Suspension Brakes Most liked posts in thread: How NOT to do a brake job!

The mental drop down list of potential responses to this comment was almost endless...

 

Sounds eeerily like my MINI first brake job! :lol::incazzato:

They do get MUCH easier after this

I can swap out pads and bleed em' in about a hour now

 

its only hard the first time....

 

Tell me about it. I let it pass, as I could not pick just one. :lol:

Jim

 

What I am curious about is the "R" and "L" why there would be specific sided rotors? I had this same discussion a few year ago about direction of holes and slots in rotors and come to find out it makes no difference? The off gases are not direction sensitive. It was always a looks thing not function as to the directions.


The "old Brakeman" as I am should have also recommended that you get the rotors turn even though they are new does not make them true!

Otherwise on your first brake job!

 

As a +50 y/o, I agree with PGT's view. As far as brakes are concerned, I have learned to change 4 pads and wheels/tires in under 45 minutes. Im not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was...

 

It's not the holes or slots in this case. It is the vanes cast into the rotor and how they pump air through the center.

Ask Todd at TCE about this, he knows a heck of a lot more about the subject.

 

Nathan's got it right, it's the cooling vanes cast into the center of the rotor, spin them the wrong way and they don't cool very well....

And the other's are right about experience being a great teacher - the next time will take you less than half the time, the one after that even less. It's the one after that you have to worry about, where you think you've got it down cold and forget to tighten something that later bites you in the ass!

Oh, and the air doesn't pump into the center, it flows from the center out...

 

This might shed more light on the subject as to L and R rotors...

 

Back brakes are a BEOTCH compared to fronts. Still got mental scars putting in that left rear the first time (It was the right one) AND I put it in backwards to boot! :blush2:

I got a Harbor Freight special which does the trick for the piston, sure Aaron's will work just right

 

No special tool required.

Use a C clamp to compress and a pair of needle nose or channel locks to rotate.

Easy as pie.

.....Les

 

Too true!

 

Go buy the Harbor Freight tool, it's only $20 and it will do the trick easily. The rest is no different than the fronts, in fact it's easier as you don't have to remove the caliper frame to change out the rotors.

 

I've accumulated a vast number of rotor images over the years. Here are a few:

[ame="http://s122.photobucket.com/albums/o269/ToddTCE/Rotors/"]Rotors pictures by ToddTCE - Photobucket[/ame]

 

The C-clamp-n-Pliers method will work in a pinch, just take care not to rip the piston boot while doing it. If you carefully lift the end of the boot away from the piston journal and spray some non-petro based lubricant in the journal, you're much less likely to damage the boot. For the home mechanic, the Harbor Freight tool is a good investment, and makes it much easier than the above method. Oh, and next time you do front rotors, TIS is actually right, you don't have to remove the caliper bracket to get that rotor off.

 

The HB tool most certainly does work just as easily as the OM tool. Works just like it to rotate the piston as it is compressed. Been using mine for about 10 years now.

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-piece-disc-brake-pad-and-caliper-service-tool-kit-97143.html

 

posteriquote® for this forum's resident "know-it-all" (though notably not in this case :arf: )

 

LOL