I'm going to be getting new pads and rotors for the front soon and I would like to know how hard installing these parts would be. I found a place that would do it for $100 (labor only), but if I can do it myself, why not? Rate this job on a scale from 1-10. Are there any special tools needed?

 

very easy. If you have a manual, you are golden. Read it and you should be able to decide if you are up to it or not.

Took me 10 minutes to change my front pads on my 92 hatch the first time.


Mike

 

Very easy to do yourself..... save the $$ that's too much....

 

from 1-10, i would say this is a 3. get an impact driver to get the 2 philips screws out of the rotors, though. here is a pic of one:


impact driver @ sears

 

the job is easy i did my own rear disc conversion and rotor upgrade (4 wheel slotted rottors) its not bad just invest in a impact or use some heat (or penatrant) on the two phillips screws to loosen em, trust me they are a bitch with out a torch or impact . also buy new screws it makes life easy if u strip the old ones out, any auto store has a set of 8 for like $2.50

and just think u saved 100 dollars

 

i don't even put the screws back on. the lug nuts hold the rotor in place. those screws just make putting the wheel on a bit easier and changing rotors much harder.

just my $0.02.

 

I don't think I would have a problem with the pads, but I'm a little worried about doing the rotors. There aren't any special tips on getting the old rotor off, etc.? One of the shops I called said that our cars had a "special" design which makes it likely that you will break the wheel bearing getting the old rotor off. Not true?

 

true u could do that idk imo i try to stick with the honda design, they are on there even though they are a pain (a little heat works some magic)

 

Rotors once you get the 2 bitch screws out slide right off. Now are you doing rear drums also? there a little more difficult, accually its easier to change to rear discs then change drum shoes in my opinion, but in either case if you can wrench a little you can do it, I have faith.....

 

Those screws are there to keep the rotors from falling off the cars while they are on the assembly line.

 

id do it for $10

 

if you live in an area where car parts rust, the rotor can stick to the hub a bit. when you take the wheel off, you will see 2 threaded holes (in addition to the 2 set screws holding the rotors on). these holes are 8mm x 1.0mm (if i remember correctly). what you can do is take 2 bolts with the right thread pitch and thread them into these holds. that will push the rotor off the hub and free it for you to remove.

you can see the holes here:


hth.

 

"One of the shops I called said that our cars had a "special" design which makes it likely that you will break the wheel bearing getting the old rotor off. Not true?"

I call BS on that one. To change pads undo one bolt on the caliper, compress the cylinder if you need to, and flip it up, pull out the pads. For the rotor you do the same but then use an impact driver on those screws. After that there should be nothing holding the rotor on, you can feed bolts into the open holes to press it off or just hit it with a rubber hammer and it will come loose. There is no trick to it.

 

You can do it man!! I did my front rotors and pads in 30mins!! Pretty good for me(King Procrastinator)!! Everything you need is right in this thread, tools and how to.

The special tool the shop told you about is for Accords for sure.

It would help to have a caliper tool to push the brake piston back in. But I usually open the brake fluid resevoir and push the brake pistons in by hand.

Go for it!!! Let us know if you get stuck.

 

a c-clamp works good for a more stubborn caliper piston. this is for the front calipers only.

 

Does not work for the rears. It helps if you have the tool. What I have done is use the shaft of a flat screwdriver put it between the groves of the piston (on the rears of course) and push as you turn. Getto, but it works!

 

Let me revise. I do this for the fronts ONLY. Rear disk is different, much easier.

 

i was only talking about the fronts. i have revised my post. thanks.

oh and i use the ghetto screwdriver method as well. it works wonders.

 

Wow, thanks for all the info guys. I think I'll give it a try. I'll probably be back with more questions. I have access to the shop manual online so that should give me the info I need on changing the pads. Not to sound like a noob, but the caliper is NOT attached directly to the rotor, yes? If it is, does this complicate taking off the rotors? Will I need to disconnect the brake lines to change pads?

 

I don't think you can break the wheel bearing, but if you are a gorrilla than maybe.
It's pretty easy to take off the rotor, because once you get off the caliper, just use a screw driver (you don't need an impact driver) to get them off, at least I didn't. I just unscrewed them by hand with a hand screw driver and it came off.

Also remember to double check and see if the new rotor is on without any objects in the back of it (part of the phillips screw was stuck in back and I messed up the rotor because I thought it was on straight and put everything back together ).

Brake jobs are really simple, but be sure to use some WD-40 on some bolts that don't come loose.

 

no, the caliper is not directly attached to the rotor. to remove the rotor, though, you need to take the caliper off the hub. there are (2) 17mm bolts that hold the caliper to the hub. once the caliper is off, you can get the rotor off.

also, make sure you don't let the caliper hang by the brake line. that can wear out/break the line.

nope, changing pads requires 1 bolt to be removed, then you flip up the part of the caliper that holds the pad.

your best bet is to just try it. its really easy once you see what you need to do.