Ellie*

(Ive posted this on another forum too, so if anyone here uses a certain Ford forum, yes ive copied and pasted/0

So, i attempted to replace the rear discs and pads, on my own, with no real idea what to do. Couldnt even find a step by step guide!!
Only clue i had was that yesterday i went to my mates who has every tool going, airlines, etc etc and we did the front ones.

First i had to remember what tools we'd use and go buy them!!
Then get my little jack out the boot and cross bar thing to get the nuts off, took wheel off.....and its completely different!!

Anyway, Im quite proud that i managed to replace the disc (with a grooved one) and pads (with kevlar ones).
This would have really made my abolute life if Id remembered that yesterday we took the brake reseviour cap off.
Couldnt get the piston to push back, therefore caliper wouldnt go on.
Ended up putting old pads back on just to put it all back together.
Tried on other wheel, took one bolt out the caliper and piston wouldnt push back so left it and put it back together.

Im furious now that i know it was because of the cap. I even thought it must be to do with the fluid pressure and undid the bleed nipple, clamped and unclamped the line etc etc.
AAARRRGGGHHHH.

I did do well though didnt i???!!!!!!
It took me about 15mins to get the caliper bolts out with me smashing **** out the ratchet with a hammer!

I have to go out tomorrow aswell but now i know and all the bolts have been cleaned up ill hopefully get at least one side done tomorrow.

Hmph, cant decide if im pleased, furious or both!!!

200sex

iTrader: (2)

i dont think the cap will help that much other wise you would of prob pushed a seal out somewhere if you tried that hard are you sure the pistons are not a wind back type

awdx4

Might not be a bad idea to use an alternative means of transport until the brakes are all done and verified lol

Ellie*

ermm yeah they are threaded so i need to turn them with something??

Theyve all been put back together. I put the old pads back in and only undid one bolt on the other side.

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

Good for you for having a go

Ellie*

thanks!!

GH80

practice makes perfect keep having a go and you will soon save yourself lots of money, and get good car knowledge that will last you a lifetime.

I started doing stuff like that, now can I can strip a gearbox without too many problems. I find now the worst part is leaving a car in to get serviced just for that bloody stamp in the service book lol.

awdx4

I did forget to say good on you for getting hands on with the car. I wasn't doubting your ability in the tone of my comment, I know you've not indicated that you picked up any negativity from my reply, but sometimes this text only medium lacks the finesse of actual face to face expression. The only concern I had was that having undone the nipple even with the hose clamped it's not a 100% cert that there was no air ingress. Also you didn't mention if the calliper bolts were torqued correctly when re-fitting them.

Kind regards

Tim

P600wrx

iTrader: (1)

my first attempt at doing brakes on my scoob took me all day but once done it now takes me all of an hour to replace pads all round

SpecDscooby

LOL, very honest of you...must be something in the air i done my discs and pads yesterday.....took an hour, but mine is a 2007 STI with Brembo's so was easy. The cap has to come off, and as you push the pistons back to slacken them off some fluid will escape, put some rag around the filler to avoid brake fluid making the master cylinder look **** ina year....then use fresh rag to soak some fluid up to get the level back down to the indicator, and dont forget to pump the braes before you drive...the pedal goes straight to the floor!

Great job for the home mechanic, but i always find it alarming just how little goes into brakes....a little pin is all that stands between your car stopping, and not....worrying to a point...

P.s. The pistons do not wind back, just lever them back with a flat screwdriver against the old pads, that'll work fine....WITH THE CAP OFF!...brakes are a sealed system so nothing can escape, hence without the cap off (escape route) nothing will move.

Pink_Floyd

If you think it went badly for you Ellie, you should read my tale(s) of woe

Turbotits

iTrader: (2)

what car are these on? may need a caliper rewind tool if there that type. dont know where you are but i have one here

Ellie*

hehe thanks guys.
awdx4-dont worry, came across fine!

Ive had mixed answers. Some people have said caliper will push back, other have said itll need turning. It does have grooves on it under the rubber seal. We'll see.

I wasnt sure if opening the bleed nipple would be enough to let the piston go back, obviously not though!!. I pumped the pedal with it open and the fluid come out (not sure why i did that, thought it might get rid of any air!) then closed it off again. Also pumped pedal this morning before i drove anywhere.
Obviously took it very steady and brakes seem fine.
Only one more small journey to make then i can get stuck into again saturday.

SpecDscooby

The piston WILL push back. Open the filler cap to allow the fluid to escape (pressure). Put rag all around the filler cap, as when you push the piston back the fluid needs somewhere to go, in this case it will go straight out of the top of the filler cap.

Brake fluid is not good stuff for paint, so avoid it going on the master cylinder, if it does, rinse it off when done.

You do not need at any point to open a bleed nipple during the change.

It is likely that when the new pads are on you will find the fluid level higher than the max fill line. Use clean rag to soak some fluif from the resevour, remove the filter in the top to aid this. JOB DONE!

V555MAC

iTrader: (4)

Maybe not the best area to start learning about vehicle maintenance????

Good on you for trying though!!!!

LizP

I presume we are talking a ford car, if it is like my ST220 then you will find that the rear left needs to be pushed in and turned clockwise at the same time, the rear right needs to be turned anti-clockwise.