repacling rear brake pads, can't find anything...

A

AbrahamLincoln

Registered
hey, my one brake pad is shot in the rear and it sounds terrible so, I got my car parked for now. I called up a local autoparts store and they want 40.00 for new rear brake pads. Hows that price? Also, how is the install? Is it better to just take to a place like midas. Not sure how much that costs either. I've replaced brakes on my vw, but vw's arnt 2 tons. i dont like jacking the car up on the road (i dont have a driveway). Also my cars dropped so its hard to jack up. PITA
 
Depends on the pads you get AutoZone start at $15.00 but you get what you pay for. They are fairly easy to replace and most cars do not have to be bleed if you have a large C-Clamp to compress the caliper piston back in. I can do mine in 15mn each side in my driveway but I have good tools and jacks. If your not confident enough to do it yourself its only about $100 parts and labor at a brake shop (will cost more if the rotors are bad). Call around and ask. PS most shops will not install parts that you bought, they will want to buy them themselves for warranty sake.
 
ggfrank21 said:
Depends on the pads you get AutoZone start at $15.00 but you get what you pay for. They are fairly easy to replace and most cars do not have to be bleed if you have a large C-Clamp to compress the caliper piston back in. I can do mine in 15mn each side in my driveway but I have good tools and jacks. If your not confident enough to do it yourself its only about $100 parts and labor at a brake shop (will cost more if the rotors are bad). Call around and ask. PS most shops will not install parts that you bought, they will want to buy them themselves for warranty sake.
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i read you need a special tool. Yea im gonna do it myself if i can just get the one side... if I can purchase them seperate I am not sure though. i got a $40 dollar quote, i would rather spend 15 bucks and install them myself, because its just one back brake, and i want to fix it before it messes up the rotor, because it sounds like its pretty worn down, down enough that I'm not driving it right now and it pisses me off!
 
can you just use a large c clamp? anyone do there own brakes? i can hastle some people i know that might have the special tool but ide rather not have to.
 
AbrahamLincoln said:
i read you need a special tool. Yea im gonna do it myself if i can just get the one side... QUOTE]

On my 98 the rear twist back down, if that is true for all years im not sure. Mine were a pain because I let them get so far out.

Replace all the pads. Brakes are not something to try and save money on.
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Be2lose said:
AbrahamLincoln said:
i read you need a special tool. Yea im gonna do it myself if i can just get the one side... QUOTE]

On my 98 the rear twist back down, if that is true for all years im not sure. Mine were a pain because I let them get so far out.

Replace all the pads. Brakes are not something to try and save money on.
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My 93 and 96 were twist down also...you'll need the tool. Autozone loans them out for $50 deposit.
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No you can't use a c clamp on the rear, unless you want to break your caliper. You have to turn it as you apply pressure.
Rent the good tool, it will make your life alot easier.
 
frankjc said:
No you can't use a c clamp on the rear, unless you want to break your caliper. You have to turn it as you apply pressure.
Rent the good tool, it will make your life alot easier.
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yea im familiar im pretty sure most rear disc calipers are like that. other than getting the tool

jack the car up, jack stand, remove wheel - what size socket/wrench do i need to remove the caliper? put in the new pads, use the special tool to retract the piston so i can put mount it back on the disc. pretty much it right? ive done brakes before but only on vw audis... just want to know there are no suprises, and with that special tool i think itll be pretty straight forward.
 
do the ceramic pads on the rear make any difference than the organic ones? its a difference of 15 dollars for the ceramics... im probably going to go for teh cheaper brakes, i eventually want to get swap out assemblies for cobra ones eventually.
 
AbrahamLincoln said:
do the ceramic pads on the rear make any difference than the organic ones? its a difference of 15 dollars for the ceramics... im probably going to go for teh cheaper brakes, i eventually want to get swap out assemblies for cobra ones eventually.
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The rear brakes only do 10% of the stopping. However ceramic pads will leave less dust on the wheels.
 
i dont know who in their right mind would only change one side. if its saving money, dont do anything to the brakes at all, drive it till they eat through the rotor. it makes no sense at all to do half the brakes.
 
I agree with what everyone said about doing both sides. Why anyone would just do one side beats the hell outta me.

I like the Autozone Ceramic pads. They cost a bit more, less warrenty, but hardly any brake dust.

Since I do the brakes on all of our vehicles, I invested in a tool that compresses the piston back into the caliper. Got it at Harbor Freight (on sale for $16). Works fabulous, fits all the cars. Yeah it's made in China and I had to epoxy a pin in so it wouldn't fall out, but can't beat the price. And I don't have to take it back....

Here's a link to it. Watch for it to go on sale...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40732
 
ggfrank21 said:
a large C-Clamp to compress the caliper piston back in.
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C-clamp wont work on the rear calipers, you have to not only PRESS the piston back in you have to screw it in at the same time.

Autozone rent/sells the tool for 35ish dollars, it makes the job SUPER easy.

Dont use one of those little "cube" shaped tools, as they are JUNK.

If you just put a C-clamp on and PRESS the rears without "TURNING" the piston you are going to destroy either the piston, the caliper, the C-clamp or a combination of the above.

use the correct tool, and the correct method and save yourself alot of money and time.

I just did the rears on my car last week.. took about 35 minutes from start to finish.. but of course I have the correct tool and I know how they work.
 
if he only wants to buy one side of the brake pads i dont think he wants to spend the money to buy the tool for the calipers!!!
 
Well Autozone WILL rent the tool, and refund your money when you return the tool.

Either way, a Clamp isn't gonna get the job done... and could wreck the caliper in the process.

If he doesnt want to buy a full set of pads, or buy the tool to do the job.
I wonder how he feels about buying a new caliper.

MEH.. three brakes will stop the car just fine <----sarcasm
 
You can buy the special tool at Harbor Freight tools for $30. It is a kit and probably does most cars. It can also be used instead of a C-clamp for non screw-in calipers. It is actually alott easier to manipulate than a c-clamp. If you are going to do more than 1 brake job it is probably the best tool investment you will ever make. Bought it 2 weeks ago to do John's GT brakes. should have bought it years ago.

by the way, we put Hawk pads and Brembo slotted rotors all arround. Made a huge difference over stock.
 
I just changed my rears and only 1 of the pads were worn out.

So.. I do have 3 good rear pads for sale to the top bidder.

Race PROVEN brake pads, won 2005 and 2006 street stock championship with them!

Be the first on your block to own this very important part of Mark 8 history!!!!
(grins)
HAHA
 
AbrahamLincoln said:
and i want to fix it before it messes up the rotor, because it sounds like its pretty worn down, down enough that I'm not driving it right now and it pisses me off!
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That scraping sound you hear is not ony bad for your rotors.
What you dont realize is that "metal to metal" is eating small bits of metal from your rotor, then these super hot little metal peices are EMBEDDING themselves in the clear coat on your wheels.

Now for the kicker, those little metal bits embedded into the clearcoat will now RUST, making your wheels look like CRAP.

It is very hard/ almost impossible to get that crap out of the clear coat unless you spend OVER TWO HOURS with a clay-bar working your tail off, before the wheel will look like it did before.

I had that problem with one of my rears, totally FUBARED one of my wheels in NO TIME FLAT.

"you've been warned".
 
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