so i need to replace all the brake pads soon.. what will i need in order to replace them properly? i've never replaced brakes befor so now is a good time to learn.

 

also maybe i might change the rotors to because i think their warped.

 

This is a very open-ended question...

You will need brake pads, tools, and I use some anti-squeel spray stuff for the back of the pads, and a jack. Replace or turn (tune, whatever) your rotors if your wheels vibrate when you brake. Its pretty straight forward.

 

Yes this IS a very open ended question...you're going to need a jack, jack stand(s), electric or air impact drill if you dont want to try using a socket wrench, a C clamp to push the piston back in so the pads will fit...brake preparation spray...umm thats all i can think of

 

oh and like he said above, it depends on your rotors, if they're warped you can replace them at almost the same cost as turning them..so its your call on the rotors...

 

If you have time to wait, I'll make you a DIY with pics when I get my car back. I should be getting her back either today or tomorrow. I have some Hawk pads that have been sitting in my car for over a year. So I wouldn't mind posting pics of the work to help you out. Let me know.

 

Yea man, I would post up mine, but I'm not quite sure when I'll be able to do so, so if you can, then by all means do it, it would not only be beneficial to him, but to several other newbies learning to change brakes!

 

oh and mine will probably be useless to him anyways since i have a 2nd gen ...

 

in my 97 2.2, i didnt need a c-clamp to push the piston back. it had a big slot on it and i used my biggest flathead screwdriver to turn the piston back in.

note i am talking about the rear i dont know about the front

 

The rears spin in i believe

 

sounds great!! i have time to wait... my rotors are warped, but im not to sure if i wanna replace the rotors cause i dont think they are to easy to replace..

soo heres a list of stuff i will need to get ready, someone correct me if im missing anything.
-tools, sockets, screw drivers and all that stuff.
-C clamp
-jack stand and jack... could i just use my flat tire jack and do each side one by one?
-brake pads of course and maybe rotors if its not to hard to install
-thinking about getting a torque wrench to feel alot safer

 

Cocoa, please post pictures of DYI. I just need the front done and this will be my first time ever doing brakes. I have no knowledge or tools so if you can post the pictures of the tools also and what they are called, it would be great.

 

you don't need a jack and jack stands if you use the regular car jack. A floor jack makes it much easier to jack up the front end in the middle so you can put jack stands at each wheel.

You will need metric sockets and wrenches. I believe the biggest socket size you will need is 18mm, but it might be 19mm.

You can search youtube for a guide, but it isn't needed.

-Park car on level surface and push e-brake on
-Loosen the lug nuts
-Jack up car
-Remove wheel
-Unscrew the two screws securing the caliper
-Place the caliper on the rotor or suspended by a metal hanger from your shocks(NEVER LET THE CALIPER HANG FROM THE BRAKE LINE!)
-Remove old brake pads
-Pop the hood and unscrew the brake fluid cap
-Get the C-clamp and fully compress the piston in the caliper
-Screw on the brake fluid cap
-Lube the metal shims on the brake pads
-Place new brake pads in...
-Put caliper bake on and secure tight
-Place wheel on the wheel studs and tighten the lugs diagnally...do not tighten them in order!

your done...

 

ok first of all r u doing just the front or both the front and the rear???? if you are doing the rear there is a spacial tool that you might need to trun the caliper pictions back in....

Basically if you are doing the pads you might as well do the rotors it is very simple if you are going that far.....and if you are mechanically inclined then it is not a big deal at all....

Below is a brief of how you shoudl go about doing it...ofcourse the dyi will help if you have paitence......

1. loosen the lug nuts with the tire still resting on the floor
2. use the jack and jack stand to jack up the car and then rest it on the jack stands.
3. Now remove the nuts and then the tire.
4. Now look at the calipers, at the back of the calipers there are 2 bolts that kind of help the calipers to slide on the bracket I guess it is size 12 spanner loosen these 2 bolts and remove the caliper off the slide bracket......now if you are just replacing the pads this will allow you to get to the pads which can be slid off and replaced...but if you wann get to the rotors....follow below..
5. now look at the bracket it is attached to the hub on 2 bolts ( i guess it is size 14 bolt) loosen these bolts and the bracket will be free.
6. Now look at the rotors they are held on to the hub via 2 screws......now this is a bitch...there are special tools to remove this but I would advise that just go ahead take a small drill bit and drill out the head of the screws...onces the heads are off tap the rotor with a mallet to free it from the hub...the rotors are off (these 2 screws are there only for ease of assembly during production, you can buff them down using a dremel of real coarse sand paper...dremel is faster) the rotor and the complete brake assembly should be fine without these as the rotors are held in its place as they are sandwiched between the hub and the wheel via the 4 lug bolts.
7. Now take the C clamp and push the caliper piston back...make sure that you have the brake fluid resivour cap open so that when you push the piston the excess fluid can fall out...if you want you can have a towel or some blotting paper oevr teh mouth of the resivour so that it can soak the splling fluid.
8. Once the piston is pushed all the way back, put the new rotor on the 4 lug nuts and tighten the bracket via the 2 bolts.
9. Now place the new pads on the bracket slide make sure that you have applied the braking grease to the slide surface.
10. now place the caliper over the pads and tighten the 2 bolts that helps the caliper bolt on to the bracket.
11. Now install the wheel and get it off the stand using the jack. also take the towel or blotting paper whichever you have used off the brake fluid resivour and close the cap checking that the brake fluid is at the right level.
12. before you go out to test drive your vehicle pump the brake system a couple of times and start off real slow often braking at regular inerval for the pads to set at the correct gap.

you should be good to go.....if you need any help just PM me and I can give you my phone number so that during your assembly process if you get stuck or some thing you can call me and I can guide you through....

hope this helps....


guys if I missed some thing just don't burn me for this....lol


JFK

 

^^^^ahaha I beat you

 

^^^ I was typuing as fast I could but man you did beat me.....

chao

 

you're a jhatt with the last name khan? wow thats a new one for me

 

Once you have everything off to change the pads, its def worth it to change the rotors. The biggest pain with the rotors is getting the 2 screws off. one of mine wouldn't come out even with an impact gun so ended up drilling it out. Its a good idea to have some pb blaster spray on hand for those tough bolts

 

putting new brake pads on with warped rotors seems like a waste to me, the pads are going to wear out unevenly and maybe prematurely. however the front rotors on the 97 are very hard to replace, most people would get a shop to do the front rotors.

 

I put that tag line beacuse of this simly face which I like and the code for this is "jatt" kind of describes my ethnicity......

lol

 

BIG CAUTION do not push the brake fluid back to the master cyl. Open the bleed port before pushing the pistons back. The dirty fluid can screw up the master cyl.

 

Sorry about the delay for the DIY with pics. The cage still isn't done yet.