Front brake job

Hi, im going to be changing just the front brake pads on my 05 LGT this weekend and was wondering if I really need a torque wrench or just tightening everything as tight as possible by hand would be fine. Also as everything is difficult with this car, is there anything specific to this car that might cause me problems that I should know about?

I don't use a torque wrench for brakes. Just don't go overboard on the two bolts that hold the caliper to its bracket. They don't need much.

 

You'll want to spend time cleaning up the stainless metal pad sliders / spring clips. Do grease all spots where the pad slides in the bracket and touches metal (with synthetic brake lube). If everything is lubed and the pad doesn't move well in the bracket, then you need to grind out the rust that builds up in the pad slider area in the bracket. I use a dremel for that.

 

And if the pads have a spring clip sticking out (like the Stoptechs), make sure you get it properly seated into the stainless slider. The last page of the PDF attachment in this link shows the correct place to put the spring clip: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/brake-pad-spring-clips-159728.html

Okay good to know thanks for the info

Make sure the bolts are tight. I took my old car to a tire place to get a noise checked out. they didn't tighten the brake caliper when they put the wheel back on. The next day, my brake caliper came off and lodged itself against the wheel while I was driving down the road. That was not a fun day.

I did all my brakes (2.5i) last fall. I pulled the calipers apart and re-lubed the slider pins. You could feel them binding/dragging and there wasn't much grease left in them so it was necessary. I also bled the system, but if your brake fluid isn't very old and your pedal feel is good you probably won't need to. I didn't use a torque wrench, as tight as you can with a typical ratchet handle and you're good to go.

You'll need a C clamp to push the pistons back in the calipers, remove the reservoir cap first.

 

A 6" extension and swivel joint may help getting the 17mm bolt past the lower strut bolt.

 

PB Blaster and anti-seize compound are your friends.

 

Lube the slider pins and make sure you get the boots seated well.

 

Use anti-seize on the lug nuts, torque them to 80ftlbs.

What is the minimum I can do right now as I just need to do a quick and dirty pad swap so the car makes my 300 mile trip home from college this weekend. I am just doing pads right now because they are dead, but will be doing good pads and rotors in about a month, what has to be done now and what can wait till then?

Remove the two small bolts, 12mm socket then you should be able to pry the caliper up off the rotor. use a C clamp to push the piston back in and replace the pads in the bracket and reassemble.

 

 

Too remove the rotor later, use 2 8mmx1.25 bolts in the threaded holes in the rotor after you have sprayed the holes with PB Blaster and put anti-seize on the bolt threads. Screw the bolt into the hole and the rotor will lift off the hub.

I was just going to use a big screw driver to pry the pistons up a little to get the caliper off so it wouldn't be hard, then use the c clamp. Should I still lube the pads even if im going to be doing it again?

You might/should be ok.

 

The caliper should come off the pads pretty easy, you may have to pry up one end, but I recall its pretty easy. I do that when I take them apart to paint them.

okay, speaking of painting I plan on doing them red when I new new pads and rotors soon, how'd you do and any tips?

okay, speaking of painting I plan on doing them red when I new new pads and rotors soon, how'd you do and any tips?

I did a set using G2 epoxy paint. Came out pretty well but its like $40 for the set.

Wire brush, masking tape. Or I sit the brackets on cardboard and paint them there. Same for the centers of the rotors.

Wire brush, masking tape. Or I sit the brackets on cardboard and paint them there. Same for the centers of the rotors.

I just remembered that I used a 3" brass wire wheel attachment for my power drill to clean up my calipers prior to paint.

I just remembered that I used a 3" brass wire wheel attachment for my power drill to clean up my calipers prior to paint.

 

I have a bench grinder with a wire wheel, think that should do it for cleaning them up.

Im thinking im just going to pull off the calipers when the time comes so its easier to do the brakes and easier to paint. How hard is it to bleed the system with this car?

Im thinking im just going to pull off the calipers when the time comes so its easier to do the brakes and easier to paint. How hard is it to bleed the system with this car?

I used a brass wire wheel because its softer than iron and tends not to scratch the caliper surface. Just be careful with a steel wire wheel and test it on the inside of the caliper first to make sure it looks OK.

 

I recommend pulling off the calipers to clean and paint. You'll do a much better job that way.

 

The less fluid you lose during the job, the easier it will be to bleed. One method I used that worked OK was putting a nut, bolt, and copper washers through the brake line banjo to stop the brake fluid leak with the caliper off. Manually bleeding the system is pretty easy with two people.

