changing brake rotors and pads

[ace]

I haven't changed brake rotors since high school. Can someone walk me through the process. Do I need any special tools? Do I need a puller? How long am I looking at for doing all four? I'm trying to decide whether I do this myself or have it done.

[T Man]

You will need a C Clamp, (or brake piston compressor) A set of wrenches, or sockets for the caliper mounting bolts. (I believe the bracket bolts are 18's but im not for sure) Some slilicone lube and a can of brakecleen, wire coathangers or bunjee cords. 20 oz bottle with a small diameter hose run through the lid (large enough diameter to go over the bleeder screw, not so big as to let it slip off)

Jack and secure the front and remove the wheels. Remove the two slide pins that hold the caliper to the mounting bracket and set aside. Hang the caliper out of the way. Remove the bracket the caliper bolts to and set it aside. Remove rotor. Using a wrench (10mm or 3/8's cant remember) crack the bleeder screw on the caliper and compress the pistons in the caliper back into the caliper. Use the C clamp and one of the old pads and just switch back and forth from piston to piston. I prefer to use my c clamp and a brake caliper compressor tool, but not everyone owns those. Once fully compresssed close the bleeder, THEN undo the compressor. After your rotor has been machined rince it in warm water (yes, you read that right) to remove all the metal particles left over from turning. Place the rotor back on the truck, then the caliper bracket (at my shop i preferr to use a small brush and some brakecleen to clean out the slide pin holes, but its not manditory) Put the new pads in the bracket (I would recommend wagner thermoquiet pads, thats alll I use at the shop) put the caliper back on, and using the sillicone lube, lube the slide pins before you re-thread them in. Voilla rince lather and repeat on the other side. On a side note I would also emphasize the benefit of flushing your brake system for part longevity. Do it just like bleeding brakes, but run about 32oz through it. You remove contaminated fluid, and any moisture in the system (brakefluid is hydroscopic) Moisture settels in the low spots, which are the piston bores, moisture causes rust. Rust=bad. At my shop a fluid flush doubles our warranty on brake service

[WVHogRider]

Removing the rear rotors may take a little extra effort due to the parking brake shoe notoriously making a lip on the drum portion of the rotor causing it to catch. I've seen a few rotors even brake/crack trying to get them off over this lip, but not to worry since you are planning on replacing them.

No special tools are required for the removal, as stated by Tman. You can pick up a can of the brake pin slide lube at the auto parts store when you get the rotor & pads. The lube is specifically made for the higher brake temperature than just regular lube.

Hard to say on total time it will take you to do all four just because of the undetermined stubornness of the rear rotors. Since it's been a while for you since doing this, I would say about 2 hours should be sufficient. Just take your time...It's an easy DIY job.

[ace]

You will need a C Clamp, (or brake piston compressor) A set of wrenches, or sockets for the caliper mounting bolts. (I believe the bracket bolts are 18's but im not for sure) Some slilicone lube and a can of brakecleen, wire coathangers or bunjee cords. 20 oz bottle with a small diameter hose run through the lid (large enough diameter to go over the bleeder screw, not so big as to let it slip off)

Jack and secure the front and remove the wheels. Remove the two slide pins that hold the caliper to the mounting bracket and set aside. Hang the caliper out of the way. Remove the bracket the caliper bolts to and set it aside. Remove rotor. Using a wrench (10mm or 3/8's cant remember) crack the bleeder screw on the caliper and compress the pistons in the caliper back into the caliper. Use the C clamp and one of the old pads and just switch back and forth from piston to piston. I prefer to use my c clamp and a brake caliper compressor tool, but not everyone owns those. Once fully compresssed close the bleeder, THEN undo the compressor. After your rotor has been machined rince it in warm water (yes, you read that right) to remove all the metal particles left over from turning. Place the rotor back on the truck, then the caliper bracket (at my shop i preferr to use a small brush and some brakecleen to clean out the slide pin holes, but its not manditory) Put the new pads in the bracket (I would recommend wagner thermoquiet pads, thats alll I use at the shop) put the caliper back on, and using the sillicone lube, lube the slide pins before you re-thread them in. Voilla rince lather and repeat on the other side. On a side note I would also emphasize the benefit of flushing your brake system for part longevity. Do it just like bleeding brakes, but run about 32oz through it. You remove contaminated fluid, and any moisture in the system (brakefluid is hydroscopic) Moisture settels in the low spots, which are the piston bores, moisture causes rust. Rust=bad. At my shop a fluid flush doubles our warranty on brake service

Wow, awesome description Tman!!!! Thanks!

