A great way to reduce the cost of brake replacement is to change your own brake pads and rotors. So, how to change the brake pads? Below will give you signs, costs, tips and warnings of changing the brake pads.
It’s easy to change the brake pads. Just, Expose the Brake Pads, Change the Pads, and Bleed the Brakes. After you change them, it’s smart to keep track of when you replaced brake pads so that you will know when it’s time to change your brakes, or at least inspect them, next.
Keep reading.
How to Change the Brake Pads?
Here is the step-by-step guide:
Expose the Brake Pads
Get the right brake pads. Pads can be purchased from any auto parts retailer or your neighborhood car dealership. Just let them know the year, make and model of your car and select a pad in your price range. In general, things last longer when they cost more money. How long do brake pads last?
Make certain the car has cooled down. You might be working with very hot brake pads, calipers, and rotors if you’ve just driven. Before continuing, make sure that these components are secure to touch.
Loosen the lug nuts. Loosen each of the lug nuts holding the wheels to the car about two thirds of the way using the lug wrench that came with the car jack.
Carefully jack up the car until you can remove it comfortably. To find out where to place the car jack underneath your car, consult your owner’s manual. To prevent the car from rolling forward or backward, place some blocks behind the other wheels.
Remove the wheels. Finish loosening and removing the lug nuts when the car is raised. The wheel can be removed by pulling it straight out toward you.
Remove the caliper bolts using the correct size of socket or ring-spanner. The caliper’s job is to use hydraulic pressure to slow the wheel and fits over the brake rotor like a clamp. For the vehicle to come to a stop, the brake pads will make contact with the rotors. Calipers generally come in one-piece or two-piece designs, secured with between two and four bolts at the inside of the stub axle housing, where the tire fits onto the axle. Spray WD-40 or PB Penetrating Catalyst on these bolts to help you remove them.
Hang the caliper in the wheel well with caution using a short piece of wire. In order to prevent the caliper from hanging and putting pressure on the flexible brake hose, hang it up using a small piece of wire hanger or other scrap metal since it will still be attached to the brake line.
Change the Pads
Remove the old pads. And lastly, take note of how each brake pad is fastened. Usually, they use the metal clips that are attached to snap or clip in. You may need to apply a little force to pop out both pads, so be careful not to harm the caliper or brake line in the process.
Put the new pads on. At this point, you can apply anti-seize lubricant to the pads’ backs and the metal contact edges. There won’t be as much squeaking as a result. To the inside of the brake pads, however, do not apply any lubricant. This material will not allow any lubricant to touch it, rendering the brake ineffective. The old pads should be replaced in exactly the same manner.
Look at the brake fluid. Check your vehicle’s brake fluid level and add some if necessary. Replace the brake fluid reservoir cap when finished.
Replace the caliper. To avoid damaging anything, gently slide the caliper back over the rotor. The bolts holding the caliper in place need to be replaced and tightened.
Reattach the wheel. Before lowering the car, slide the wheel back into place and hand tighten all of the lug nuts.
Tighten the lug nuts. When the car is back on the ground, tighten the lug nuts in a “star” pattern. Once each nut is fully tightened to the required torque, tighten the one directly across from it.
Start the vehicle. Pump the brakes 15 to 20 times to make sure the pad is seated properly while making sure the car is in neutral or park. Top off brake fluid levels or follow bleeding of brakes section to flush out old fluid and replace with new fluid.
Test your new brake pads. As you approach a quiet residential street at no more than 5 mph (8.0 km/h), apply the brakes as usual. Repeat the test at a speed of up to 10 mph (16 km/h) if the vehicle appears to stop normally the first time. Repeat a few more times, increasing your speed gradually to 35 or 40 mph (56 or 64 km/h). Check backwards as well. These braking tests ensure there are no issues with your brake-pad installation, gives you confidence when driving on main streets and helps “seat” the brake pads into place.
Bleed the Brakes
Take off the brake master cylinder’s cap. Dirt and other particles from the air and the car’s mechanics will contaminate the brake fluid over time. Additionally, it will take on moisture from the atmosphere, dangerously lowering its boiling point. Before changing your pads and calipers, you’ll need to bleed the brake fluid out of the system, but you’ll also (perhaps counterintuitively) want to make sure the fluid is topped off before you do this. Check the fill line, and if necessary, add a little. While you bleed the system, keep the cap off.
Identify the order of the bleed. You should usually bleed the brake that is farthest from the master cylinder first, so consult the owner’s manual first. Each car has a unique order. You should check with an auto parts store if you don’t have the owner’s manual.
Attach a small plastic hose to the bleeder nipple. This can be done with inexpensive aquarium tubes. Put the hose’s other end in a small container or pan to catch the liquid. To keep air from flowing back into the system, you should hang or hold the bottle above the calipers and keep gravity on your side.
