I had purchased some Brembo blanks and Hawk HPS pads about six months ago, but I never got around to installing them. Never having replaced brakes myself I was hoping to arrange for some experienced help.
Well, today I heard that dreaded noise from the front brakes telling me to change them right away.
I gathered up my tools and made room in the garage. I jacked up the car, removed the wheels, and blasted the brakes with some brake clean. A screwdriver and a 7mm allen key was all that was needed to remove the caliper. The pads were down to about 5 percent. The rotors came off with a tap of a rubber mallet. The rotors were also well worn with the outside edge definitely thicker than the area scrubbed by the pads.
I then, put the new rotor on. I needed a C-clamp to push in the caliper piston in order to fit the new so much thicker pads. I put the caliper back on, clipped in the outside pad and screwed in the caliper bolts. The second one was definitely quicker once I knew what had to be done.
That took about an hour and a half. It was not a difficult as I was expecting.
I know I am supposed to change the brake fluid as well, but I did not have an assistant to help me bleed the brakes. Plus I have some stainless steel braided brake lines that I want to install as well. That will have to wait until I can arrange for some help.
dBlast,Nov 28 2005, 10:15 PM Wrote:I know I am supposed to change the brake fluid as well,[right][snapback]158192[/snapback][/right]
Good motorcyclists flush and fill each year out of habit, I always did it on the bike but even I'll admit to being remiss WRT the cars. Do it as soon as practical, it is only really good for about a year and that is it.
SS lines are awesome on a Focus, even my wife noticed and she knows sweet F all about cars or brakes.
79k is pretty good for stock brakes.
mine were down to about 10% or less when i decided to change them at 60 something k.. it was very easy to change them, though I had someone else do it for me.
Although ridiculously expensive for what they are, I bought some Russell speed-bleeders so I could bleed the brakes myself. They really work. So do the braided lines.
there really is no need for speed bleeders on our cars ... just open up the bleeder and let it gravity bleed ... leave it open for 5-10 mins thenmove to the next wheel
simple process
schade,Nov 29 2005, 05:45 AM Wrote:there really is no need for speed bleeders on our cars ... just open up the bleeder and let it gravity bleed ... leave it open for 5-10 mins thenmove to the next wheel
simple process
[right][snapback]158216[/snapback][/right]
If you don't pump the fluid through quickly, though, air can be left in the calipers and lines. Bubbles stay in the highest areas and the fluid flows around.
can someone post step by step on bleeding fluid and swaping ss line?
DadsToy,Nov 29 2005, 09:07 AM Wrote:schade,Nov 29 2005, 05:45 AM Wrote:there really is no need for speed bleeders on our cars ... just open up the bleeder and let it gravity bleed ... leave it open for 5-10 mins thenmove to the next wheel
simple process
[right][snapback]158216[/snapback][/right]
If you don't pump the fluid through quickly, though, air can be left in the calipers and lines. Bubbles stay in the highest areas and the fluid flows around.
[right][snapback]158240[/snapback][/right]
with the master cylinder being the highest point in the system it automatically forces the fluid through the lines .. leaving no air bubbles ... unless ofcourse you for some reason put a serious of loops in one of your lines .. that's the only spot you MIGHT get air
Keep an eye in the Princess Auto flyers for a vacuum pump/bleed kit.
It's basically a hand vacuum pump that has a collection reservoir, a collection of tubes and fittings. and has a myriad of uses on top of just bleeding brakes.
They have them on sale every once and a while for about $30.
Pump up the vacuum, crack the bleeder. Close the bleeder. Done. 30 seconds a wheel. Or you can use it to flush your system, the best part is because you're "sucking" the fluid through you don't get any debris getting stuck in your master cylinder seals from pumping it through.
I wouldn't part with mine.
Edit: found it in their catalogue:
![[Image: bleeder.gif]](http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/OAP_Sparky/bleeder.gif)
schade,Nov 30 2005, 04:35 AM Wrote:DadsToy,Nov 29 2005, 09:07 AM Wrote:schade,Nov 29 2005, 05:45 AM Wrote:there really is no need for speed bleeders on our cars ... just open up the bleeder and let it gravity bleed ... leave it open for 5-10 mins thenmove to the next wheel
simple process
[right][snapback]158216[/snapback][/right]
If you don't pump the fluid through quickly, though, air can be left in the calipers and lines. Bubbles stay in the highest areas and the fluid flows around.
[right][snapback]158240[/snapback][/right]
with the master cylinder being the highest point in the system it automatically forces the fluid through the lines .. leaving no air bubbles ... unless ofcourse you for some reason put a serious of loops in one of your lines .. that's the only spot you MIGHT get air
[right][snapback]158476[/snapback][/right]
It's not a straight line from the master cylinder to the bleed nipple - there are lots of high spots to collect air/gas. I've bled lots of brakes and gas bubbles are always in the lines after a year or so of use, even if you've never let your master cylinder run dry.
Try your was of just letting the fluid flow out the bleed nipple via gravity, and then put a clear plastic line on the nipple and then, with the two person approach, pump the fluid through quickly. ;)
My quess is you'll be suprised how much air remained in the lines.
i've blead brakes using both methods .. for just doing a regular flush of the lines, the gravity feed method well work just fine, i've never had a problem with it.
It's even how we do it 90% of the time on our race cars.
If your replacing lines, then thats alittle different story as you'll have huge air pockets.
each person does it there own way, so do whatever works best for you and what you feel most comfortable with
Speedbleeders for teh win
schade,Nov 30 2005, 11:10 PM Wrote:i've blead brakes using both methods .. for just doing a regular flush of the lines, the gravity feed method well work just fine, i've never had a problem with it.
It's even how we do it 90% of the time on our race cars.
If your replacing lines, then thats alittle different story as you'll have huge air pockets.
each person does it there own way, so do whatever works best for you and what you feel most comfortable with
[right][snapback]158631[/snapback][/right]
Fair enough. I've seen, but never used, a system that pumps fluid from the bleed nipple back through the lines to the master cylinder. Probably a great way to do it since gravity is working on your side to get bubbles out of the line. Then you just use a turkey baster, or something like that, to suck the extra fluid out of the MC.