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first brake job and what I learned

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Help!!!! wheel bearings!!!!

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Bought the NAPA Premium pads AE7864M ~$70 bucks couple cans of brake clean and brake fluid.



The calipers are held on with 18mm bolts that are red threadlocked on. both bolts are inacessible by impact (broke a universal impact trying) and a 2' breaker bar is required. Due to the torque and red threadlock good 6 pt socket is required.



Loosen the slide bolts(13mm) before removing caliper oops. These bolts need to be regreased before reassembly which I had to make a special trip back to the store for brake caliper grease as the NAPA kit does not come with any.



These calipers are heavy and you should plan where you are to put them as you don't want to let them hang from the hose.



A vise is your best friend on getting the pistons compressed as they should be compressed evenly and a pair of pliers is not going to cut it. Be sure that everything is cleaned real well before compressing (I used a can on each caliper). Pads and anti-Rattle clips slid in perfectly. Cleaned the red threadlock off caliper bolts with a utilty knife and cleaned the threads througly with brake clean and applied a drop of red Loc-tite and torqued to 90 ft/lbs (not sure this is the right number but with the thread size that is what I figured was good from my thread size-ft/lb chart).



I had the wheels back on the ground after only an hour of actual work (I had to run to the store for grease so it ended up being 1 1/2)



Well two things the pads did not need to be replaced yet still had 30% (70K)of the pad left based on NAPA pad thickness, but I had them and already had one wheel torn down when I realized they did not need to be changed but went ahead anyway. 2. the truck stops better now than with the stock pads may just be that they are better than what was left of the stock set or may in fact be better than new stockers plus no more squealing.



Now I just need to change the brake fluid and I will be sitting real good for brakes for a real long time.
 
Over the years I've tried NAPA's best a few times. After a month or two ended up throwing them in the trash can. Like OEM much better.
 
I've got 35K on mine now and have been thinking about changing the fronts a little early, as they are still plenty beefy.

I've been told that compressing a caliper piston in an ABS system is dangerous to the accum. pump.

Did you crack open the bleeder to release fluid? Or did you push fluid back to the res?
 
Just had my brakes checked at the dealer and was told their fine for at least another 30,000. I'm at 195,000+ right now.
 
Did you change the rotors?

I have never had any luck with pads lasting unless I put new rotors on, this was on GM truck, the rotors were cheap so I would just buy new ones when I changed the pads, I had heard they are too thin to turn, if you do they will warp.
 
Normally when I do brakes I cut the rotors/drums cut to clean up the surface, unless it looks in good shape.
 
Eric_77 said:
The calipers are held on with 18mm bolts that are red threadlocked on. both bolts are inacessible by impact (broke a universal impact trying) and a 2' breaker bar is required. Due to the torque and red threadlock good 6 pt socket is required.



I'm working on removing the caliper adaptor right now. Got the lower mounting bolt out using my 3/4" breaker bar (big sucker) and a lot of effort.



The top one is being a real BEAR. Can't fit the 3/4" breaker bar in there (no clearance), so I've been trying my 1/2" breaker bar. I've got the bar positioned so it's vertical, and I'm crouched in the wheel well pushing the bar toward the rear of the truck with all my might. Won't budge the bolt.



Any suggestions? I know the "proper" method for removing red loctite is heat, but if I try to heat up that bolt I'm going to melt the ABS sensor wiring harness. Loctite also suggests a soldering gun can be used to apply more directed heat at the bolt, but it seems to me that would take FOREVER to actually heat up the bolt (tons of cast iron in there acting as a heat sink).



Eric - how did you get that top one off? Just brute force? Should I go invest in a quality soldering gun?



Ryan :(
 
Ryan, Most auto stores are now carrying the cro-can. spray bolt and remove. Option 2 used a mirco torch and than spray.
 
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TWest said:
Ryan, Most auto stores are now carrying the cro-can. spray bolt and remove. Option 2 used a mirco torch and than spray.

Sounds awesome. Cro-Can? Never heard of it... can't find it on Google.



Ryan
 
Just rotated tires and inspected the brakes. 86K miles and still have 2/3 of the pads remaining... . I should have gone for an exhaust brake, then I probably would never have to do a brake job!
 
Got the caliper adaptor off. Managed to heat it with my propane torch in such a way as to avoid overheating the ABS sensor.



Ryan
 
the napa pads SUCK

I got the napa pads only because they were cheap ($70) and I had pelnty of rotor left Figured I get 20,000 miles outa them.



After about 1000 miles, I had a good panic stop and boy did they fade and smoke from 80 to about 10mph. I had few stops like that with the stockers they where not nearly as bad. They heat up when you play cat and mouse around down with other cars/trucks when out having fun and they love to fad early.



They are no good in comparison to the stockers IMHO



Looking to get a set of EGR cryo treated once I'm sick of the napa pads squeeling.
 
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