orbix

Replacing the front 2 pots with 4 pots

This is the first time I have attempted anything like this (as you may see).
This is what I did, this is not a comprehensive guide to changing calipers.
Feel free to point, laugh and take the mick. I wouldn't expect anything else.

Kit check
4 pot calipers, discs and pads to suit.
Brake fluid, I used Halfords 5.1 dot
One man bleed kit (As I’m a Billy no mates)
Bucket
Car jack, as it’s all I’ve got to raise the car.
Spanner & Socket set, from memory I used sizes 8,10,12,14,17



First job remove wheel, well actually it’s to slacken the wheel nuts which can be a show stopper if you can’t do this.
Car jacked up and wheel off also I took the cap off the brake fluid reservoir.



Next my budget didn’t stretch to new braded hoses so just the calipers it is.
Now big question do I take the brake hose off first or the calliper? Does it matter?
Eenie Meenie Miney Mo… Brake hose it is then followed by the calliper.


If my memory serves me well the bolts on the 4 pots for the brake hose were 14mm but on the old 2 pots they were 12mm?!
On the back of the calipers there are two 17mm bolts to remove.
The disc’s came off with little effort.




New disc on.
When bolting the new calipers on I found it easier to do the bottom bolt first.
Having bolted the new calipers on check the bleed nipple is at the top!



I tried fitting the old 16” wheel on over the 4 pots but it did not fit. Take note if you intend to fit 4 pots with these wheels.




Another thing I wasn’t sure about was the fact I was going to change the brake fluid. I’d read 2 guides one said to pump all the fluid out of the system and then refill it and the other said not to let the reservoir go empty because air can be hard to remove from the cylinder. So throughout this procedure I opted to keep the reservoir topped up.
Wheels back on it was now time to bleed the system.




Bleeding the system


Jack car up, passenger rear wheel off.
Undo bleed nipple, 10mm spanner needed.
Fixed bleed kit as per instructions and placed end in a milk bottle.



I then pumped the brake pedal by hand 3 times, checked the reservoir and then checked the brake kit. I noticed that the fluid in the tube at this time was a darker colour than the brake fluid I was pouring in. So I continued to pump the pedal and fill the reservoir until I was sure I was pumping the new fluid through with no bubbles.
Then tighten the bleed nipple, remove brake kit, put wheel back on.

I repeated the procedure for
Drivers rear caliper
Passenger caliper
Drivers caliper



Points to note.
The 4 pots had a 8mm bleed nipple. Although the rear calipers had a bigger nut (10mm) the actual nipple was smaller, so I used a different size hole on the bleed kit.



With all the wheels back on and the reservoir topped up I took her out to test the brakes.

I’m very disappointed I thought the braking would improve drastically I can’t say that I have noticed any real gains. I still wouldn’t like to brake hard at motorway speeds.
The only thing I can think it maybe, is the method I used to bleed the brakes therefore this weekend I will get the missus to help me.

Tazz Kill Er

what pads etc did you have before the upgrade?

orbix

The 2 pot stuff I think was standard, it doesn't look like anything special.
I don't know because I am the first person to own it since it was imported.

LongTimeLurker

Hoping to do this swap at weekend (2 pot to 4 pot), so will be watching this with interest. Thanks for the thread

LongTimeLurker

Btw, how much was the billy no mates bleed kit?

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

When mine where changed they had to bed in (was told about 100 miles) after that braking from 'ahem' speeds is greatly improved most noticeable is that the brakes don't fade (just using Black diamond pads standard discs).The 2 pots i had i got 1 hard brake then very little (braking from motorway speeds)

orbix

Where's the photo's gone

Bleed kit was £4.49p from halfords, you get it half price if you can prove you do have mates!

orbix

OI!! Who's nicked the pics?!

I don't know I went to all that time and effort, registered with photobucket and for what someone to take the photos off.

LongTimeLurker

Cheers, have mates just they are about as mechanically minded as i am

LongTimeLurker

They are still there m8, even after a CTRL + F5 refresh.

orbix

I wasn't having a go at you it was a joke.


Strange I can't see any pics

LongTimeLurker

Oh i know m8, hence my smiles , as for the pictures they are defo there for me (non-cached).

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Pics are still there.

Best bleed kit I ever had was a length of rubber tubing with thick walls, one end blocked, and slit cut in it near the blocked end.

The slit acted like a non-return valve.

BLUSH mode on<< I took it back to the shop I bought it at, when I noticed the slit. They had a good laugh at me, before explaining how it worked>> BLUSH mode off.

Alcazar

orbix

Got the missus to help me bleed the brakes today and over the course of the last week the brakes have improve significantly, I'm not sure why unless they needed some time to bed-in.
Anyway more than happy with them now.

steviecrump

do the 16 inch alloys in your pictures clear the calipers???

orbix

No they don't, if you mean the silver alloys.

gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

Are you getting anywhere in sorting your brake problem?

orbix

I think all that was needed was a little time to bed them in.
The discs and pads were second hand so I thought no bedding in was needed.
The first inch of play on the brake pedal still does nothing but once they start to grip braking is much improved over the old 2 pots.