[killian96ss]

You can pick up a can of the brake pin slide lube at the auto parts store when you get the rotor & pads. The lube is specifically made for the higher brake temperature than just regular lube.

Good point!

It is very important that you use a high temperature synthetic brake caliper grease (made specifically for brake calipers) and NOTHING else.

Steve

[border man]

Bringing an old thread back to life.............

Well at 113,000 miles, I have decided to do my first brake service. I looked at my brakes and rotors about 2000 miles ago when I had my tires rotated. The pads still had life on them, and the rotors seemed fine and smooth. I was lookoing for the TopSgt syndrome and it was not present. So, I want to replace the pads all around with OEM ACDelco stuff, since it has lasted this long. What do you guys think? Should I replace the rotors even though they still seem fine?

Do I have the correct part numbers for OEM?

rear pads: 88909666
front pads: 88909665

[kwalsh]

This link will help you. pictures are included with the step by step instructions.

http://www.2carpros.com/how_to/how_to_r ... brakes.htm

[border man]

Thanks for the link. This will be the first brake service on the truck, although not my first. I have done plenty of brakes, just wanted to make sure I ordered the correct OEM brakes. I usually get my stuff from AutoZone or PepBoys, but like I said, I want to use ACDelco stuff.

[kwalsh]

You're Welcome!
I recommend to atleast have the rotors recut if you do not want to replace them.....new rotors are not expensive. They're about $30 a piece.
I'm sorry I don't know what the OEM part numbers are.

[HenryJ]

I will apologize for this long post in advance. Our trucks are aging to the point where several owners are going to be doing that big brake job. More than likely the rotors are rusted and , or worn beyond use.

What is now the best choice for pads and rotors? The most cost effective with lowest cost being the priority. I don't want to discount quality, but this is not a race car nor a show piece. Lets be reasonable it is a tool. We have a good thread on aftermarket pads and rotors, so lets try to keep this on the best choice for and OEM replacement on a budget.

What are we looking for? Low cost, long life, quiet, dust free , rust / corrosion resistance and good braking performance. Impossible?
I think it is going to be a tough decision as there are lots of choices and your conditions may also vary.

I live in the high desert and although they have recently started using quite a bit of Mag-chloride on the roads in the winter around here, corrosion and rust are not a big problem as of yet.

Rotors:
Inconsistent wear, galling and rust seem to be the biggest problems that I have seen. The rear seems to take most of the abuse.
I think some form of coating would be a good choice. Sure you can paint them, but the factory coatings seem to hold up much better. I really like the corrosion resistance of the Powerslot rotors, but they are expensive. If your choice is at or over $100 , then they really do need to be considered.
What other things do we need to consider?
Iron content. Hard rotors last long but can be noisy, stop poorly and generate excessive heat. Soft rotors wear quickly and while they may not heat up as much the wear can be uneven. Either can have inconsistent iron content causing hot spots, warping, etc. Cheap rotors can be a poor investment for these reasons. On the other hand the most expensive may not be the best choice either as they may generate heat to the point of damaging other components and require more frequent maintenance. Boiling the fluid requiring a shortened change interval would be an example.

Pads:
OEM pads are ceramic. They really do a good job. Are there better less expensive choices? All sorts of pads are being sold as ceramic. It seems to be the latest selling point. Some are semi metallic as well.
A soft pad will brake well but wear quickly and sometimes the compound may tend to glaze. These can also wear unevenly. Rotor life is usually better, unless the soft pad retains debris that wears the rotor. Soft pads can be messy to as they tend to generate lots of black brake dust.
A hard pad will last longer, but usually sacrifice the rotor life. They can tend to be noisier and require greater effort to stop.
We are looking for that "happy place" or balance that works best.

E-brake shoe:
There do not seem to be many options here. All that I have seen are bonded ceramic. I think I would choose to buy it local on an as needed basis. As long as they get centered periodically through an application from time to time. They seem to last pretty good. Replacement due to corrosion is possible, but the rotor/drum needs to be removed to know for sure.

All brakes need to be bedded properly. Lets assume everyone does that. Here is the post on a proper bedding procedure: (Bedding Brakes) Bedding the E-brake shoe is not done as it is applied while the vehicle is static.