This is easier to do when the pads are cold, so don't drive somewhere and do the brakes. The 12mm wrench is enough. The screwdriver can damage the rotor/pads so handle with care. Also helps have a wire coat hanger or stiff wire to hang the caliper while changing things out.

 

Things you'll need:

1. PB Blaster - soak the bolts

2. 2x4 one foot long, or brick, or wheel chock - so the car doesn't roll while you are working on it.

3. 12mm wrench, it helps if its a [ame=http://www.amazon.com/GearWrench-9112-Combination-Ratcheting-Wrench/dp/B0002NYD7G]ratcheting wrench[/ame]

4. 14mm wrench (for the other bolts)

5. C-clamp

6. thin peice of wood (1/2inch plywood, piece of molding) (put between c-clamp & piston)

7. jack

8. jack stand

9. something to hold the caliper while you work on it (they get heavy while you cuss at it) - heavy wire, short bungie, friend, etc

10. latex gloves - brake dust is nasty stuff

11. CRC brake cleaner (if you clean everything off first, you don't get so dirty) - autozone, pepboys, oreilly's, etc

12. tire-iron for removing the wheel - this is where a torque wrench is helpful (for getting the torque right when you put the wheels back on)

12. patience

 

If it's hard, you are doing it wrong.

A video -

A writeup - http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/brake-pad-replacement-walkthroughi-133449.html

Another writeup - http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/project-mu-front-brake-pad-installation-139141.html?t=139141 - I use the side rails to jack up the car, as I accidentally used the wrong center mount jack point. Expensive lesson :-)

Im thinking im just going to pull off the calipers when the time comes so its easier to do the brakes and easier to paint. How hard is it to bleed the system with this car?

takes 2 ppl to bleed the brakes, a bleed hose & bottle, and a bottle of brake fluid.

takes 2 ppl to bleed the brakes, a bleed hose & bottle, and a bottle of brake fluid.

 

You can do it yourself with a power-bleeder, but that is another $60.

You can do it yourself with a power-bleeder, but that is another $60.

 

Hi, im going to be changing just the front brake pads on my 05 LGT this weekend and was wondering if I really need a torque wrench or just tightening everything as tight as possible by hand would be fine. Also as everything is difficult with this car, is there anything specific to this car that might cause me problems that I should know about?

 

if he's concerned about spending $15 on a HF torque wrench, then a $60 power bleeder seems a bit unreasonable.

Why wouldn't he want a power bleeder to set on top of his refrigerator in his dorm?

You don't need to bleed your brakes. You're just changing pads. I prefer to use Quick-Grips for compressing the piston since it's a lot faster. You may not need to even compress the piston.

 

Just be sure to bed the pads in.

This is easier to do when the pads are cold, so don't drive somewhere and do the brakes. The 12mm wrench is enough. The screwdriver can damage the rotor/pads so handle with care. Also helps have a wire coat hanger or stiff wire to hang the caliper while changing things out.

 

Things you'll need:

1. PB Blaster - soak the bolts

2. 2x4 one foot long, or brick, or wheel chock - so the car doesn't roll while you are working on it.

3. 12mm wrench, it helps if its a ratcheting wrench

4. 14mm wrench (for the other bolts)

5. C-clamp

6. thin peice of wood (1/2inch plywood, piece of molding) (put between c-clamp & piston)

7. jack

8. jack stand

9. something to hold the caliper while you work on it (they get heavy while you cuss at it) - heavy wire, short bungie, friend, etc

10. latex gloves - brake dust is nasty stuff

11. CRC brake cleaner (if you clean everything off first, you don't get so dirty) - autozone, pepboys, oreilly's, etc

12. tire-iron for removing the wheel - this is where a torque wrench is helpful (for getting the torque right when you put the wheels back on)

12. patience

 

If it's hard, you are doing it wrong.

A video -

A writeup - http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/brake-pad-replacement-walkthroughi-133449.html

Another writeup - http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/project-mu-front-brake-pad-installation-139141.html?t=139141 - I use the side rails to jack up the car, as I accidentally used the wrong center mount jack point. Expensive lesson :-)

 

Tool and socket wise im good, and have a new impact for the wheel lugs. Is there really a need for a torque wrench for the lugs? I just usually go as tight as possible. Cant I just use the old pad instead of wood to compress the pistons with the C clamp? Also cant I just pull the top bolts so that the caliper hangs down like a clam shell? I was talking about bleeding for the future. Also im fine with spending $15 on a torque wrench, its more of a time and availability problem at this moment.

When I do "as tight as possible" its well north of 250 ftlbs...the lug nuts should be 85-90 ftlbs. Use a torque wrench.