Have a helper apply the brakes. With the engine off, have your friend continually pump the brakes until they experience resistance. When they experience resistance, they should shout to you to alert you, at which point you should slightly loosen the bleeder screw and instruct them to hold the brake down.
Double check the system for air bubbles. If compressing the brake pedal results in the fluid gurgling in the master cylinder, there are.
Why Replace Your Own Brake Pads?
If your brake pads are squealing or grinding, it might be time for a brake pad replacement. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that you can quickly, simply, and without the use of specialized tools replace the brake pads in your car’s disc brake system. Doing it yourself also will save you a lot of money. Even if you’re not keen on doing the work yourself, understanding what’s involved makes it simpler to comprehend any future advice your mechanic may give you.
Modern automobiles have front disc brake systems almost universally. Since front brake pads typically wear out more quickly than rear brake pads (rear brakes could be either disc or drum brakes), front brake pads need to be changed more frequently. When brake pads become too thin, you should replace them, especially if you notice a consistent metallic squealing or grinding sound when you press the brake pedal. How often should you check brake pads? The best way to predict when this will happen is to routinely check the thickness of the pads because noise isn’t always the best indicator.
Note: Your brake rotors may be warped if your car vibrates when you apply the brakes. The rotors may have been scored if they appear to be grooved or uneven. In either case the rotors may also need to be replaced or “turned” on a brake lathe, a procedure not covered here.
Why does my car shake when I brake? There are a few reasons why your vehicle might experience shaking, and it’s important to address this issue before it becomes a bigger deal.
How Do I Know If My Brake Pads Are Worn Out?
Many modern cars come equipped with sensors to detect brake wear, however a simple visual inspection is usually sufficient to check when your brake pads are due for replacement. Common signs that let you know when to replace your brake pads are:
- when you apply the brakes, you hear a metallic screeching, squealing, or grinding sound.
- On a visual inspection, there should be roughly half a centimeter of pad left. Indicator lines are typically present to help you estimate the maximum wear.
- The presence of an indicator light on your dashboard.
- Constant metallic grinding or whirring while driving may be a sign of worn brake pads or warped rotor surfaces, especially if it changes during braking.
Can I Just Replace My Brake Pads? Do I Have to Replace Rotors at the Same Time?
It makes sense that you will need to change your brake pads more frequently than anything else since they wear out so much more quickly than the rest of the braking system. The fluid that powers your brakes and your rotors, on the other hand, also require regular replacement.
How often should you replace your brake pads? Your brake rotors should typically be replaced every 100,000 kilometers, but in most cases, it is possible and recommended to have the friction surface machined down to eliminate any grooves or undulations before a complete replacement is necessary. As a result, as long as your rotors are undamaged and your brake pads are in good condition, you can simply replace them. However, you should also replace your brake fluid at this time.
Tips and Warnings
Before raising the car, drain any extra brake fluid from the master cylinder to make sure there is space for the fluid to return without overflowing when you push the piston back into the caliper. The brake hose and caliper will need to be supported during the procedure; to do this, wrap some wire around the hose and caliper and secure it to a suspension part for added support.
FAQs
How Often Do You Need to Change Your Brake Pads?
To get the most accurate response, you’ll need to refer to your owner’s manual, but generally speaking, you should change your brake pads when they begin to warn you. Some automobiles come equipped with brake pad sensors, which can flash a light or display a message in the instrument panel to alert the driver. Other vehicles’ brake pads have a metal piece that becomes exposed when the pad reaches a certain width. It makes a screeching or squealing sound that won’t damage the car but signals that the brake pads need to be changed right away.
How Much Does It Cost to Replace Your Brake Pads?
The cost of a brake pad replacement will vary based on a number of factors: the type of vehicle and braking system you have and whether you buy original, aftermarket or performance brake pads. But in general, expect to pay roughly $115-250 per axle for most cars and considerably more for luxury or performance vehicles. Read more: how much does it cost to replace your brake pads?
Do I Need to Bleed Brakes After Changing Pads?
If you’re changing out worn-out brake pads, which could let air into the master cylinder. More brake fluid is needed when braking with worn brake pads, which empties the reservoir and makes room for air. if you swap out your brake pads or rotors. Any brake job should include a brake bleed for safety’s sake.
Is It OK to Just Replace Brake Pads?
Replacing brake pads only
If your rotors aren’t worn or damaged when you go in for brake service, you can probably get away with changing just the brake pads.
Summary: How to Change the Brake Pads?
You should completely replace the brake pads on one side of the car before moving on to the other for reasons that will become clear later. Also, since you’re doing one side at a time, turn the steering wheel so that the wheel you’re working on is angled out for better access to the brakes.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment. KV Auto tries to give you the best car industry information. Thank you for reading.
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