I changed my brake pads all by myself!
Discussion
I just wanted to post an update to let you all know that I managed to change the front brake pads on my car all by myself yesterday. I think I annoyed several of you by asking such simple questions and getting some of the terms wrong, but many of you have been extremely helpful in helping me to learn how to do this by myself and I would not have been able to do it without you, so I would like to say thank you!
I originally wanted to change both my brake pads and discs, however the screws holding on the discs are completely corroded and I have no idea how I am going to get them off. An impact driver could work on one side but the only side appears to be completely corroded and would just crumble if it unscrewing it is attempted. I guess I'll be returning the brake discs or getting a garage to get the old ones off for me (maybe with a drill?).
Many of the bolts seem to have similar wear. The bolts holding the brake on both sides do not budge and I think I rounded off one side trying to loosen it, it just crumbles whenever it is touched. This did mean I have to stretch the brake hose a little when lifting the caliper on one side (cringe), but it appears to not have done much harm.
I ended up also rounding off one of the nuts for the guide pin and the nut for the bleed valve. Most of this was one the one side, the other side wasn't too bad. Is this too be expected on a 10 year old car? Or have the previous owners done a poor job at maintenance?
3 garages have now told me that I should be looking into replacing the brake pads. However when i inspected the old pads vs the new pads side by side, they appears more or less identical (I think I actually bought the exact same pads as were previously installed). The thickness of the old pads, although obviously less, was not as severe as I think it was made out to be - perhaps a few millimeters at most. I always assumed you would replace pads once the material was almost gone, did I just have misconceptions or were the garages just trying to get extra work?
But, all in all, as part of this job I learnt how to safely lift the car, how to remove the wheels, and, obviously, how to replace the brake pads. I am very proud of myself to get to this point. I even bought lots of equipment to get this job done, but in total this has only came to roughly the cost it would have been to have a garage do it for me, I get to keep all this equipment for future jobs too
I originally wanted to change both my brake pads and discs, however the screws holding on the discs are completely corroded and I have no idea how I am going to get them off. An impact driver could work on one side but the only side appears to be completely corroded and would just crumble if it unscrewing it is attempted. I guess I'll be returning the brake discs or getting a garage to get the old ones off for me (maybe with a drill?).
Many of the bolts seem to have similar wear. The bolts holding the brake on both sides do not budge and I think I rounded off one side trying to loosen it, it just crumbles whenever it is touched. This did mean I have to stretch the brake hose a little when lifting the caliper on one side (cringe), but it appears to not have done much harm.
I ended up also rounding off one of the nuts for the guide pin and the nut for the bleed valve. Most of this was one the one side, the other side wasn't too bad. Is this too be expected on a 10 year old car? Or have the previous owners done a poor job at maintenance?
3 garages have now told me that I should be looking into replacing the brake pads. However when i inspected the old pads vs the new pads side by side, they appears more or less identical (I think I actually bought the exact same pads as were previously installed). The thickness of the old pads, although obviously less, was not as severe as I think it was made out to be - perhaps a few millimeters at most. I always assumed you would replace pads once the material was almost gone, did I just have misconceptions or were the garages just trying to get extra work?
But, all in all, as part of this job I learnt how to safely lift the car, how to remove the wheels, and, obviously, how to replace the brake pads. I am very proud of myself to get to this point. I even bought lots of equipment to get this job done, but in total this has only came to roughly the cost it would have been to have a garage do it for me, I get to keep all this equipment for future jobs too
Edited by IDontKnowCars on Sunday 30th September 10:31
are you using cheap spanners ? pretty rare to round off bolts on modernish cars with decent tools unless someone has ruined them before
cordless drill and a decent drill bit will have the disc screws off....no need to repair /replace them as its only to keep the disc in place during assembly
cordless drill and a decent drill bit will have the disc screws off....no need to repair /replace them as its only to keep the disc in place during assembly
I suggest you read my tool use article which should be helpful in dealing with tight or rusted fasteners.
https://web.archive.org/web/20110909075159/http://...
https://web.archive.org/web/20110909075159/http://...
IDontKnowCars said:
I just wanted to post an update to let you all know that I managed to change the front brake pads on my car all by myself yesterday. I think I annoyed several of you by asking such simple questions and getting some of the terms wrong, but many of you have been extremely helpful in helping me to learn how to do this by myself and I would not have been able to do it without you, so I would like to say thank you!
