Brake Pad and Rotor Replacement
Note: These vids were done while working on a Datsun 510. While some of the info on how the pads are mounted is specific to this vehicle, the process is pretty similar on most cars.
Couple things....these vids are just for reference, you're responsible for checking the manuals for torque specs and proper replacement information. I'm putting these up as a reference so that maybe someone that's not quite sure if they can do it, will see that none of this is that difficult. Professional mechanics aren't necessarily any brighter than the rest of us, they just have different training and experience. I'm hoping these vids simply encourage someone to try some of this work themselves
Couple of notes:
When you squeeze the caliper in, the fluid goes back into the m/c. You can use lint free blue towels or cloth to "soak"(wick) the fluid out of the m/c reservoir. I twist a blue shop towel(paper kind available at the parts stores) up and stick the tip down into the m/c(with the strainer removed). Once I've wicked out 1/2 or most of the fluid, I then compress the calipers. Keep in mind, that as you compress one side, the other caliper may expand....so you don't want to pull the pads out of both sides at first. Do one side at a time. Pull the pads, compress one caliper, put the new pads in, then go do the other side. If you pull both sets of pads and then compress one caliper, you run the risk of exploding the other caliper.
I use a pry bar in the vid....if you're working with rotors or pads that you wish to reuse, use the C-clamp method with a scrap piece of steel across the piston. You don't want to mess up the rotor or the pad with the pry bar. The also make inexpensive compressors you can buy at the parts store if you don't have C-clamps.
I show using a rear lug bolt in the front hub. They are actually different lug bolts The length of the stud is longer on the rear ones because the drum adds to the length required. We were in a pinch since I had given away all my front hubs when I sold my wgn. You will want to get the proper lug. The method and process is what I'm trying to show.
Couple things....these vids are just for reference, you're responsible for checking the manuals for torque specs and proper replacement information. I'm putting these up as a reference so that maybe someone that's not quite sure if they can do it, will see that none of this is that difficult. Professional mechanics aren't necessarily any brighter than the rest of us, they just have different training and experience. I'm hoping these vids simply encourage someone to try some of this work themselves
Couple of notes:
When you squeeze the caliper in, the fluid goes back into the m/c. You can use lint free blue towels or cloth to "soak"(wick) the fluid out of the m/c reservoir. I twist a blue shop towel(paper kind available at the parts stores) up and stick the tip down into the m/c(with the strainer removed). Once I've wicked out 1/2 or most of the fluid, I then compress the calipers. Keep in mind, that as you compress one side, the other caliper may expand....so you don't want to pull the pads out of both sides at first. Do one side at a time. Pull the pads, compress one caliper, put the new pads in, then go do the other side. If you pull both sets of pads and then compress one caliper, you run the risk of exploding the other caliper.
I use a pry bar in the vid....if you're working with rotors or pads that you wish to reuse, use the C-clamp method with a scrap piece of steel across the piston. You don't want to mess up the rotor or the pad with the pry bar. The also make inexpensive compressors you can buy at the parts store if you don't have C-clamps.
I show using a rear lug bolt in the front hub. They are actually different lug bolts The length of the stud is longer on the rear ones because the drum adds to the length required. We were in a pinch since I had given away all my front hubs when I sold my wgn. You will want to get the proper lug. The method and process is what I'm trying to show.
There seems to be a problem with the last two vids' audio. Here's a link to the vids in my photobucket account until I can get them fixed.
http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k162/mklotz70/How%20to/510%20front%20brake%20vids/
http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k162/mklotz70/How%20to/510%20front%20brake%20vids/
