2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Changing Front Brake Pads

[Big-D]

willyslover



I agree with you whole heartedly. If your brakes need replacing so does the fluid. Do both at the same time and no need to worry about stopping when the cell phone user ahead of you suddenly makes a panic stop.



Wheel cylinders and calipers will last twice as long when properly maintained.

 

[gtobey]

I am behind you 100% willyslover.



We subscribe to all the tech pubs here at our work. They recommend exactly what you advised...



I admit, back in the 70's and 80's I used to just push those caliper pistons back into the bores, slap in a couple of new pads with the anti-squeal on them, and away we go...



But now, with ABS, the sensors do not like H2O at all! When you have a brake light come on and remain on on your dash, you check all the normal things to no avail, and then when the dealer/repair facility bills you for ABS sensors and a brake fluid flush, you'll either learn or walk with a list to one side after your wallet gets lightened. I did not have that happen to me, but a good friend did after doing what we just talked about. And if someone nicks the dust boot on the caliper with an errant screwdriver, after water and road grit and salt gets in between the piston and bore, there could be quite a dangerous white-knuckle condition on a curvy mountain road or even a flat wet road trying to stop in a straight line with 1 brake inoperable...



I was instructed by a wise old man back when I started working as a heavy equipment mechanic back in the early 70's the following:



Motto: "If you can't find time to do it right the first time, where do you think you are going to find time to fix it?!"



Living up to that has brought me pleasure and quality work throughout my mechanical career...



ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS bleed out the old fluid when pushing calipers back into their bores, and if you save an old bottle with a little old fluid in it in your garage or workshop ( cap it off when not using it ) you can put the bleeder hose in that when bleeding the caliper. Unless you pull the piston back out of the bore in the caliper, gravity will help to keep the old fluid from going back into the caliper.



I purchased a pressure bleeder from Snap-On so that I can change the fluid about every 2 to 2-1/2 years. Brake fluid is ethylene glycol which absorbs moisture. Even if I didn't have ABS, allowing water in the fluid to cause rust in the entire system is not good for preventing brake problems down the road.



Good luck!!

 

[Mr. C]

I'm with willyslover.



I just replaced my front pads last week and I also open the bleed screws to compress the calipers using the screwdriver method mentioned above. If it's a rig I care about, good clean brake fluid is cheap insurance. I use a one man bleeder (it's just a check valve in a rubber hose with clear plastic magnet mount catch bottle attached) and it has been a very handy addition to the tool collection. I ran a quart of fluid through the entire brake system so I know that there is no moisture lurking in the system to cause problems later. It only takes a half hour or so to add this step to the procedure so why not do it?



Mike

 

[JGheen]

Well, took the rig into Midas on Saturday to get the pads replaced. When they removed everything, they found the rear drums to be in perfect shape and just adjusted them. The front, however, was not in good shape. The rotors were . 1" under what the spec said, so they replaced them. The calipers were pretty shot as well, so they replaced them. Everything only cost $750 installed, I had the pads that I bought form Geno's(Hawk carbon pads). I did not get boned at least i don't think I did, I did ask them to show me everything, so they weren't blowing smoke up my a$$. Seems to stop a lot better now, just need a few more miles to get them fully seated and broke in.

 

[daveshoe]

It is better to bleed your brakes when they don't need it than to break off the bleeder screw when they do need it. While we are on the subject, can anyone refresh my memory on which wheel to bleed first? I have heard that the old rule of bleeding the cylinder farthest away from the master cylinder does not apply to ABS brake systems.

I like to keep things limbered up in my truck -- even to the point of greasing the ''non-serviceable'' front bearings

BTW, I bought a vacuum brake bleeder and found the most usable part to be the clear vinyl hose. I kept getting a stream of bubbles when using the bleeder --and finally located a pinhole in a brake line. Seeing that old brown crappy fluid turn clear sure gives ya a warm feeling