I originally wanted to change both my brake pads and discs, however the screws holding on the discs are completely corroded and I have no idea how I am going to get them off. An impact driver could work on one side but the only side appears to be completely corroded and would just crumble if it unscrewing it is attempted. I guess I'll be returning the brake discs or getting a garage to get the old ones off for me (maybe with a drill?).
Many of the bolts seem to have similar wear. The bolts holding the brake on both sides do not budge and I think I rounded off one side trying to loosen it, it just crumbles whenever it is touched. This did mean I have to stretch the brake hose a little when lifting the caliper on one side (cringe), but it appears to not have done much harm.
I ended up also rounding off one of the nuts for the guide pin and the nut for the bleed valve. Most of this was one the one side, the other side wasn't too bad. Is this too be expected on a 10 year old car? Or have the previous owners done a poor job at maintenance?
3 garages have now told me that I should be looking into replacing the brake pads. However when i inspected the old pads vs the new pads side by side, they appears more or less identical (I think I actually bought the exact same pads as were previously installed). The thickness of the old pads, although obviously less, was not as severe as I think it was made out to be - perhaps a few millimeters at most. I always assumed you would replace pads once the material was almost gone, did I just have misconceptions or were the garages just trying to get extra work?
But, all in all, as part of this job I learnt how to safely lift the car, how to remove the wheels, and, obviously, how to replace the brake pads. I am very proud of myself to get to this point. I even bought lots of equipment to get this job done, but in total this has only came to roughly the cost it would have been to have a garage do it for me, I get to keep all this equipment for future jobs too
Posted from my hospital bed, I should be out in a few days, no broken bones thankfully.I originally wanted to change both my brake pads and discs, however the screws holding on the discs are completely corroded and I have no idea how I am going to get them off. An impact driver could work on one side but the only side appears to be completely corroded and would just crumble if it unscrewing it is attempted. I guess I'll be returning the brake discs or getting a garage to get the old ones off for me (maybe with a drill?).
Many of the bolts seem to have similar wear. The bolts holding the brake on both sides do not budge and I think I rounded off one side trying to loosen it, it just crumbles whenever it is touched. This did mean I have to stretch the brake hose a little when lifting the caliper on one side (cringe), but it appears to not have done much harm.
I ended up also rounding off one of the nuts for the guide pin and the nut for the bleed valve. Most of this was one the one side, the other side wasn't too bad. Is this too be expected on a 10 year old car? Or have the previous owners done a poor job at maintenance?
3 garages have now told me that I should be looking into replacing the brake pads. However when i inspected the old pads vs the new pads side by side, they appears more or less identical (I think I actually bought the exact same pads as were previously installed). The thickness of the old pads, although obviously less, was not as severe as I think it was made out to be - perhaps a few millimeters at most. I always assumed you would replace pads once the material was almost gone, did I just have misconceptions or were the garages just trying to get extra work?
But, all in all, as part of this job I learnt how to safely lift the car, how to remove the wheels, and, obviously, how to replace the brake pads. I am very proud of myself to get to this point. I even bought lots of equipment to get this job done, but in total this has only came to roughly the cost it would have been to have a garage do it for me, I get to keep all this equipment for future jobs too
Edited by IDontKnowCars on Sunday 30th September 10:31
Congrats on your 1st job. For the brake disc screw just drill the head off like others have said. For the rounded bolts it seems there’s more than 2 or 3 rounded bolts, did you use cheap spanners / sockets? 12 point socket rather than 6 point can round bolts off easily especially if the head is rusty.
Matt
Matt
Everybody has to start somewhere, nobody's born with knowledge and I hate it when some of the experienced know all's talk down at you ect. We all learn as we go.
And yes well done in doing it and saves you a few £
I'm still toying with replacing the clutch in an 03 Fiesta as it's slipping bad, I (like a few here) have did a few things to cars and bikes through the years but never this and quite scared about it. Thing is it's old and not worth paying the mech I use as he said too "you've did a few things so start taking stuff off, if you find na it isn't for you then just scrap it"
And yes well done in doing it and saves you a few £
I'm still toying with replacing the clutch in an 03 Fiesta as it's slipping bad, I (like a few here) have did a few things to cars and bikes through the years but never this and quite scared about it. Thing is it's old and not worth paying the mech I use as he said too "you've did a few things so start taking stuff off, if you find na it isn't for you then just scrap it"
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