Brake Pad DIY

I was thinking about saving the $150+ in labor it would cost to change the rear brake pads on my '99 C2. Can anyone tell me how involved that job is? Looking at Loren's DIY, it does not look that easy. I'm not totally incompetent (i installed my trip computer, B&M SSK and GHL mufflers), but I hate to tinker with brakes if it's a tough job. Alternatively, is anyone in the Los Angeles area planning on doing their brake pads in the next 4-8 weeks? Thanks David

It's very easy: 5 to 15 minutes per wheel (depending on your experience) once it's in the air. Go for it...

Can you post the link to the DIY please?

It's so easy it's rediculous. Just remember that you will have to bleed your brakes when you compress the pistons to install the pads! So if you're going to do that you might as well change the fluid to the high temp, and well since you're changing the rears you might as well do the fronts with some pagid S's and well might change the lines to stainless. Definitely get the motul bleeder and do the clutch also. And while you're there might as well do the rest of the servicing, that's how I did it.

That's the slippery slope. Goes all the way to engine rebuild eventually. Thing is, I can just see it happening to anybody.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index...nt&code=diy_bp You'll need to register with that site to see them though.

it was very easy, i did the second side in 15 mins after i learned how to do it on the first side. only other diy i had done was flush brake fluid with the motive power bleeder. I didnt need to bleed any fluid on the pad change just pushed back the pistons to fit in the new pads. I guess it would be even easier if you remove the calipers but that is gonna be an extra step if you dont need to change the rotors.

We filmed it on a Boxster - same for a 996 - for our next set of DVDs.

Well when you push the pads back you put air into the system invariably that's why I said to bleed them

Sean, I thought the process of bleeding some fluid was done to make it easier to push the pistons back. I didnt realize that pushing them back would introduce air. Are you sure of this? Isnt it a closed system and the only way to introduce air is during brake line changes or things like that. Would you advise me to bleed the system now? thanks

Hey. I am pretty sure that it does induce air, but I always error on the safe side and you never know if there was anything in there before. I seem to remember doing the pads without the bleeding and it was a bit spongier but I notice very very minute things because I am crazy!

It doesn't put air in the system, but mine generally do feel a bit spongy for the first few miles after I change them. In any case, unless you just changed the fluid, change it. You may want to upgrade to motul or super blue but in any case, change it. And of course then bleed them.

Pretty soon this operation will be so easy that you will be changing to a track pad for any event. You can quick tie your brake sensors to the caliper cause you will be able to visually check them when you do your "quick change" pad replacement. Get a battery powered drill and the proper socket for your lug nuts. Then the thing that will take the longest is your placement of the jack, and jacking the car!

Unless the brake fluid level is too high there is no reason to remove any fluid before pushing the pistons back in. The capacity of the tank is bigger than you think. Pushing the pistons all the way back in to the calipers does not induce air into the system. Many ways to do it but since I have wrenches handy I usually use them. You push both pistons in on one side of the caliper at the same time and then put in the pad. Then repeat for the other side of the caliper.

David, Make sure that you bed the pads after you install them. This can cause some of the sponginess that people noted. Tool Pants is correct about pushing the pistons in - there is no way to get air in the system. I use a big pair of channel locks with a rag cover the caliper to prevent damage. Good Luck! Matt

Thanks to everyone for your input so i guess i should 1) change (and upgrade) the brake fluid and 2) change all my brake pads since i will need to remove all four wheels to bleed the brakes. As Sean suggested, it probably makes sense to do the clutch as well while I'm under there... So it looks like I will need to buy the Motive bleeder; any recommendations as to brake pads? I use the car for commuting five days a week, so I am not sure I need to spend $275 per set of Pagid "S" pads. Is there a particularly good place to buy the pads? Thanks again to everyone.

sunset porsche had the lowest price for all the parts, all oem porsche parts for cost plus 15% S&H I believe. You may want to check the front rotors too. Also you may not have to switch out the rears since the fronts wear out earlier. just email them what you need and they ship it to you within a week. I picked up the power bleeder and super blue ATE on sale from performance products in the valley not sure if they have the 20%discount any more though.

No air will get into the system by moving the pistons outwards. With ABS' internal super fine filters, its a bad idea to back-flush the ABS control unit with 'dark' brake fluid. This dark brake fluid has contaminants in it, that has been reported in the past (on other makes of cars) to messing-up (technical term) the ABS controller unit. I usually bleed the brakes first (make sure the fluid level in the b/f reservoir is low enough to accomodate fluid from pushing in the pistons), torque the bleeders to 110 in/lbs, then r&r the pads..

that is interesting, so do you just use the ATE gold all the time, or did I misunderstand your statement about "dark brake fluid". I am assuming that you are referring to the blue fluid as having contaminants. TIA

raffi, yeah by dark I mean cloudy, yucky fluid... Even with ATE blue, when I bleed the brakes, I can still see cloudiness in the fluid... Changing colors for a complete flush is really a neat way to do it...

thanks for clearing that up I figured that was what you meant when I reread the post. For some reason I didnt notice any cloudy yucky fluid or air bubbles when I flushed my brake system. I know it had been at least 2 years since last fluid change. Ive never tracked the car, I wonder if that could be the reason. Also since it was my first time doing it I guess I didnt know what to expect. Thanks again for the info Chris.

OK, so I changed my rear brake pads last night. I didn't find the process as straighforward as some may have suggested. I had two main issues: 1. Pulling the pads: after setting the pads as far back as I could with a pad spreader, the pads were loose, but would not come out. It took some muscle to force them out, I had to force separate them from the vibration dampers. Is there a better trick to get thsi done? 2: the DIY instructions for the rear pads say in #6 to place the 28mm dampers on the lower pistons. I understood the lower pistons to be the ones that sit on the lower part of the caliper. I spent 45 minutes trying to figure this out, and i finally installed them the other way around, where they fit perfectly. Loren, is this correct? Anyways, after spending a couple of hours struggling with the first wheel, the second one was done in less than a half hour. I also flushed the brake fluid, but couldn't locate the clutch bleeder valve. I couldn't really get under the car, as I was using the standard emergency jack. Is it pretty well hidden?

When finished don't forget to pump up the brakes before you drive off.