So, I tackled my front rotors and pads a couple of months ago, and now I want to change the rears (rotors and pads). I also wouldn't mind tightening up the parking brake if that's easy enough to do.

Just wondering if there's anything specific to watch out for in terms of this job vs. the fronts. I've read that you need a special tool to "wind" the piston back into the caliper. I'm hoping that it's not too hard to do.

Does anyone have any experience swapping the rear rotors and pads out, as well as tightening up the parking brake? Any DIY's that you know of?

Appreciate any help.

 

there are pic sets in here- search for them
Park brake is a mini set of drum brakes inside the rear rotor center hub
After you replace the rotor- install the caliper bracket-
STOP
Now adjust the park brake via the hole in the hub (rubber plug)
You want a little drag and then a few clicks- I read 6 clicks after drag- your option to try-

NOW install the brake pads- If you had them in first- you cant hear the park brake!

Normal caliper same as front- regular caliper tool- c-clamp with block of wood etc-
wipe grime from rubber piston seal
Use brake caliper lube on pad backs where touched by caliper
NOTE
if rotor wont come off- lossen park brakes thru star adjuster wheel- located bottem of rotation of rotor
then smack it with a hammer- mallet- whatever-

 

There is a DIY in the DIY thread

 

A good flushing of the brake fluid every year starting at year 2 or 3 is a great idea to save the brake sysytem internals from rust contamination and expensive problems
Synthetic DOT 4 is approved for the TL
Bleed order LF= driver front
LF RF RR LR

 

special tool = big clamp with a cloth covered the caliper

 

Thanks for the great info 01tl4tl! Can always count on good brakes info from you. Quick question - do I need a special tool for the start adjuster wheel to tighten up the parking brake? You mention turning it until I hear 6 clicks...do I just turn it with my hand or a tool of some sort?

Thanks!

 

When you have it apart you will see- then it makes sense
spray the the threads and loosen the adjustment

As you assemble the brakes- install rotor and caliper bracket
STOP

There is a hole in the rotor hub to put a flatblade screwdriver or special brake tool- resembles a bent flatblade srewdriver, and tighten the star wheel

As you turn the rotor by hand listen and feel for slight drag of park brake
then 6 clicks of the adjuster and you should be rock solid on the steep driveway
Recheck for freedom of turning and install the rubber cover from the old rotor.

grease the pad contact areas
install pads
install caliper torque caliper to 28-31 ft lbs
install wheel- 80 ft lbs
see pad bedding info at heeltoe
http://heeltoeauto.com/httech/YaBB.pl?num=1184261899

I trust you have flushed the brake fluid when doing the brakes - its simple

 

I'm going to tackle the rear brakes tomorrow. I was going to leave the rear rotors on and just clean them off, but I guess I'll go ahead and replace them. I bought NAPA ceramic pads for the rear, so I'll go back and get the rotors as well.

Here's my question. Is it absolutely necessary to do a 4 wheel brake flush if I'm only doing the rears? I didn't flush them when I did the front (I know...bad). Can I just flush the rears only since I'll have the back end of the car jacked up?

Otherwise, it's a PITA. I have to jack the front up, pull those wheels off and do those 2, then take the car down, jack the back up and re-install the jack stands. If I had a lift, I wouldn't complain as much.

 

NO NO NO NO NO you cannot do the bleeding in any random pattern of your choosing
Its the order described in my above post ONLY.
ABS requires funky pattern for the Acura
Pull the front wheels and flush until clear and then some more !
replace wheels- top off fluid
remove rear wheel- bleed the rears then do proper brake job
Put back together- fill brake fluid and cap

You dont have to take the rear wheels off normally- a 10mm wrench fits in there fine- but if doing the brake job, do it right.

Hydraulic fluid does not circulate like engine oil- it just moves back and forth- never gets hot enough to burn off the moisture it attracts, and later you get rust particles in the caliper and it fails- guess how I know this!!

You can do one wheel at a time with the cars jack too. I can do the whole job in less than 20 minutes at a casual pace now

 

Special Thanks to 01tl4tl.....I took your advice on doing the rear brake job and was glad I did. Originally I was going to just slap some pads on the back and be done with the ordeal since cash is kinda tight now due to Christmas and other things.....but I went ahead to Napa, bought the rear rotors and started the job. I figured if I'm keeping the car at least 3 more years, now's not the time to half@$$ a job.

I did the bleed process clockwise starting w/ the LF all the way around to the LR. I only had to pump a few times at each wheel because the fluid looked really clean. I proceeded in changing the pads and rotors and was glad I got rotors. I noticed when I took the old pads off, the outer sides were shot down to less than 10% but the inner side was really thick Either I have calipers sticking or warped rotors. Calipers seemed ok, retracted fine and went back together no problem. I replaced everything and it took me forever to figure out you have to smack the hell outta the old rotors to get them off (longest part of the job for me). Got it back together and it stops great. I may have even gotten rid of the small shimmy I had and attributed to already warped front Rotoras.

I think the back rotors were bad and caused that. Now my car brakes awesome.

Thanks!

 

You're most welcome, I really should do an updated DIY with pics of big hamer and other tools that make life easy.
keep a close eye on the wear for the rears over the next 2-4 weeks. Sounds like caliper failure in the happening. Uneven pad wear inside to outside comparison- they should be close to the same wear. If not, something is causing them to wear funny and needs to be repaired
Retracting isnt the problem except the ones that get stuck ON!
when you apply pressure they dont give enough pressure, or get cocked at an angle- then you see rust across part of the rotor face where there is no pad contact.
You may discover the rotora fronts are NOT really warped- uneven braking pressure is causing you problems- I chased a shake for months unti I did the calipers

I do several sets of pump and bleed the fluid at each wheel to make sure the lines are totally flushed with brand new fluid, but thats me. As long as it went clear after the cruddy stuff you are good.
That last mystery shake MAY be the rear calipers failing- guess how I know