Installing Pads and Rotors
06-05-2007, 02:52 PM
#1
3rd Gear Member
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Join Date: Jun 2006
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Posts: 508
Installing Pads and Rotors
I was going to install rear pads and rotors with the help of my mechanic cousin but he will be unable to help me for 2 weeks. My rear brakes are almost done and I would like to get them replaced as soon as possible. Is installing new rotors and pads all that hard? Do I need any speciality tools? Is there a write-up for it?
06-05-2007, 03:55 PM
#2
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: California
Posts: 240
RE: Installing Pads and Rotors
Go to the Tech Articles and How To's section of this part of the forum and go into the Online Ford Repair manual link - This will tell you everything you need.
Generally speaking it is an easy job, on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say it is a 3. Make sure you have a torque wrench, high temp brake grease and a rear piston seating tool - the rear pistons on a mustang need to be turned/screwed in to reseat them in order to fit on the new pad. Some people use a needle nosed pliars to do it but to be honest it makes a mess of the piston - go to autozone and spend $10 on the tool.
When you are done it us usually a good idea to bleed the brakes.
To break in the pads bring the car up to 65 MPH and brake moderately to 10 MPH, after doing this about 6 or 7 times you will start to get brake fade (a compound used to bind the pad material bleeds out at this point as an oil) - park the car and don't drive it for at least an hour at this point - your brakes will now be ready to rock and roll
Good luck.
<EDIT> Just looked up the proper terminology, it is not breaking in the pads, it is called "Bedding" - and the brake fade I mentioned is called "Green Fade" - probably as the material is an organic compound.
Generally speaking it is an easy job, on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say it is a 3. Make sure you have a torque wrench, high temp brake grease and a rear piston seating tool - the rear pistons on a mustang need to be turned/screwed in to reseat them in order to fit on the new pad. Some people use a needle nosed pliars to do it but to be honest it makes a mess of the piston - go to autozone and spend $10 on the tool.
When you are done it us usually a good idea to bleed the brakes.
To break in the pads bring the car up to 65 MPH and brake moderately to 10 MPH, after doing this about 6 or 7 times you will start to get brake fade (a compound used to bind the pad material bleeds out at this point as an oil) - park the car and don't drive it for at least an hour at this point - your brakes will now be ready to rock and roll
Good luck.
<EDIT> Just looked up the proper terminology, it is not breaking in the pads, it is called "Bedding" - and the brake fade I mentioned is called "Green Fade" - probably as the material is an organic compound.
06-05-2007, 04:54 PM
#3
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 678
RE: Installing Pads and Rotors
I just did mine last week so heres my advice..
1. Remove the caliper bolts. Theres two on each side. They came with loc-tite on them, so it you can't break them loose, put some heat on them for a few minutes and they'll come out.
2. Remove the caliper. If you can, pry it off the rotor with a long screwdriver. If that doesnt work, use a hammer and pound it off. once you get it off, use something to hang/support the calliper so it isnt hanging by the brake line.
3. Resurface the rotors or get new ones.
4. Turn the piston back in. It needs to go in so that it is about flush with the housing around it. The tool at autozone is a rental/free. You put a deposit down and you get it all back when you return the tool.
5. Change out the pads. I dont know if the gt's use the anti rattle clips, but if they do, make sure you take them off the old pads and put them on the new ones.
6. Slide the caliper back onto the rotor.A little persuasion might be necessary. If it still doesnt go on, turn the piston back in further.
7 Put the caliper bolts back in and follow the break-in procedure outlined my the manufacturer of the pads. I used Hawk HPS Pads and they seem to be good. You really cant tell too much because its the rear brakes.
I did not use any grease and there is no need to bleed the brakes. If you have any questions let me know. It was sorta a PITA, but we got it done.
Matt
6.
1. Remove the caliper bolts. Theres two on each side. They came with loc-tite on them, so it you can't break them loose, put some heat on them for a few minutes and they'll come out.
2. Remove the caliper. If you can, pry it off the rotor with a long screwdriver. If that doesnt work, use a hammer and pound it off. once you get it off, use something to hang/support the calliper so it isnt hanging by the brake line.
3. Resurface the rotors or get new ones.
4. Turn the piston back in. It needs to go in so that it is about flush with the housing around it. The tool at autozone is a rental/free. You put a deposit down and you get it all back when you return the tool.
