G1: Disc Brake Pad and Rotor Replacement DIY (Photos)

body9599 · 12-30-04, 07:24 PM

Hey guys,

I recently replaced my rear brake pads and rotors with a set of Metal Masters and some generic discs. I took some photos for those who want to try doing your own brake job.

Summary: The general overview of the work is as follows for the rear brakes: disconnect parking brake cable, remove caliper, remove caliper mount, remove rotor, reinstall in reverse with new rotor and pads.

Doing the front brake pads and rotors is easier because you don’t need to remove a parking brake cable. The only other difference between a front and rear brake job is how the caliper piston is compressed to allow re-installation.

General tools needed:
10mm and 12 mm sockets
14mm wrench
needle nose pliers
rubber mallet
screwdriver
impact hammer

Parts and materials:
brake pads
rotors
anti-squeal compound
anti-seize
disc brake grease

Procedure:
Jack up one side of car. Block other wheels. Release parking brake (not necessary for front brakes). Remove cap from brake fluid reservoir. Remove wheel. Remove parking brake protective cover (10mm bolts). This example has two bolts, I think some have three.

Once removed you will see the parking brake cable connection to the caliper. Remove the pin from this cable to release the parking brake.

Remove the two 12mm bolts that connect the caliper to the caliper mount.

Remove the caliper and wire/ziptie it out of the way. Do not let it hang by the brake hose as this may damage the hose. Remove the brake pads and set them aside. The outer pad should have a shim that may need to be saved for use with the new pad. If you are planning on replacing or turning the rotors remove the two 14mm bolts behind the brake rotor which attach the caliper mount to the axle. Use an impact hammer to remove the two screws holding the rotor to the hub.

Remove the caliper mount and rotor. You may need to hit the rotor with a mallet to get it to come loose from the hub. You can then replace the rotor or have your current rotors turned at a local auto/parts shop. Here you can see the hub… (if you ever wondered what the ABS wheel speed sensor looks like…now you know). Replace the rotor and secure it with the two screws (I suggest anti-seize on the screws so that replacement in the future is easier)

Here you can see the old vs. new pads. The outer pads will work on either side of the car, but the inner pads are side-specific.

Now we can focus our attention to the caliper mount and the caliper pins. Pull each pin out and away from the grease boot.

Clean the pins, re-grease, and reinsert into caliper mount. Replace each pin on the same side it came out of. The pad retainer clips can also be removed, cleaned and replaced (they can also be lightly greased).

Bolt the caliper mount back onto the axle after the rotor has been replaced. Now for the pads…anti-squeal compound can be used to eliminate noise. The compound should be applied to the parts of the pads that contact the caliper. Never put any compound on the pad or rotor friction surfaces. If shims are being used coat the contact surfaces between the pad and shim. I’ve seen two types of compound…OEM pads come with a grease-like compound. The blue stuff I used was really more like glue. Not sure what’s best.

Once prepped, place the pads in their appropriate position in the caliper mount between the pad retainer clips. Now to remount to caliper…you will need to rotate the “X” portion of the caliper piston clockwise until you have enough room to fit the caliper over the brake pads (this part was probably the toughest because it was hard to turn the piston. I ended up using a long wide chisel tip screwdriver and a pair of pliers to turn it). The “X” will need to be positioned such that the pin on the inner brake pad fits in one of the grooves. (When doing the front brakes the caliper can be compressed using a “C” clamp.)

Bolt the caliper in place using the two bolts removed earlier. The only thing left to do is reattach the parking brake cable. I found it easiest to use a screwdriver to guide the pin down.

Replace the cotter pin and the protective cover. Replace wheel and repeat on other side of car. After done with both sides replace brake reservoir cap and actuate parking brake and regular brake several times before testing at slow speed.

Hope this helps those that want to save money and/or learn more about their Legend by doing the work themselves. If you find a problem with these instructions please let me know or post a correction. Basically be methodical and do one side at a time so you can always look at assembled side for reference. Repair manuals are invaluable for stuff like this, but this should give people an idea of what they’re going to see. Later

chrisgavlik · 01-01-05, 06:06 AM

this is great and should be pinned

aznman007 · 01-01-05, 10:55 AM

sankyu sankyu!!!!

airek · 03-11-05, 04:48 PM

body9599,
Did you find the pads a very tight fit on the caliper mounts? I had to use a mallet to get the old ones out and get the new ones in.

body9599 · 03-12-05, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by airek

body9599,
Did you find the pads a very tight fit on the caliper mounts? I had to use a mallet to get the old ones out and get the new ones in.

