HELP!!!! Changing brake pads under time constraint...stuck!!

O

oneball

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Apr 4, 2005

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Oct 29, 2005

#1

• Oct 29, 2005

• #1

Ok, this might make me sound stupid but screw it. I changed the brake pads on my van (chebby) yesterday with no problems, right? well, the mustang needed it bad, so im doing them right now, and im stuck! at the beginning! Is there some sort of trick to getting off the caliper?i have been turning that dam bolt for like 15 minutes (yes, the right way!) and it just spins. Im at my wits end here, and i have to be home at 430 for a party! I need help guys! oh, and i tried the walkthrough on mustangworld, no help, the calipers look different anyway...mine is a 2000 gt.

 

O

oneball

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#2

• Oct 29, 2005

• #2

oh, and no chevy jokes. im a ford man, the chevy was just too good of a deal to pass up...ive just never changed the brakes before on a ford

 

L

lapper

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Dec 31, 2004

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Oct 29, 2005

#3

• Oct 29, 2005

• #3

If you look very close, you will see, just under the rubber boot, a lock nut. Put a wrench on the locknut to keep it from turning and you should be able to loosen the caliper bolts.

Len

 

O

oneball

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#4

• Oct 29, 2005

• #4

len! thanks man! i got it, i was looking right at the dam thing and it didnt even reggister...god, dude, your a life saver!!!!:SNSign:

 

O

oneball

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Apr 4, 2005

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#5

• Oct 29, 2005

• #5

ok, next question!!!the brake pads i bought have two little steel nubs that are getting stuck on the caliper as i try and close it. the pistons are fully compressed, can i just grind these off?

 

helty

some Ukrainian's enjoying a handjob via my credit

Mar 30, 2005

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Oct 29, 2005

#6

• Oct 29, 2005

• #6

dont feel bad, i was gonna paint my calipers the other day and ran into the same problem. i was getting pretty pissed because i used to be an aircraft mechanic, ive done brake pads several times on other cars, and those damn bolts wouldnt come out i had to laugh at myself when i realized what was going on. anyway, i dont know what to tell you about those pads, if the calipers are fully compressed. in my "expert" opinion....just fiddle with it

 

L

lapper

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Dec 31, 2004

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Oct 29, 2005

#7

• Oct 29, 2005

• #7

Dont gring off the bumps. They are locators. There is an inside and an outside pad for each side of the car. They have to go in the right location to work properly. If you look, you should have two pads with the bumps and two without. Make sure you put them in the right location.

Len

 

O

oneball

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Oct 29, 2005

#8

• Oct 29, 2005

• #8

ok, good deal. ive got them on and in the right place! i noticed one thing, though, when i had them off. one of the pistons on the caliper has a knick in the side, like a rock got stuck in it, compressed, left a small knick pressed out of the side, and fell ut. is this having an adverse effect on my brakes, or does this not make any difference at all? any ideas?

 

L

lapper

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Oct 29, 2005

#9

• Oct 29, 2005

• #9

Can't comment on the stone nick without seeing exactely where it is, but if the brakes work OK it probably won't hurt anything. Have fun at the party.

Len

 

F

fordrngr

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Apr 29, 2004

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Oct 29, 2005

#10

• Oct 29, 2005

• #10

Were you doing front brakes or rear brakes?

 

O

oneball

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Oct 29, 2005

#11

• Oct 29, 2005

• #11

front...rears are tomorrow....party was ok...oh well...gotta finish two more cars tomorrow. mustang and my beater, getting ready to park the mustang (but next weekend is a postponed holloween race at our local track, may race then) and getting my beater ready...

 

O

oneball

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#12

• Oct 29, 2005

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than the week after that i will probably get my gears in...no promises though (darnit...its been way to long)

 

O

oneball

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#13

• Oct 29, 2005

• #13

oh, i may be able to post a pic tomorrow of the nick. im gonna take everything off again just to check it, so ill probably take a pic while i have it apart

 

K

Kilgore Trout

Fried or Broiled ?

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Mar 30, 2005

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#14

• Oct 30, 2005

• #14

You do not use a c-clamp on the rear pistons to compress them. You use a special tool to "screw" them in.

Did you thoroughly clean and put high temp grease on the caliper slide pins and the groove that the "tabs" ride in? If not might as well take it all apart and start over.

If you have more than 30k miles, bleed brakes.

Brakes are not super easy and are not something you should do without knowledge, experience, or a manual

 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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Feb 18, 2001

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Oct 30, 2005

#15

• Oct 30, 2005

• #15

Make sure you check that the caliper slides pins move in and out easily. If they don't it will lead to brake probs

 

O

oneball

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Oct 31, 2005

#16

• Oct 31, 2005

• #16

ok...i learned my lesson. I really didnt want to bother anyone (a whole family of drag car builders), so i tried to tackle this seemingly easy issue myself. note to anyone thinking they can just get under there and fool around...if you have someone that knows, ASK! turns out i did ok, but i wouldve been screwed when it came to the back calipers. even one of my cousins said he has never seen that screw in caliper set up before. after a few second of pondering, he called his buddy (that owns his own shop), had the tool there in 5 sec, screwed those babies in, showed me what all to grease, checked the fronts (needed new rotors, BAD) and had me replace them, and supervised all my work and okd me for unsupervised work in the future (ha ha). By asking for help, I not only got it done right, got good experience by doing it myself with great supervision, and met someone that is giving me a hell of a honest deal on a gear install! Again...ASK FOR HELP! at least the first time...

 

Mickey21

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May 10, 2002

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Austin, TX

Oct 31, 2005

#17

• Oct 31, 2005

• #17

Yeah, those rears were interesting the first time I did them as well. I had never heard of the screw tool before my repair book told me to use them. Glad you got someone to help you out and do it right. After doing my own for several years I am glad I asked too when I first started...