5. Change out the pads. I dont know if the gt's use the anti rattle clips, but if they do, make sure you take them off the old pads and put them on the new ones.
6. Slide the caliper back onto the rotor.A little persuasion might be necessary. If it still doesnt go on, turn the piston back in further.
7 Put the caliper bolts back in and follow the break-in procedure outlined my the manufacturer of the pads. I used Hawk HPS Pads and they seem to be good. You really cant tell too much because its the rear brakes.
I did not use any grease and there is no need to bleed the brakes. If you have any questions let me know. It was sorta a PITA, but we got it done.
Matt
6.
06-05-2007, 05:05 PM
#4
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,817
RE: Installing Pads and Rotors
ORIGINAL: uofipilot
I just did mine last week so heres my advice..
1. Remove the caliper bolts. Theres two on each side. They came with loc-tite on them, so it you can't break them loose, put some heat on them for a few minutes and they'll come out.
2. Remove the caliper. If you can, pry it off the rotor with a long screwdriver. If that doesnt work, use a hammer and pound it off. once you get it off, use something to hang/support the calliper so it isnt hanging by the brake line.
3. Resurface the rotors or get new ones.
4. Turn the piston back in. It needs to go in so that it is about flush with the housing around it. The tool at autozone is a rental/free. You put a deposit down and you get it all back when you return the tool.
5. Change out the pads. I dont know if the gt's use the anti rattle clips, but if they do, make sure you take them off the old pads and put them on the new ones.
6. Slide the caliper back onto the rotor.A little persuasion might be necessary. If it still doesnt go on, turn the piston back in further.
7 Put the caliper bolts back in and follow the break-in procedure outlined my the manufacturer of the pads. I used Hawk HPS Pads and they seem to be good. You really cant tell too much because its the rear brakes.
I did not use any grease and there is no need to bleed the brakes. If you have any questions let me know. It was sorta a PITA, but we got it done.
Matt
6.
I just did mine last week so heres my advice..
1. Remove the caliper bolts. Theres two on each side. They came with loc-tite on them, so it you can't break them loose, put some heat on them for a few minutes and they'll come out.
2. Remove the caliper. If you can, pry it off the rotor with a long screwdriver. If that doesnt work, use a hammer and pound it off. once you get it off, use something to hang/support the calliper so it isnt hanging by the brake line.
3. Resurface the rotors or get new ones.
4. Turn the piston back in. It needs to go in so that it is about flush with the housing around it. The tool at autozone is a rental/free. You put a deposit down and you get it all back when you return the tool.
5. Change out the pads. I dont know if the gt's use the anti rattle clips, but if they do, make sure you take them off the old pads and put them on the new ones.
6. Slide the caliper back onto the rotor.A little persuasion might be necessary. If it still doesnt go on, turn the piston back in further.
7 Put the caliper bolts back in and follow the break-in procedure outlined my the manufacturer of the pads. I used Hawk HPS Pads and they seem to be good. You really cant tell too much because its the rear brakes.
I did not use any grease and there is no need to bleed the brakes. If you have any questions let me know. It was sorta a PITA, but we got it done.
Matt
6.
06-05-2007, 05:17 PM
#6
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 678
RE: Installing Pads and Rotors
The one i got from them came in a ret tool box and it had a driver with about ten different heads for different manufacturer's designs. Just ask them for the tool that screws the rear disk brake piston back in and they should know what youre talking about.
06-05-2007, 05:19 PM
#7
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: MD, but NC for school
Posts: 2,374
RE: Installing Pads and Rotors
http://www.samstagsales.com/images/vw_matra_t10165x.jpg
it kinda looks liek that..we got one from napa that u just put on a socket wrench
it kinda looks liek that..we got one from napa that u just put on a socket wrench
06-05-2007, 05:23 PM
#8
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 171
RE: Installing Pads and Rotors
This is a picture of the tool. It looks exactly like the one I rented from Auto Zone when I did my rears about 3 weeks ago. Also, like uofipilot said, keep the anti-rattle clips (yes, GT's use them.) and put them on the new pads.
[IMG]local://upfiles/42054/BF9488B47D834551ACD2D79338E60EB3.gif[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/42054/BF9488B47D834551ACD2D79338E60EB3.gif[/IMG]
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