Brakes Howto

[Abaddon]

Hey Guys

Just bought some Lucas Front and rear pads as well as Lucas 600 Brake Fluid. Anyways, I've never changed pads before let alone fluid. Been searching through the forum and have found some info on the subject but it's all over the place and links to more info (pics etc) are long gone. I thought I'd start this thread which hopefully will become a sticky and will list all you need to know re brakes.

So Anyone with info post it up, pad changing, bedding in procedure, fluid changing, rotor changing, list of pads/vehicles, as much info as we can.

Thanks in advance for all the help

[milehigheric]

I changed my pads a couple of months back with my pop, never touched the fluids however......If no one else comes along (i doubt it :P) i could help you out maybe.

-Eric

[RedLineResident]

You need an alan key to undo the calipers. I normally undo the bottom and lossen the top and use the top as a pivot to swing the caliper around. At this stage you take the pads out and there is tool you need (which I can't remember the name of now) to push the caliper pistons back in. After that insert the pads, swing back around to where the caliper was initially (which is over the disk) and tighten everything back.

Also there is some springs you gotta pay attention to because I didn't and it took me a little while to work out how they went back.

Keep in mind that you need a different tool for the rear pads coz the pistons on those dont go just in and out, they follow a thread so they spin when they come out. Therefore they need to follow that same thread when you are forcing them back in. At the end you also probably should bleed the brakes to remove any air pockets. Can't help you with fluid changing coz i never did that.

Also ive only done this once and am working from memory so do take care and getthe others to fill in the gaps i missed or correct the things I got wrong.

Good luck mate, tell us how your new pads are. as for the bedding in, drive it hard for a week it all sorts itself out.

[Torza]

hey just a word of warning with the fluid there are 2 types Silcon and glycol the manufacturer use glycol base and the silcon base is used in race cars if they are mixed it will **** ur brake system up and make the lines leak. if u use the silcon base stuff u gota get rit of all the brake fluid out of the lines and resivor.

[Cincinnatus]

That special tool u r after, and different one for the rear pads?!? sheesh, give me a break.

Use a G-Clamp to push the calipers back in, it's not terribly difficult.
As for bleeding the breaks, well, maybe the first time ask for help from some one whom knows what they r doing, 2 man job. One person to loosen and tighten the bleeder nipple, whilst the other compresses the break pedal in a prolonged slow manner, not forgetting to top up the fluid in the resevoir, otherwise u wasted all the fluid by putting in more air pockets.

That's the way us punters do it. My advice? take it to a workshop where the hook up a vacum line and just suck the fluid out as they top up the reservoir. Takes them maybe 10 mins for all 4 corners, you'll most likely be stuck for the best part of a day and still not be satisfied with the result.

Hope this helps.