Changing front discs on an old car.

[Lincsls1]

Your 51 plate car could easily do another 10 years with the right basic maintenance.
The brakes are really rather easy to do, zero problems for a decent garage.
The picture you've posted really isn't bad, many cars half that age will look much the same.

[Tasmin200]

That's not even remotely rusty! Here's a before and after pic of my car...

[Welshbeef]

Tasmin200 said:

That's not even remotely rusty! Here's a before and after pic of my car...

Nah you had life in those originals. But of Emery paper all would have been fine.

[Tre Zero]

Tasmin200 said:

That's not even remotely rusty! Here's a before and after pic of my car...

A pair of decent second hand back plates too ?...they don't look new .

[Tasmin200]

Tre Zero said:

A pair of decent second hand back plates too ?...they don't look new .

Naa, I must have just knocked the rust off them. The struts and wishbones were replaced soon after that photo though. The second picture has the original calipers, just cleaned up and painted.

[Tre Zero]

Tasmin200 said:

Tre Zero said:

A pair of decent second hand back plates too ?...they don't look new .

Naa, I must have just knocked the rust off them. The struts and wishbones were replaced soon after that photo though.

You did a good clean up job on them , some back plates just turn to dust they are so thin ....

[spikeyhead]

softtop said:

Depending on the vehicle, you may need a special tool that is a 7mm allen key on a handle.

Every single garage, and most enthusiastic amateurs have the tools to change discs.

...and if you're going to buy one, then by a 3/8 drive socket version, not one with a handle.

[Smint]

The only real problem you might encounter is if you need to remove the caliper carrier brackets to allow the discs to be removed, you could end up snapping a bolt off if they are rusted really badly.
Worth giving those bolts a dose of Plus Gas or similar, not WD40, a few times in days the before you attempt to undo them, and whatever you do use 6 sided sockets not 12 sided cos less chance of slipping and rounding the bolt heads off.