Brake pad thickness advice needed
Discussion
At some point this week I intend to have a look at the brakes on my S3 to see how how the pads and the shoes are..... a couple of questions....
How thick are new pads and shoes so I know what I am comparing them with and at what stage do I need to change them?? sorry for the muppett question 
but years of company car driving have left me in the mechanical wilderness!!
If they do need changing is it the sort of job that quik fit could do or is it relatively straight forward to do it myself?? the last time I changed brake pads was on a mini about 17 years ago!!
thanks
How thick are new pads and shoes so I know what I am comparing them with and at what stage do I need to change them?? sorry for the muppett question but years of company car driving have left me in the mechanical wilderness!! If they do need changing is it the sort of job that quik fit could do or is it relatively straight forward to do it myself?? the last time I changed brake pads was on a mini about 17 years ago!!
thanks
definately useful if I need to make a change..... but that is the question.. I need to know how thick the pads/shoes are when new...... reason is I have an airfield day booked for Feb so if I need to change and bed them in I need to be doing it sooner rather than later.....
only other option is to get them changed for better ones..... back to original question ..... could quick fit do it or could I?
only other option is to get them changed for better ones..... back to original question ..... could quick fit do it or could I?
You can see on the pics the thickness that the rear brake shoes are when new - not a lot to be honest.
I don't have a "how to" for the front pads - but you can see them without dismantling - just take the wheel off and you'll see the pads inside the caliper. The thickness of the pad material (from disk to pad back plate) should be about 8 mm (at a guess) when new - if worn to below 3 mm you should replace them.
Replacing them is fairly easy, you should be able to do it yourself.
You need pads for a Ford Sierra 2000 or 2.3, 1986-ish.
1. take the wheel off.
2. get a wee lever or screwdriver and lever the pads back (to push the piston back into the caliper). If the pads are really worn, watch in case the displaced fluid overflows from the master cylinder (not usually a problem).
3. In the front of the caliper you'll see a metal spring clip against the pad. Look carefully at how it fits then prise it out of the two retaining holes.
4. In the back of the caliper you will find two recessed pins that take a 7mm allen key. You can buy the allen keys from Halfords for a few quid. Take both pins out and remove the caliper back off the disk. DO NOT LET THE CALIPER HANG ON THE BRAKE HOSE - hang it on a wire or old coathanger hooked over a spring or something. D not press the brake at all at this point - you'll pop the piston out and you'll be surprised at (a) how much fluid a caliper can hold, and (b) how far the system can throw it.
5. The outer pads is stuck to the inside of the caliper. The inner pad is held into the piston with spring clips. Take them out and put the new ones in place. The outer pad might have a self-adhesive backing that you have to peel the cover off.
6. put some brake grease or copper grease on the slides and on the little "nips" in the top of the backing plate. Push the caliper back into place.
7. Put the slide pins back in and tighten them up.
8. Put the outer spring clip back (I always forget that bit until the wheel is on!)
9. Press the brake pedal to bring the pads up into contact with the disk (Always do this - the last thing you want is to find that the first time you press the brakes on the road, you have to pump twice or more, to move the piston far enough to put the brakes on!)
10 Put the wheel back.
No need to bleed brakes etc if you haven't disconnected the hose.
Then do the other side!
It's really not difficult - although if you're not sure then any garage would be able to do it in half an hour or so. Em Kwik Fit - fair enough if you're desparate...
Edited to add - sorry if this a bit over-simplified - I thought if I was going to write it, I'd do it to cover anybody who might be thinking about having a go...
>> Edited by tvrgit on Monday 6th December 22:43
I don't have a "how to" for the front pads - but you can see them without dismantling - just take the wheel off and you'll see the pads inside the caliper. The thickness of the pad material (from disk to pad back plate) should be about 8 mm (at a guess) when new - if worn to below 3 mm you should replace them.
Replacing them is fairly easy, you should be able to do it yourself.
You need pads for a Ford Sierra 2000 or 2.3, 1986-ish.
1. take the wheel off.
2. get a wee lever or screwdriver and lever the pads back (to push the piston back into the caliper). If the pads are really worn, watch in case the displaced fluid overflows from the master cylinder (not usually a problem).
3. In the front of the caliper you'll see a metal spring clip against the pad. Look carefully at how it fits then prise it out of the two retaining holes.
4. In the back of the caliper you will find two recessed pins that take a 7mm allen key. You can buy the allen keys from Halfords for a few quid. Take both pins out and remove the caliper back off the disk. DO NOT LET THE CALIPER HANG ON THE BRAKE HOSE - hang it on a wire or old coathanger hooked over a spring or something. D not press the brake at all at this point - you'll pop the piston out and you'll be surprised at (a) how much fluid a caliper can hold, and (b) how far the system can throw it.
5. The outer pads is stuck to the inside of the caliper. The inner pad is held into the piston with spring clips. Take them out and put the new ones in place. The outer pad might have a self-adhesive backing that you have to peel the cover off.
6. put some brake grease or copper grease on the slides and on the little "nips" in the top of the backing plate. Push the caliper back into place.
7. Put the slide pins back in and tighten them up.
8. Put the outer spring clip back (I always forget that bit until the wheel is on!)
9. Press the brake pedal to bring the pads up into contact with the disk (Always do this - the last thing you want is to find that the first time you press the brakes on the road, you have to pump twice or more, to move the piston far enough to put the brakes on!)
10 Put the wheel back.
No need to bleed brakes etc if you haven't disconnected the hose.
Then do the other side!
It's really not difficult - although if you're not sure then any garage would be able to do it in half an hour or so. Em Kwik Fit - fair enough if you're desparate...
Edited to add - sorry if this a bit over-simplified - I thought if I was going to write it, I'd do it to cover anybody who might be thinking about having a go...
>> Edited by tvrgit on Monday 6th December 22:43
tvrgit said:
2. get a wee lever or screwdriver and lever the pads back (to push the piston back into the caliper). If the pads are really worn, watch in case the displaced fluid overflows from the master cylinder (not usually a problem).
You need to unscrew the cap on the reservoir to allow any excess fluid (taken up by the thickness of the new pads) to expand. Make sure you have lots of rag to keep it off the paintwork (I use a syringe to remove excess fluid).
When you use the brakes again they will be rubbish for a short while as the new pads bed in. Take care!
Roy C said:
You need to unscrew the cap on the reservoir to allow any excess fluid (taken up by the thickness of the new pads) to expand. Make sure you have lots of rag to keep it off the paintwork (I use a syringe to remove excess fluid).
This only applies if you have kept topping the reservoir up as the level has gone down due to pad wear.
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