Removing rear nearside brake pad...
Discussion
is it a difficult job? I've always avoided the brakes for some reason and feel I should face my old brake disc-phobia. Basically, I have a stone or something stuck in the pad and it has begun to lightly scratch the disc. I'd like to remove it, so it doesn't permanently damage it.
Anybody got a guide with a few pics?
Anybody got a guide with a few pics?
Sorry, but having just done my first brake pad change on a Saturday evening a few weeks ago (ran out of pads during a track weekend) I can heartily recommend popping into your local garage and asking to watch them do it. They will know all the stuff you won't, like if there is anything dangerous in there, and will have the correct tools to enable them to retighten the screws properly.
If you still want to do it yourself, get a knowledgable mate along with the right tools to show you. You need the correct Allen key socket for your socket set to enable you to undo and correctly re-tighten the caliper screws, which are on the back of the caliper (who put them there when the front would have been so much easier?). You also need something pointy to clean the muck out of the screw head itself so as to get your Allen key socket in.
Mistakes I made? Tried to do the job with an Allen key. Couldn't tighten the screws enough. Over the next few hundred miles I lost one screw and spacer, and the second one was 50% undone when I heard a noise a few weeks later and investigated. One heavy braking episode more and I coud have been attacking the scenery with no front right brake.
And my friend, who changed the left one to show me how, got his screws tight enough, but managed to twist the brake pipe, which couls also have been fatal.
All discovered when I popped into a helpful TVR indie to buy the correct high tensile screws and the spacers I had lost, and he suggested that he check the brakes over for me "just in case". Thank God he did.
If you still want to do it yourself, get a knowledgable mate along with the right tools to show you. You need the correct Allen key socket for your socket set to enable you to undo and correctly re-tighten the caliper screws, which are on the back of the caliper (who put them there when the front would have been so much easier?). You also need something pointy to clean the muck out of the screw head itself so as to get your Allen key socket in.
Mistakes I made? Tried to do the job with an Allen key. Couldn't tighten the screws enough. Over the next few hundred miles I lost one screw and spacer, and the second one was 50% undone when I heard a noise a few weeks later and investigated. One heavy braking episode more and I coud have been attacking the scenery with no front right brake.
And my friend, who changed the left one to show me how, got his screws tight enough, but managed to twist the brake pipe, which couls also have been fatal.
All discovered when I popped into a helpful TVR indie to buy the correct high tensile screws and the spacers I had lost, and he suggested that he check the brakes over for me "just in case". Thank God he did.
On Saturday I changed rear disks, pads and brake hoses. I don't think its a difficult job. The exception was the N/S brake hose the nut which secures the hose to the chassis was badly rusted and a pig to remove.
These have been secured since day one, so the Calliper Allen head bolts are tight. I used a 8mm Allen key with a short extension, to give some additional leverage.
2 bolts on the Calliper to remove the pads, it's a sliding Calliper. Once you remove the bolts the Calliper top half swings off to reveal the pads.
2 Allen Key bolts to secure Calliper to Hub, the disk is floating, once the Calliper is off the disk just comes off its not secured.
You need the correct tool to wind the piston back in, its £15 from Amazon (Laser 1314 Brake Caliper Piston Re-wind Tool Set). You turn it clockwise and push the piston in, this makes it much easier. There are cut outs/ grooves in the Piston, this is because on the bake pad there is a raised bit that slots into the grove. Once aligned it will enable the top half of the Calliper to close properly.
Use Brake Cleaner to give everything a good clean.
I use Locktite when putting bolts back in, you don't want this stuff coming loose.
These have been secured since day one, so the Calliper Allen head bolts are tight. I used a 8mm Allen key with a short extension, to give some additional leverage.
2 bolts on the Calliper to remove the pads, it's a sliding Calliper. Once you remove the bolts the Calliper top half swings off to reveal the pads.
2 Allen Key bolts to secure Calliper to Hub, the disk is floating, once the Calliper is off the disk just comes off its not secured.
You need the correct tool to wind the piston back in, its £15 from Amazon (Laser 1314 Brake Caliper Piston Re-wind Tool Set). You turn it clockwise and push the piston in, this makes it much easier. There are cut outs/ grooves in the Piston, this is because on the bake pad there is a raised bit that slots into the grove. Once aligned it will enable the top half of the Calliper to close properly.
Use Brake Cleaner to give everything a good clean.