Not really...once the caliper was off the pads come right out and the new ones slide right in to place. Make sure you have the right pads for your year and model.

HotLegend87 · 06-03-05, 06:18 PM

Moved to DIY section...

dmjole · 08-18-05, 02:31 AM

I just did my front pads today. They sure needed it--one side was down to perhaps 2/16" of pad depth left.

Here are some things that I found useful, that (Chilton/Haynes/etc.) manuals seem to not include:

1) If you plan to use a C-clamp to compress the piston, it will have to be a big one. How big? I think at least 6 inches, but I am not sure--my 3" clamps weren't even close to fitting. Check *before* you even start to pull the pads off. (Guess why I mention this?

)
2) If you don't have the big C-clamps, and you happen to have a steering wheel puller, you may be able to use that to press the piston in (keep the old pad in place for the screw to press against.)
3) If you are taking the caliper completely off, those 17 mm bolts on the back of the caliper are on TIGHT! Be prepared to use a heavy mallet (or your handy dandy camp axe, if you keep it nearby like I do) to knock them loose.
4) After you have compressed the piston enough to fit the inner pad, often you will find that the caliper itself is not pushed out far enough to allow the outer pad to fit over the rotor. You can now use your little 3 inch C-clamps to pull the caliper out to make room for the outside pads to fit around the rotor.
5) Shimless pads (like the ones I bought--more expensive, but longer wear and better quality--I think skimping on brakes is a bad idea) don't need anti-squeal compound.

6) Brake dust is dirty! But you probably already knew that...

Ken · 08-18-05, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmjole

5) Shimless pads (like the ones I bought--more expensive, but longer wear and better quality--I think skimping on brakes is a bad idea) don't need anti-squeal compound.

wait, so i have shimless pads, should i use the shims from the old pads?, or do i not need them, and they were cheaper instead of being more expensive.

dmjole · 08-19-05, 02:45 AM

Ken:
The auto parts store (Baxter's, FYI) had two sets of pads in stock available for my 86 Acura--a cheaper set (which would require shims) and a more expensive set (which is not flat on the back where the shims would go, but rather seem to have a raised surface acting as a shim).
These higher priced (about $20.00 more) ones were Wagner Thermoquiet pads (as shown in this link.)
Looking at the shape of the pad, the old shims wouldn't really fit right, anyway. Plus (according to the literature), these pads seem to have built-in vibration dampening, so the shims apparently aren't needed.

Can anybody with shop experience verify this?

Ken · 08-20-05, 08:18 PM

ic, i guess i do need shims shince mine are flat on the back, o btw, wagner is usable, but not very good, thers a longer stopping distance

dmjole · 08-21-05, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken

ic, i guess i do need shims shince mine are flat on the back, o btw, wagner is usable, but not very good, thers a longer stopping distance

Yeah, if they're flat you probably need the shims and the goo unless you love that squealing sound.
I don't know enough about brake pads to say that Wagner's are better or worse than others. I just did a quickie Google check and didn't see any indication that they were worse than OEM pads. I did find a Police report where different brake pads were evaluated under varying conditions, and Wagner's were right up with all the rest at stopping distance, as well as other measurements (stopping pressure, temperature, and so on.)
But perhaps you drive your car harder than mine, and need to really stop quickly!

I treat my car as a long distance runner rather than a stop-light sprinter, so I am assuming that my pads will be just fine.

kamlung · 10-05-05, 11:15 PM

if u are having a tough time turning the piston on the brake caliper... i would suggest opening the cap to the brake fluid resivour... since u are essentiall pushing the fluid back into there, why not release the pressure/air by opening the lid... i opened the lid and wrapped a cloth/towel around it to catch the excess fluid that will overflow... brake fluid can damage your car's paint... so thats why i did that...

arod4904 · 08-31-09, 06:32 PM

guys, thank you very damn much. i struggled to find out how the hell i was going to open the gap in the caliper. This thread took a huge load off my chest

I even bled the caliper to reduce the pressure

I used pliers to close the "X".

I was careful to not damage the "X", and no marks were left. It worked really well.