The Way To Change The Brake Pads (1)
You will be pleasantly surprised to find that you can change your car's disc brake pads quickly
, easily and without specialized tools. Doing it by yourself also will save you a lot of money. But even if you're not interesting in doing this yourself, knowing what's involved makes it easier to understand what your mechanic may someday tell you.
Nearly all cars these days have front disc brakes. Front brakes usually wear out more quickly than the rear brakes (which could either be disc or drum brakes), so they need to be changed more often. You need to change brake pads when they get too thin, especially if they begin to make a persistent metallic squeaking or grinding noise when you press the brake pedal. But noise alone isn't always the best indicator, so it's best to anticipate when this will happen by periodically inspecting the thickness of the brake pads.
Note: If the front end of the car vibrates when you apply the brakes, your brake rotors may be warped. If the rotors appear grooved or uneven, they may be scored. In either case the rotors may also need to be replaced or "turned" on a brake lathe, a procedure not covered here. You may need a professional's help for this, but you can see what's involved in a rotor change by looking here.
Tools Required
Disposable mechanic's gloves to protect your hands and keep them clean
Jack and jack stands
Lug wrench
C-clamp or length of wood to retract the piston
Wrench (choose a socket, open end or adjustable wrench)
Turkey baster for drawing out brake fluid
Plastic tie, bungee cord or piece of string
Materials Required
New brake pads. Since you are saving money by doing this yourself, you might want to consider splurging a bit by buying original manufacturer brake pads, which are more expensive.
Can of brake fluid check your owner's manual for the proper type.
Here are a couple of things to note before you begin.
Know your calipers: The majority of cars have a "sliding caliper" brake assembly. That's what's shown in the photo above. Compare this brake assembly to the one in your car. Other cars have "fixed caliper" assemblies. The pads in fixed-caliper brakes are also easy to change but the process is slightly different, so we'll cover it in another instructional piece.
Do one side, then the other: For reasons that will be clear later, you should change the pads on one side of the car from start to finish before doing the other side. Also, since you're doing one side at a time, turn the steering wheel so that the wheel you're working on is angled out for better access to the brakes.
Now we can get started.
1. Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel. Then jack up the car and place a jack stand under the car's frame. Lower the jack so its weight rests on the jack stand. Fully remove the lug nuts and remove the wheel. You now have access to the brake assembly and can safely reach under the car.
2. Find the two slider bolts (sometimes called "pins") that hold the caliper in place. On this car, a 2009 Ford Flex, the bolts are on the inside. The arrows in the photograph above point them out. It's generally only necessary to remove the lower bolt. It can be long but once it is fully loosened, it will slide out easily.
3. With the bottom bolt removed, the caliper pivots up, as shown in the photograph above. The rubber hose, which is the hydraulic line, will flex to allow this so do not disconnect any hydraulic lines. If you think you have to disconnect a hydraulic line, you're doing something wrong. Reassemble the brakes and seek professional help.
At this point, it is very easy to inspect the thickness of the brake pads to confirm that they need to be changed. Most brake pads have metal wear indicators, which are small metal tabs that squeak when they contact the rotors. Even if these are not yet touching, the pads are worn out if the friction material is 1/8th of an inch thick or less at any point.
Check more information about
brake pads accessory manufacture in Tahiko.com.
by: Olivia Tong
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