I use Locktite when putting bolts back in, you don't want this stuff coming loose.
pac1uk said:
On Saturday I changed rear disks, pads and brake hoses. I don't think its a difficult job. The exception was the N/S brake hose the nut which secures the hose to the chassis was badly rusted and a pig to remove.
These have been secured since day one, so the Calliper Allen head bolts are tight. I used a 8mm Allen key with a short extension, to give some additional leverage.
2 bolts on the Calliper to remove the pads, it's a sliding Calliper. Once you remove the bolts the Calliper top half swings off to reveal the pads.
2 Allen Key bolts to secure Calliper to Hub, the disk is floating, once the Calliper is off the disk just comes off its not secured.
You need the correct tool to wind the piston back in, its £15 from Amazon (Laser 1314 Brake Caliper Piston Re-wind Tool Set). You turn it clockwise and push the piston in, this makes it much easier. There are cut outs/ grooves in the Piston, this is because on the bake pad there is a raised bit that slots into the grove. Once aligned it will enable the top half of the Calliper to close properly.
Use Brake Cleaner to give everything a good clean.
I use Locktite when putting bolts back in, you don't want this stuff coming loose.
Thanks for that. I've always avoided brakes, but have a friend that has done his a few times. However, it is always the things you don't expect, such as seized bolts that can potentially catch you out.These have been secured since day one, so the Calliper Allen head bolts are tight. I used a 8mm Allen key with a short extension, to give some additional leverage.
2 bolts on the Calliper to remove the pads, it's a sliding Calliper. Once you remove the bolts the Calliper top half swings off to reveal the pads.
2 Allen Key bolts to secure Calliper to Hub, the disk is floating, once the Calliper is off the disk just comes off its not secured.
You need the correct tool to wind the piston back in, its £15 from Amazon (Laser 1314 Brake Caliper Piston Re-wind Tool Set). You turn it clockwise and push the piston in, this makes it much easier. There are cut outs/ grooves in the Piston, this is because on the bake pad there is a raised bit that slots into the grove. Once aligned it will enable the top half of the Calliper to close properly.
Use Brake Cleaner to give everything a good clean.
I use Locktite when putting bolts back in, you don't want this stuff coming loose.
chris1972 said:
Thanks for that. I've always avoided brakes, but have a friend that has done his a few times. However, it is always the things you don't expect, such as seized bolts that can potentially catch you out.
I was very gung ho, decided it was just Meccano.....and nearly paid the price for my incompetence. And I would never have spotted the twisted brake pipe.....it looked ok to me.QBee said:
You need the correct Allen key socket for your socket set to enable you to undo and correctly re-tighten the caliper screws, which are on the back of the caliper (who put them there when the front would have been so much easier?). You also need something pointy to clean the muck out of the screw head itself so as to get your Allen key socket in.
Without undermining the safety-first sentiments of the complete post this is snipped from, which I applaud, this bit is actually incorrect if all that is wanted to do is to change the pads. If the rotor is to be left in situ, the caliper slider pins can be easily undone with a couple of appropriate sized spanners, whereupon the caliper will lift off the saddle... the piston will need to be wound back into the caliper to accommodate new thicker pads (a wind-back tool helps but it can be done by improvised means such as long-nosed pliars or an anglegrinder peg spanner etc) and care needs to be taken to ensure the pip on the rear of the pad facing the piston sits in its recess, otherwise very straight forward. When rotor replacement is needed, the bottom screw on the saddle can indeed be a swine to get moving as it is shrouded by the upright, which limits access (but there are tricks that can move this too
) I don't actually want to change the pad, just remove it so I can check that nothing is stuck between the pad and the disc. Some thing is scouring the disc. It looks a lot worse than it is (still quite smooth to touch), but obviously I want to get it out before it permanently damages the brake disc. Also, are the brakes standard? The ones on the front look considerably larger and similar to the Cosworth design. It is going to my local indie tomorrow to get the trackrod ends and tracking done, so can get them to look at the brakes as well. I just fancied a spin today, hence wanting to sort the rear pad out.
Either way, it would be good to know what sort of brakes these are (standard or modded), incase they need to change the pads.
Rear Brake/ Disc (showing scouring)
Front Brake
Either way, it would be good to know what sort of brakes these are (standard or modded), incase they need to change the pads.
Rear Brake/ Disc (showing scouring)
Front Brake
Edited by chris1972 on Tuesday 4th June 10:40
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