Breakpads Replacement - How Difficult?

[MIRZ]

i have bought Bendix Advance breakpads for my Accord CD5 for both front and rear.

and wanna replace them by myself on this weekend.

can someone pls tell me how difficult it is to DIY this. and wahts most important things i should consider during this process. any mistake you made first time and you want others to avoid it.

My Experience so far
i have done oil change, filter change, coolent flush and change, transmission oil change, clutch oil flush and change. installed reverse parking sensors, and auto window lifter, front and rear speakers change, audio system installaiton, and alarm system in my car so far.

thanks a lot in advance for your suggestions here. :wave:

[Slow96GSR]

It's easy, 2 bolts on each caliper. As long as you don't disconnect the caliper you don't have to bleed the system.

[TRU32U]

take wheel off, take off bottom bolt, lift caliper, take out pads, compress the piston, put on new pads, put on bolt, do all wheels make sure take out sufficent brake fluid so dussnt over fill when piston compress, and note hand brake down when on rear brakes

[MIRZ]

thanks for your suggestions Slow96GSR and TRU32U.

do i need any special tool to handle this piston or it can be pushed just by hand??

[aaronng]

It's best to bleed the line as well to remove brake fluid that has broken down (changed to clearish colour). To bleed, it is a 2 person job though.

If you want a step by step guide. Here is how it is done on an Euro. It's the same for the CD Accord, down to the twisting of the piston!

Page 1 (http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/3729/rearbrakepadchange15sn.jpg)

Page 2 (http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/6407/rearbrakepadchange20cl.jpg)

To push the piston back, you can use a G clamp with a piece of wood or a proper tool. Note, to push back the [b]rear[/rear] caliper piston, you have to twist the piston clockwise.

[MIRZ]

thanks aaronng, that 2 pages are very good guide.

but do i need to reomve caliper to change pads?

to bleed break fluid, do i have to remove all 4 wheels and do it in one go or one by one??

[EuroDude]

Its really easy.
Well I dont bleed my brakes. the way I do it is:

1) Loosen the wheel nuts a bit (just crack them)
2) Apply handbrake, put a piece of wood behind the floored wheels. Jack up the car
3) Remove the nuts and wheel(s)
4) Remove the lower 12mm bolt on the caliper, and rotate the caliper to the side and suspend it using a shoe lace or something. (you dont remove the caliper)
5) Remove the brake pad
6) Push the piston back (I can use my hands or a block of wood on mine, no need for a G Clamp)
7) Apply antisqueel compound between the brake pad and metal plate
8) Apply antisqueel on the circle where the pads touch the piston
9) Insert the new pads, etc... reassemble.

[aaronng]

thanks aaronng, that 2 pages are very good guide.

but do i need to reomve caliper to change pads?

to bleed break fluid, do i have to remove all 4 wheels and do it in one go or one by one??
With the front caliper, you only need to remove the front bolt and loosen the rear bolt. Then the caliper can flip up.

For the rear, you have to remove both bolts and pull the caliper off. Because the brake line is still connected, use cable tie to tie the caliper to your suspension link so that you don't damage the hose.

For brake fluid, you bleed the one furthest away from the ABS system. Not sure about your car, but mine is the rear left. Then I go rear right, front left and then front right.

Read this for more info on bleeding the brakes
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_howto_bleedbrakes.shtml

[MIRZ]

mine does not have ABS. but thanks for this informaiton. can i use any other lubricant instead of anti-squeel compund ??

[aaronng]

I think it's best to get the anti-squeal. Because it is a high temp grease. Once it gets very hot, the liquid evaporates and leaves behind a lubricating solid film that stops the squealing. Any car hardware shop should have it.

[MIRZ]

thanks will get it from Autobarn tonight.

[spanks]

If you have to ask how to change brakes then maybe you should get some one else to do it..a bit to omportant to stuff up..

