Front Brakes Grinding

[batever]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll be following the directions in this video to replace the pads. I'll put some PB Blaster on the bolts before I try to break them free, I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ETT0LmhPuE

As batever mentioned, I'm looking to get the car back on the road as a grocery getter, and for $70 in parts, I'm willing to give that a try. Braking is obviously important, and if I can't get it right, I'll drop it off at a shop.

that video is a good overview.

some comments:

he takes the whole caliper assembly off the mounting bracket--as I recall, you don't need to do that. Just remove the lower mounting bolt so you can rotate the assembly up on its top pivot bolt to get at the pads.

also, our cars use a 19mm lug nut on the wheels (at least mine does), not the 18mm he describes for the later model Accord.

watch out when you press the brake caliper piston back--check your brake fluid reservoir first,and take a little fluid out of it to make room for the fluid you will press back into the reservoir from the brake line. Press the piston back part way, then look at your brake fluid reservoir again and, if necessary, take some fluid out with a turkey baster or spoon (a teaspoon whose handle you bend so it acts like a deep dipper or "ladle" is effective and cheap if you don't have a baster that you're willing to dedicate to car repair) so it doesn't overflow. Then finish pressing the piston all the way back to make room to put the pads back in. Put a *little* dab of high temp synthetic brake grease (or get the special antisqueal compound, or just don't bother, those are your 3 options) on the back of the brake pad between it and the metal shield to help dampen vibration and prevent.reduce brake squealing sound.

I was amazed at how simple and basic the braking system was when i did this job, for the first time in my life, last year. Very simple, yet people are very afraid, out of lack of knowledge and familiarity, to deal with it themselves.

have fun and good luck.

One thing he didn't show: Spray down the caliper and the rotor with brake cleaner (with a fluid pan underneath to catch the runoff) before disassembling the pads/caliper and wear a mask while doing it and, preferably , while working in the vicinity.

[doylna]

Thanks for all your advice. I picked up the parts this evening, and am planning to give it a go before work tomorrow.

I've seen another video where just the bottom bolt on the caliper was removed, and then flipped up. That's what I was planning to do, in part, because I'm not too enthused about trying to get four big bolts out. However, I won't be able to grease both caliper pins if I do it that way, right?

I bought a small bottle of brake fluid just in case I need to top off the reservoir, and to top of the clutch reservoir, which is low.

I too, was always worried about getting the brakes wrong, but having watched a ton of videos, I'm not that worried now. In fact, my only concern is getting the bottom bolt loose. I need to find a pipe to use as a breaker bar between now and 6am...

[doylna]

By the way, for what it's worth, I took the wheel off tonight to confirm the Nissin caliper, and looked for rust pitting on the rotor, and there isn't any that I can see. All of the rust is surface rust, so I'll rub it off with a scotchbrite pad, and then use brake cleaner to clean everything off.

Also, I can't believe how thick the new brake pads are, compared to the pads that there on there now. I can't wait to drive the car with the new pads installed!

[YK86]

Going by your pic, I think there was nothing left of the old pad.

[batever]

Thanks for all your advice. I picked up the parts this evening, and am planning to give it a go before work tomorrow.

I've seen another video where just the bottom bolt on the caliper was removed, and then flipped up. That's what I was planning to do, in part, because I'm not too enthused about trying to get four big bolts out. However, I won't be able to grease both caliper pins if I do it that way, right?

i wasn't aware there is an upper slide pin, but if so you are correct. in which case I'd consider taking the whole thing off.

my only concern is getting the bottom bolt loose. I need to find a pipe to use as a breaker bar between now and 6am...

Your jack handle can often work as an extension pipe if it's removable. I forget what you actually need for this particular situation: If you have a normal breaker bar (or the appropriate sized box-end wrench) and a 1.5 foot length of 2x4 or a big hammer, (or both!) you can use the hammer on the wrench or breaker bar handle. Very effective and sometimes works best in situations where there isn't enough room to gain leverage by lengthening the wrench handle. You can also use the length of 2/4 as a punch for directing a hammer blow or blow by another length of 2x4 into a constricted spot, and the 2x4 will tend to stick on the metal wrench handle rather than slide off when you strike. Very handy.

Also, there's this method:

[doylna]

Well, that was a lot of worrying about nothing. Starting from scratch, it took me 50 minutes to do both sides. Breaking the bolts free was a non-issue after I used the box-end wrench trick. I scuffed most of the rust off the left rotor, or at least as much as I could, and used brake cleaner to clean the crap off. The right rotor is in perfect shape, so I just sprayed some brake cleaner on it to get the asbestos and crap off of it. Replacing the pads was almost the easiest thing I've ever done on the car. I wish I wouldn't have been so afraid of it. I'll post some pictures of the pads; they're ridiculous.

[doylna]

Yeah, I don't know why the brakes would have been grinding. I don't see anything wrong...

[batever]

Yeah, I don't know why the brakes would have been grinding. I don't see anything wrong...

Nice! Love that one on the right!

So how are your brakes acting after the new pads/mini overhaul? And did you do the slide pins, or skip them?

[bcjammerx]

every brake job should include a thourough cleaning of all parts and re-greasing of all moving parts, and a small amount of brake grease on the back of the pads...helps prevent noise from vibrations while stopping.

You MUST always remove and inspect the slide pins and their bores

Clean the pins and the bore...cleaning their bore (with modified or small toothbrush and brake clean)...and re-greasing.



My wifes 00 accord's pass. brake was worn significantly more (almost metal on metal while the other side still had a few mm's) the cause...ONE really stuck slide pin.


When you let off your brakes the only thing keeping your pads from continuing to rub against the rotor is a square rubber sort of o-ring that surrounds the piston in the bore...it acts like a spring...it deflects when you hit the pedal then pulls itself back to normal...pulling the piston back. If your slide pin is stuck this doesn't happen and the pads contact all the time

[doylna]

Nice! Love that one on the right!

So how are your brakes acting after the new pads/mini overhaul? And did you do the slide pins, or skip them?

Brakes are a 1000% better - I drove around town to break them in, and then I was a little cautious when I went out on the highway for the first time, but after getting them warm and breaking them in further, they're really grabby now. I had to add a little brake fluid, and I did the slide pins (both top and bottom), as I figured that I was getting dirty already, and a little bit of extra time was worth it.

Totally worth 50 minutes of work, and $40 in parts! Thanks for the tips!