help with changing brake pads

Use a big clamp to squeeze the piston back in. Reinstall the old pad, so that you don't damage the piston, and crank down on the clamp until the piston bottoms out. If your reservoir is full be carefull, because it will over flow. Simple as that, if you don't have a clamp a big pair of pliers will do the trick.

One thing to be caregul of though, if it has ABS, make sure to crack the bleeder screw when doing it. Otherwise you can send all the junk in the caliper into the ABS controller, thus ruining it. I know someone who did it on an integra, it wasn't a cheap fix either.

Once you bottom out the piston, put everything back together, and bleed the brakes to get any air out that might have gotten in there. The top off the resivoir.

Bed the brakes in really good and you should be fine. Good luck!

P.S. One of these makes life a lot easier. even if you only use it once!

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/kdt3376.html

Yellomantis said:

One thing to be caregul of though, if it has ABS, make sure to crack the bleeder screw when doing it. Otherwise you can send all the junk in the caliper into the ABS controller, thus ruining it. I know someone who did it on an integra, it wasn't a cheap fix either.

Once you bottom out the piston, put everything back together, and bleed the brakes to get any air out that might have gotten in there. The top off the resivoir.

Bed the brakes in really good and you should be fine. Good luck!

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I have never cracked open the bleeder screw to change pads. I think it can cause way more problems that it prevents. I have never seen anyone mess up a abs controller from doing this. Also anyone that is not familiar with bleeding brakes can make his up his brakes. There shouldn't be any junk in the brake fluid, unless there is a leak in the seals. Just my opinion, but I say don't crack the bleeder.

Ive always used channel locks

yamatitan said:

channel locks

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That's the word I was trying to think of when I said pliers. Thanks it was driving me crazy,

helomech said:

I have never cracked open the bleeder screw to change pads. I think it can cause way more problems that it prevents. I have never seen anyone mess up a abs controller from doing this. Also anyone that is not familiar with bleeding brakes can make his up his brakes. There shouldn't be any junk in the brake fluid, unless there is a leak in the seals. Just my opinion, but I say don't crack the bleeder.

Click to expand...

Same here i have never need to bleed the brakes if you use a clamp to contrat the piston, you should be good

I agree with the 'don't crack the bleeder' comments unless you really have to. The serv manual says it is ok, but errors here will leave you without brakes, so I don't mess around.
Instead of pushing the piston all the way back in, test every couple mm to see if it will fit over the rotor, as soon as it does, bolt everything back together, the difference in relative pad location (to the rotor) will fix itself after 2 pumps of the pedal.
Compressing the piston is not easy, just go slow. I always take the (-) battery terminal off to make sure the ABS can't tell what's going on.

WOW good info guys! I used a c clamp to push in the piston it was simple to do. I put the pads back on mounted the brakes up started the car and pushed the brake about 5 times until it felt good. put the wheels back on ad testid it out works like a charm. my friend told me to bleed the brakes also but I could not see why if I never unhooked any of the lines. I dont think you need to bleed them they feel fine now. anyway thanks for the info it works great now!