[Paul1985]

its real easy, search for topics created by ECU-MAN. He did a DIY on it. Also, there is no need for a G-clamp, a screwdriver is sufficient enough to push the piston back. All you need is tools to undo the 2 bolts, a screwdriver and your brake pads. You should take some fluid out of the master cylinder aswell though (with a syringe), otherwise the shit will overflow everywhere. No need for bleeding the brakes, i didnt with mine.

Be sure to road test your car though. Just drive upto 60kms, then brake hard to a stop. Repeat this numerous times (id do it about 3-5). Also, after you install the brakes and put the wheels back on etc.. Be sure to press on the brake pedal a few times to bring the piston forward again, if you dont, when you first take off you will have no brakes. lol.

Just a few tips. Search for ECU-MAN's guide, i give it a 10/10. :D
If you can do all the things you mentioned, then a brake pad swap is a breeze.

I used anti-squeel and IMO, it does sweet f**k all. My brakes are squeeling even after using it, but you mayaswell give it a shot.

[EuroDude]

I used anti-squeel and IMO, it does sweet f**k all. My brakes are squeeling even after using it, but you mayaswell give it a shot.


This happened to mine too, but after re-applying the antisqueal the noise went away. I guess it all depends on where you use the antisqueal.

[string]

If you have to ask how to change brakes then maybe you should get some one else to do it..a bit to omportant to stuff up..
If everyone used that logic, no one would ever learn how to do things. You gotta learn some how, and what better way than just doing it.

Take me for example. I've never changed a brake pad in my life. I've swapped everything from shift nobs to engines; Are you going to tell me to pay someone to change my pads?

[EuroDude]

Meh changing the pads was the first thing I ever serviced on my car - as long as you follow instructions (from a Haynes manual for example) and buy the correct pads, it'll all be ok.

But stuff like bleeding the brakes and changing the brake fluid - well thats another story.

[MIRZ]

thanks everyone who posted their very vauleable suggestions here. yesterday i replaced all breakpads on my car. and also changed break fluid.

on Accord 95 rear are slightly different to change. but was not too difficult.

now i have a question from you guys:

should i expect break to be applied on slight press of padle???

beacuse at the moment i have press padle down to almost middle level or bit lower to stop car. is it normal or did i make some mistake ?????

[aaronng]

Make sure you have no more air bubbles in your brake fluid. And then pump your brake pedal a few times with the car off to see if it stiffens up to the top.

[MIRZ]

does this mean i have to bleed air on all 4 wheels or only on one will do , thanks?????

[fitme]

^ yes you should bleed the 4 corners....its kinda spongie feeling if the brake lines has air...

[ICD]

also note for future reference I didnt see mentioned when you do push the piston back in 1st thing before anything is to suck the old fluid out of the reservoir (whether you bleed brakes or not, best to do so) as it will overflow and end up on your paint or on the ground make a mess and act like paint stripper, if you do spill it just use water and flood it to clean it away dont wipe it with a rag will make it worse. you can use a syringe of some type or a clean sponge to soak the fluid.

also good idea while you have the caliper off to push the slide pins (where the bolts go through ) in and out to loosen them or better still remove them and apply the appropriate grease to them which you should be able to buy from repco etc.. this helps with even pressure when hit the brakes on the piston onto the pads and therefore gives even braking and pad wear (alows them to slide move easily).


and most important before you drive off !!! pump that brake pedal till it goes hard !! i have seen many people go to drive off when finished and not bring the pedal up to pressure and go to hit the brakes and keep going and run into something...

MIRZ: without driving the car i would say it sounds like you have air still in the system. if it still feels the same after driving for a while i would say air in the system otherwise the pads may need to be bedded in properly which will occour on its own if your not sure how over a normal trip to the shops and back, the correct procedure which is normally giving it a few hard stabs followed by progressive braking, etc... usually before bedding brakes in they will feel soft and pedal will drop a fair way before the pads bite.