changing brakes

[AeR0]

anyone on here before took thier car to a shop to get brakes done and when they tighten the caliper back up they make it so tight than the next time you go to do it yourself you cannot undo the bolt..


today i decided i was going to change my own pads, previously i had a shop do it.

so i get the jack out jack the car up put the stands take the tires off than try to undo the bolt and no luck its on there tighter than a mofo.


:-(

wheels go back on and iwasted 45 mins of my time...


so i just changed my oil :D

wut do u guys normally do in this situation?

most of you use air tools?

i dont im all manual!

[coupe]

Breaker bar

[slowbird]

Originally posted by coupe
Breaker bar
x2 :agree:

[Mirage]

when i did my rear calipers, which were still stock tightened, i couldnt get my bar in there, so i had to shove my open end in there and push down with all my weight. i got em both but i gave myself a headache doin it and lost a chunk out of my finger. but not to worry, it grows back.

[AeR0]

exactly what do u mean by a breaker bar?

[coupe]

You sure you should be workin on your own car? :lol:

[slowbird]

A "Breaker bar" is usually a long extension or Bar with a socket on the end of an elbow so you can have extra leverage to turn the bolt/nut.

Basic example of a breaker bar:
http://p-car.com/diy/bearing/bearing_files/image003.jpg

Some people attach an Open-End wrench on the end of a ratchet for extra leverage:
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/9/web/309000-309999/309045_88_full.jpg

I have a long hollow pipe that I slide over the end of the ratchet. This increases the Ratchet length by a few feet and gives me alot of leverage...looks kinda like this:
http://home.earthlink.net/~honda.lioness/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/tool1a.jpg

Be careful not to hurt yourself, the car, or the thing you are trying to loosen. Always make sure the proper sized Socket is used and on properly before you go reefing on the bar.
I assume no responsibility for rounded/cracked bolts/nuts, or damaged parts (Mechanical or biological).

[AeR0]

i kow what a breaker bar is lol my question is how the hell do u guys get it in there to work with it though..

ones i have seem to long.
and its a set from snap-on

[coupe]

Ive never had a problem getting them in tight spots

[slowbird]

Use the ratchet and Open end Wrech technique. (2nd pic)

Works well. I did my rear brakes last month...they were factory. Never touched. I had a HELL of a time removing one of the rear driverside caliper bolts. I ended up asking someone who was stronger than me to do it...they lossened it but I think they crapped their pants doing it.
Couldn't get my huge bar in there so I had to do the Wrench/ratchet thing.

I borrowed my brothers Electric Impact gun for the job, but it broke trying to get the lugs off :roll2: POS gun.

FYI....my rear brakes had 86,000kms on them when I replaced them. They still had lots of life left...but the pads and rotors had a big nasty groove in them for some reason so I ended up changing them.
Don't know how old yours are.

[AeR0]

my car is a 99 and its the front i got it loose earlier today so i just changed pads and rotors, btw matt im only about 1 hour away from brampton and i was considering doing the rear disc conversion as my car has drums in the back i was going to go buy all the parts brand new.. would u be interested in taking on the job and or i come there and u help me do it?

[slowbird]

Originally posted by AeR0
my car is a 99 and its the front i got it loose earlier today so i just changed pads and rotors, btw matt im only about 1 hour away from brampton and i was considering doing the rear disc conversion as my car has drums in the back i was going to go buy all the parts brand new.. would u be interested in taking on the job and or i come there and u help me do it?

I've never done a rear disc conversion, and I've never bled brakes before.

Sorry big guy...I don't think I'd be the best to help you with that task.

Oh...and I don't have a garage :lol:

Working on cars sucks at my place. My place FTL!

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by AeR0
anyone on here before took thier car to a shop to get brakes done and when they tighten the caliper back up they make it so tight than the next time you go to do it yourself you cannot undo the bolt..

YES! LOL. Yeah this happened to me back when I would let shops touch my car. No longer!

But the best way to get them off if you haven't got the height or clearance to get a bigger breaker bar is to first use the longest one you can fit in there. Then either hit the end in the proper direction with a mallet, or if you can't fit that in there, put one hand over the end of the ratchet and continually punch (again in the proper direction) your hand on the ratchet with your free hand, until it breaks free. This usually works, and no you won't really hurt your hand if you get the gist of what I'm talking about. This usually works for me.

Edit: Oh I see you've gotten them off already... Well keep that in mind for next time, or however you got them off this time, lol.

[AeR0]

Roland
i appreicate the help!


have u done or know how to do the rear disc conversion?

[sudden_impulse]

Send Kelly (99grandamse) a PM and ask him some questions. I know he isn't the only person to do the rear disc conversion, but he's the only one I can think of off the top of my head. There should be at least one or two threads detailing how to do it and what parts you need (if you don't have the money to go brand new, junkyard works for some parts, like the brake booster and calipers, just not rotors or pads).

[AeR0]

you have to upgrade the brake booster too?

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by AeR0
you have to upgrade the brake booster too? I think he meant the MC, not the booster itself.

Changing rears from drum to disc almost always requires changing the MC, on any vehicle type/style.

And combo/proportiong valve.

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by AeR0
Roland
i appreicate the help!


have u done or know how to do the rear disc conversion?
Nah sorry haven't gotten to that yet, lol. I do plan on it someday but for my car it's a lot more expensive than for yours since there are no parts you can take from other cars as easily.

As for the master cylinder, I would not say that you absolutely need it, you could just use adjustable proportioners instead, on the rear lines out of the MC. The reason you change the master cylinder is mainly that--proportioning.

Drum brakes require far more initial line pressure than do calipers. So if you put the rear discs on without doing something to the rear proportioning (either changing the MC or using adjustable proportioners) then you'll have the rears engaging too hard and possibly locking up.

If you use adjustable proportioners you'll end up having to fiddle with them to get a proper brake bias, if you use the MC from a GT it takes the guesswork out and gives you what GM intended from the factory pretty easily.

[AeR0]

never read anywhere before about chaning that.

[2K SE]

I did NOT change the MC or proportioning valve. Before the swap I asked Kelly about that and he did not change them either. Seems to work great with just the disk swap.
And new is gonna be a bundle of cash. JY FTW.

[AeR0]

i rahter wait longer and but new b/c than if the rear hubs are shit than you have to listen to all the noise.