DIY: Brake Replacement
Well, the time has finally come and here I am giving you guys a bit of my mind. Here's a how-to on brake replacement if you don't already know how to do it.

Here's the tools you're going to need:
Jack and jack stands, 19mm and 17mm sockets, 3/8 or 1/2 drive ratchet, a c-clamp and SPECIFICALLY a #3 phillips head screwdriver, and a big f'in hammer.

Here's the order in which you perform the swap, assuming you know how to take the tire off with the 19mm socket and a ratchet, preferablly a 1/2 inch drive.

1. When you do this, turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction of the side of the car you're working on, (ie. Working on the right side of the car, turn the wheel to the left.) This allows you to access the 2 17mm bolts that allow you to remove the caliper and bracket assembly.

2. Use a c-clamp and press the caliper piston back into its bore to aid with replacing the caliper to the spindle later on in the process.

3. There are 4 bolts that hold the caliper assembly to the spindle, you want to leave the 2 12mm bolts alone. The only bolts you need to remove to do this are the 17mm bolts that hold the caliper/bracket assembly to the spindle. It just takes more time, and runs the risk of losing bolts if you take the 12mm bolts out. plus you have to take the bracket off for rotor removal. So just remove the whole thing and save time and possible lost parts.

4. So anyways, save yourself the time, and remove the 17mm ones and pull the ENTIRE bracket and caliper assembly off the spindle and hang it on the strut assembly, or hang it by a piece of coat hanger, or strong wire. Avoid twisting the soft rubber hose excessively.

5. Here's where the #3 Phillips headed screwdriver and the B.F.H comes in handy.
The rotor on the 7th Gen's are screwed to the hub, so take the #3 P.H and use the hammer to gently seat the screwdriver into the screw, you will feel when it gets a tight fit. (Hint: Do not miss this step, because i stripped out 2 of my screws by NOT doing this. So there again, save yourself the anger, and do this.)

6. After the screws are removed, gently tap the rotor, and it will come loose from the hub.

7. Spray the new rotor front and back with Brake parts cleaner ($1.59 a can at O'Reilly's) Wait till it dries.

8. Replace the screws to the rotor/hub. Get them finger tight and repeat the step with the hammer to help tighten them down to spec (7.2 lb-Ft, 9.8 Nm) I wound up having to go to the store in the middle of the first side and buy a 3/8ths drive socket with a #3 Phillips Head on it. This helps, as its a bear to get the screws off without a little leverage provided by the ratchet.

9. Replace the pads in the caliper the same way they came out (Wear sensor torward the caliper piston)

10. Pull the caliper/bracket (should still be one piece) down and bolt it back to the spindle assembly with the 17mm bolts and torque to spec. (79.6 lb.Ft, 108 Nm, or 966 in.lb)

11. Give everything one final spray with brake cleaner and replace the wheel and torque to specs (79.6 lb.Ft., 108Nm.)

Congratulations, you have just done one side of your cars brakes. Just repeat the same procedure for the other side, and youll be cruising in no time.




NOTE: If you end up changing the rotors too, the torque spec for the spindle nuts is 134 lb-ft.

 

Sweet DIY, i just did this today and replaced them with hawk HPS and brembo blanks. I love it I couldnt beleive how bad of a condition my old pads where in.
Thanks

 

Thanks for the DIY info. Where can i buy those brembo blanks online?

 

buybrakes.com?

 

I replaced the front pads on my 2003 Civic yesterday. I do not have a C-clamp to compress the piston, but I have a few pullers among my tools. I took the legs off one and used it. See pics. As others note here at the site, prior to compressing the piston, make sure the brake fluid reservoir cap is off and you siphon out a little brake fluid. This makes room for the fluid expansion into the reservoir as you compress the piston. Compress slowly and to avoid overflow, check the reservoir level often.