SUSP: Replacing Brake Pads!!

[F22-GURU]

This is a guide for those who are not familiar with the correct procedures of Replacing Brake Pads. Follow these procedures for either Front or Rear Pads or Both.

Step 1. Jack up car and put on Safety Stands. Remove Front Wheels.
Step 2. If necessary Turn Front Wheels to Full Lock and remove Brake Caliper Retaining Bolts.(Not necessary on rear of course)
Step 3. Remove Brake Caliper from Disc Rotor.(You may need to lever off with a screwdriver if there is a lip on the Rotor
**Clarification: (Only required when machining rotors on car)
Note: It is easier to remove the rear calipers if the handbrake cable it detached from the LCArm. (12mm Nut.)
Step 4. Remove Outer Brake Pad by pushing down on the top of the Pad and push out. (Removal of the Outer Pads first makes it easier to remove inner Pad).
Step 5. Remove Inner Brake Pad using the same procedure.
Step 6. Remove the Outer Part of The Caliper from The Slides and put aside.
Step 7. Clamp off the Flexible Brake Hose with a suitable Clamp. Crack Open the Bleeder Port.
**Clarification: With Bleeder Hose Connected.
Step 8. Put the Old Inner Pad against the Piston and using a "G-Clamp" Slowly Push the Piston into the Caliper until it bottoms out. Remove G Clamp and Pad.
**Clarification: Tighten Bleeder Screw before removing G-Clamp and don't forget to remove hose clamp
**Clarification:Rear Pistons will have to be Screwed in Clockwise with Slot @ 12 O'clock.
Step 9. Using a Suitable Grease(HTB Grease is sufficient) lubricate the Caliper Slides.
Step 10. Refit The Outer Part of the Caliper to the Main Body.(Moving Back & Forth to Lubricate properly)(Make Sure Anti-Rattle Clips are still in Caliper Ends)
Step 11. Fit Inner Brake Pad into Caliper First then Fit Outer Pad.
**Clarification: Using an Anti Squeal Adhesive called "Disc Brake Quiet" is advisable
Note: It is advisable to have the Rotors Machined before refitting Calipers. Front Rotors will have to be Done On Car.
Step 12. Refit Caliper to Rotor and Torque Bolts to Recommended Specs.
Step 13. Repeat Steps 3 - 12 for all Wheels.
Step 14. Refit Road Wheels
Step 15. Tighten all Lug nuts evenly finger tight, paying special attention to the Wheel Lug Tightening sequence. Then Torque wheel lug nuts to Specified Torque.

*** The torquing of the Wheel lug nuts correctly is of extreme importance so as to avoid a High Speed Braking Vibration which is caused by uneven tightening of Lug Nuts, especially with Alloy Wheels.

Now it's time to take it for a Road test to Bed In The New Brake Pads.
Please follow this Brake Pad Bed In Procedure Very Carefully and adhere to all necessary precautions and road rules preferably on a long stretch of road without any cars up your arse.

Step 1. Before Driving off Apply E-Brake and pump the brake pedal to achieve correct pedal pressure.
Step 2. Drive the vehicle to 36 MPH (60 Kph)
Step 3. Apply the Brakes firmly, without locking up, until you come to a stop.
Step 4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 about Six times.
Step 5. Drive back home or to place of repair with out over using the brakes.
Step 6. Let Brake Cool Down for about 1/2 an hour. Then Drive car as normal.

**Note: The Brakes will smell a bit for a couple of days but don't be concerned as this will be normal.

Cheers
Geoff
GEN46L

[Masamune]

It's a good write-up, but pictures would make it even better. That's just my opinion though, and I'm a very visual kinda guy. Nice write-up though, I'll be using it soon.

[wed3k]

rotors will have to be machines on the car?
why cant you just take them off to have them machined?

[timmy0tool]

rotors will have to be machines on the car?
why cant you just take them off to have them machined?

since our cars have a hub-over-rotor design, removing the rotors is extremely difficult. you can remove the rotors and machine them off the car but it requires removal of the axle nut and hub (which is a big pain in the...).

good write up but i suggest some pics. i should've taken some pics since i just replaced all my pads yesterday. a couple of things to point out:

-the rears are different. you can NOT just push the piston back into the cylinder. you need to turn the piston clockwise while pushing inward. also make sure that the piston grooves match the pad since there is a key on the pad itself.