What do we buy?
There seem to be a few less choices for rear brakes , so I'll use that as my example.
If I were here in my high desert climate and needed rotors that I could trust, I would go to NAPA and buy the UP 86707 for $54.86 each. They come painted and that helps with corrosion. Pads I would go with ADO AD7596 $65.29 for the set. I pay a little more for the set that includes all the hardware too. The kit comes with slide pin lube. I like to replace all the stainless steel spring slides and the seals for the slide pins where applicable. That would run just over $175 If I have any problems I take them back. I have had many sets in the fleet and they do very well in severe conditions.

I did a little looking on Rockauto.com as it seems to be an easy way to get good quality parts. (I believe they will ship to other countries as well?)

On the Rockauto site the RAYBESTOS Part # 56707 ($59.89 each) with the anti corrosion coating looks good. I would probably match them with the RAYBESTOS Part # ATD729C ( $51.79 set ) pads. That is just over $171

I have not used the Raybestos brakes in a very long time. I don't know how well they might perform. Of the choices those look like my pick though. I did not consider any brands cheap rotor and the coating may have made the sale in this case. if you have a good method of coating the exposed metal surfaces , perhaps a set Of the AC Delco rotors might be attractive?

OEM AC Delco pads and rotors would be a good choice, but I see too many choices in the grade. The "Advantage" line worries me. Is that a cheap line? Their premium rotors are priced where the Powerslots are, and I would choose the Powerslot hands down. They also may be composite, and I don't know how those perform.

What is working for you? Lets get the list going so others will know what is working and what is not.

[roadrunner]

Have not had to replace any e-brake shoes yet but am using and like MKD series Bendix pads all around. They are metallic and seem to live the longest and perform the best in my application. For me they outlast the next best by a factor of 2 to 3 or better. Unfortunately my usual suppliers have stopped handling them and I may have to switch. If so I probably will use the MKD series pads from Duralast from Autozone instead. I've used them on other vehicles with favorable results.

[F9K9]

I am going through a rear brake project at this time myself. I only have 40K on my CC but, I failed to take proper care of it in the last 18 months or so. When I replaced the front brake pads a couple of years ago, I checked the rear caliber slide pins and found the driver's side frozen with corrosion. I replaced them and checked them at every oil change after that. I would clean them and apply synthetic grease if, I found them getting dry. I truly needed to continue that procedure but, I had other toys and I neglected my CC. My rear rotors went south almost over night recently. I don't have the time or weather to document the procedure of replacing the rear rotors, pads, pins and hardware but, I am betting I will find corroded slide pins when I tear into the project.

Brule's part numbers are current as of the last 48 hrs but, don't revisit this thread a year from now and expect things to remain the same. Things change constantly, as we have discovered with topics like the radiator upgrade. Brule sent me the part numbers and prices, last night or early this morning, for the NAPA parts. When I plugged in my zip code (which they require) the same parts ran $8-$9 higher.

I will take pics if, I can but, it won't happen anytime soon. We're predicted to get 6"-10" of the cool white stuff tomorrow and my wrenching is put on hold for now.

[rlrnr53]

Reed, how much of the white stuff did you get? At first we were supposed to only get about 3-4 in. We ended up with about 8-10 in. Further south of us, was about 12-14 in. A difference of about 10 to 15 miles made up the difference. More long hours for me, 16 Saturday, and 12 Sunday.

[F9K9]

Mitch, London got around 9" but, I am in the middle of a "big D" and where I am staying at got 3"

[border man]

"big D"

10-18???

[F9K9]

Just like the Tammy Wynette song.

Strike three!!

[WVHogRider]

Good luck with that F9.....Been there done that.

[F9K9]

Well, I have one rear rotor and pads swapped out during a lunch hour last week. Snow and cold temps has put a halt to it for the time being. First rotor came off with just a little encouragement. If, the second one cooperates, I have about 45 minutes left to complete it. Bad news is that it is the driver's side rear and that is where the slide pins seem to freeze up at. Passenger's pins had rusty colored grease but, came right out.

[rlrnr53]

I'd like to have decent weather to do anything. I'm getting tired of the whitr stuff. 3-5 today, 3-5 tonight, and an inch tommorrow. Reed, Ihope the good weather holds for you.