Hello,

I'm visiting from some BMW boards. I told a friend I'd help him change his rear rotors/pads ('96 Accord). He already has discs/pads, and I've done plenty of brake swaps on other cars (BMWs mostly), but never a Honda. Searched for a specific how-to, didn't find one.

So quick questions:
-Any special tools needed that I may not expect? I'm driving Philly-->Baltimore to do it, so I need to take all the right tools.
-Where to pick up pad shims? I already have anti-squeal "goop."
-Any gotchas? His caliper pistons have the screw-in type face, right? Don't need a pad spreader?

Thanks for any insight you can give, and a complete tool listing (caliper bolt socket size, etc.) would be most useful.

Also, what's a good point for jackstands in the rear? These FWD cars confuse me. :-)

-tammer

 

lug wrench 19mm...8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm. silicone spray for under the caliper boot makes the piston screw back easier. High temp grease for the slider pins. Have fun, gravy grabber.

 

WAIT............come back ! I'm looking at a 79 528i. Do you know if the brakes are fairly straight forward to do on those ? Looks like they would be.
Thanks

 

Thanks, this shouldn't be too bad.

-tammer

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by alotawatts &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">WAIT............come back ! I'm looking at a 79 528i. Do you know if the brakes are fairly straight forward to do on those ? Looks like they would be.
Thanks</TD></TR></TABLE>

BMW brakes are the easiest out there. Lug bolts (not nuts) usually 17mm head.
Caliper bolts are 17 or 19 mm depending on model; both need to be removed to pull the caliper. Guide bolts need a 7mm hex key (allen head socket). Rotor set screw--one/rotor--is 5 mm (I think) hex key. Pistons can be compressed with a c-clamp on the old pad, or another easy way is with those cheap plastic "quick-grip" things at the Home Despot. Parking brake ***'y resides inside the rear rotor hat; e-brake adjustment can be a bit of a pain (involves inserting a screwdriver through a lug hole and turning an adjuster ... it's a blind search) but replacement of shoes isn't too bad. Most never need it anyway, my car ('87 535is) didn't need e-brake work until 220,000 miles.

Front brakes installed (upgraded to E32 7 series calipers/rotors):


Caliper--you can see the dust boots covering the guide bolts and the bleeder nipple here:


Key problem to watch for on an E12 ('79) is rust! Especially shock towers, floorboard/rockers, bumper supports. You're smart to go with the 528i; much more robust motor than the 530i (which was notorious for cracking heads). The M30 motor is pretty much bulletproof; mine is at 240k and running beautifully, no internal work ever done on it.

Have fun,
-tammer &lt;--spreadin' the Bimmer love

 

wait...arent the rotors pressed on? if so, that'll give you a lot of hell...someone correct me if im wrong

 

On some cars they are.

 

Well, I looked up pics of the rotors at the Parts Bin.com, and they don't look like they have a seat for a race to be pressed in. I think the bearing is sealed in the hub and the rotor is a separate assembly.

I sure hope I'm right. Anyone know for sure? BTW--I goofed and it's a '99 EX 4-cyl, not a '96.

-tammer

 

Thanks Tammer,
Here comes the flames about talking BMW's in the Civic Forum.......although I know of some in this forum that got fed-up with German cars and switched to Honda's because they are easy to work on.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by propwdialogue &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wait...arent the rotors pressed on? if so, that'll give you a lot of hell...someone correct me if im wrong</TD></TR></TABLE>


just need the right size bolt to screw in the whole and it pops right out

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tammer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... it's a '99 EX 4-cyl, not a '96.</TD></TR></TABLE>Don't need to open the wheel bearings. Earlier-generation FRONT rotors were pressed onto the hub. So you needed a puller or press to get the rotor off.

Rear pistons twist in to make room for new pads. Can't just press them straight in. (That's the handbrake auto-adjusting mechanism.) Maybe that's the same as what you're used to?? Just don't wrinkle & tear the dust boots.

Studs/nuts on Honda, holes/bolts on Bimmers. I never thought that makes them any easier or harder... You still have to take off the caliper bracket either way.