-also you don't need to remove the whole caliper in step 3. just remove the lower bolt and swing the caliper over and secure it with a piece of wire. you'll have full access to the pads that way as well. (note: you have to remove both caliper bolts in the rear though.)

-lastly you don't need to unscrew the bleeder valve in step 7. when pushing the piston back in, the fluid will just return into the reservoir. you can introduce air into the system if you unscrew the bleeder valve. it's also a lot cleaner and faster if you don't touch the bleeder valve at all.

other than these, good work.

[wed3k]

since our cars have a hub-over-rotor design, removing the rotors is extremely difficult. you can remove the rotors and machine them off the car but it requires removal of the axle nut and hub (which is a big pain in the...).

or you can just go hit up the DIY that i made...it really isnt that hard.

[F22-GURU]

a couple of things to point out:

-the rears are different. you can NOT just push the piston back into the cylinder. you need to turn the piston clockwise while pushing inward. also make sure that the piston grooves match the pad since there is a key on the pad itself.

-also you don't need to remove the whole caliper in step 3. just remove the lower bolt and swing the caliper over and secure it with a piece of wire. you'll have full access to the pads that way as well. (note: you have to remove both caliper bolts in the rear though.)

-lastly you don't need to unscrew the bleeder valve in step 7. when pushing the piston back in, the fluid will just return into the reservoir. you can introduce air into the system if you unscrew the bleeder valve. it's also a lot cleaner and faster if you don't touch the bleeder valve at all.

other than these, good work.

Point 2. I'm Sorry, I apologise for omitting the part about screwing the rear piston. I will edit that part for you.

Point 3. I agree with you about not having to remove the whole caliper but the reason I included the removal of the whole caliper was so the machining of the Brake Rotors could be done before replacing the Pads.

Point 4. No you don't have to crack the bleeder, but it is best practice to do it this way because when you push the piston back into the caliper and allow the old contaminated fluid to return to the reservoir you can damage the seals and score the bore in the BMC, which inturn can create internal leaks, the fluid can also overflow if the BMC is full beforehand.
**Have you ever wondered why 4Gen BMC's tend to lose pedal pressure and goes to the floor even though there is no external leaks**.
Also if you have a one man brake bleeder connected you wont make a mess and you won't introduce air into the system because the fluid coming out won't let the air in. Even though I never included it in this write up you should always change the brake fluid when replacing the pads anyhow.

BTW: I am a Qualified Motor Mechanic with 25 1/2 Years in the game and it's just that I tend to do things more thoroughly.

[BlackPearl2006]

Can't get the lower 17mm bolt off the front caliper!!

I bought new pads for my Akebono front calipers today. My intent was only to unbolt the lower caliper bolt so I could just swing the assembly up without having to remove the entire caliper and bracket from the rotor. However, no matter how hard I tried, I could not get the 17mm bolt to budge at all.

Can somebody help me? How do I get that damn bolt off?

[accord2nr81]

you already posted this somewhere else and we have told you what to do.... your going to get the same response here.... breaker bar and pb blaster

[slick]

I bought new pads for my Akebono front calipers today. My intent was only to unbolt the lower caliper bolt so I could just swing the assembly up without having to remove the entire caliper and bracket from the rotor. However, no matter how hard I tried, I could not get the 17mm bolt to budge at all.

Can somebody help me? How do I get that damn bolt off?

Get your wrench latched on and put a piece of pipe over the wrench handle to give you more leverage which makes it a red-neck breaker bar Should be easier thats what we did when i changed over my suspension and it worked just fine

[JTEK24]

I know this isbut my car doesnt have ABS, but my sister just got an integra and hers does. Are changing the brakes the same procedure as a non-ABS car?

[cvc7chris]

This thread is useless to me without pics..im the picture/visual kinda guy

[Bad_dude]

Is clamping the 21 year old brake hose hurt it?
Thanks.