolts that hold the caliper and slide it off the rotor. The brake pads will probably fall out by themselves.
Tap the rotor with a hammer and it will fall onto the ground. Put your new rotor on where the old one went (no bolt required).

Take a G clamp or similar and push the brake piston in the caliper back so when you fit the new unworn pads in they will have room to slide over the rotor..

Fit the new pads in where the old ones came out...make sure you also fit the spacer plates if it had them (they are just shims the same sort of shape as the brake pad).

Slide the caliper back over the roter until the bolt holes line up.

Put the bolts back in using loctite and you are ready to go

as in V8 supercars, don't forget to pump your brakes before you drive off or you might end up in the wall

No other work necessary and about 1 million times easier than stupid bloody drum brakes

[AussieAnth]

The answer is YES. PLEASE, put the tools back in the package, step away, and let someone else do it. The fact that you feel the need to ask these questions, is enough reason not to touch it, for every ones saftey!

"If it comes to bleeding, despite knowing how bleed several fiddly mountain bike systems, I wont be touching the Triton. It will be straight to a shop to do that."

How would you get it to the shop? Tow it.

Steve

Steve
I wouldn't need to tow it.
I dont plan on getting to a point where I need to tow it.
The whole point is I WONT be attempting anything IF the consensus is that bleeding IS required.
I'm merely being cautious by asking in advance.

The pads should be almost factory thickness, and the fluid almost new, and hence shouldn't need bleeding to fit new pads. I've previously used clamps to push calipers with worn pads back to fit new pads, and have never had an issue before.

[AussieAnth]

It's a very simple job.

Remove 2 bolts that hold the caliper and slide it off the rotor. The brake pads will probably fall out by themselves.
Tap the rotor with a hammer and it will fall onto the ground. Put your new rotor on where the old one went (no bolt required).

Take a G clamp or similar and push the brake piston in the caliper back so when you fit the new unworn pads in they will have room to slide over the rotor..

Fit the new pads in where the old ones came out...make sure you also fit the spacer plates if it had them (they are just shims the same sort of shape as the brake pad).

Slide the caliper back over the roter until the bolt holes line up.

Put the bolts back in using loctite and you are ready to go

as in V8 supercars, don't forget to pump your brakes before you drive off or you might end up in the wall

No other work necessary and about 1 million times easier than stupid bloody drum brakes

Thanks Homer. That matches exactly what I expect, what I researched, and what I plan on carefully doing.

[al coholic]

My questions were more about whether I would likely need to:
a) bleed the brakes at all, since the vehicle has only done 7,000kms
b) need to use a gauge to check for hub run-out.

No and no
You aren't interfering with the pressure in the brake lines by swapping pads if just pushing pistons back with a clamp, no need to bleed unless you feel there is more of an issue right now

I think a lot of blokes here have missed the point of your questions

[snowman]

When pushing pads back keep an eye on the master cylinder reservoir to make sure it doesn't overflow. Refi l l if required once finished pad install.

[donks1]

My questions were more about whether I would likely need to:
a) bleed the brakes at all, since the vehicle has only done 7,000kms
b) need to use a gauge to check for hub run-out.

No and no
You aren't interfering with the pressure in the brake lines by swapping pads if just pushing pistons back with a clamp, no need to bleed unless you feel there is more of an issue right now

I think a lot of blokes here have missed the point of your questions

No one has missed the point. He states
"They go into great detail about cleaning the hub mounting bracket and hub surface, to remove surface rust, and also using a dial gauge to check for hub run-out. They also go through resetting the caliper by disconnecting the brake line to flush some fluid...

If he is going to release the hose off the back of the caliper, bleeding IS necessary. This is the part he seems unsure about. And, without bleeding the system, it won't stop, ( until you hit something ), requiring the tow.
Please read the whole story, and don't encourage dangerous behavior.

Steve