No seriously how hard is it to change your own brakes????

I've looked at the DIY for the brakes but I'm still curious how difficult it is to do this. Are there any tricks I should know about etc????? Thanks for any help anyone could give

What exactly do you want to do? Change pads, rotors, calipers, or all of the above? Karl

just change pads

Changing pads is pretty easy. Just be careful when removing the wear sensors, use a light tough so you don't break them. The only other issue is removing the pads with the anti-squeal disks on them. The factory manual says to use a spatula or some other flat bladed tool to separate the disks from the pads. I worry about damaging the piston with this technique, so I always remove the caliper instead. It comes off with two 10mm hex bolts that are pretty easy to get to with a torque wrench. Once you remove the caliper from around the rotor, the pads will come out very easily. I'd also recommend a pad spreader to assist in pushing the pistons back into the caliper so there is room for the new pads. There are other approaches but I find a pad spreader to be worth the investment. Karl

Thanks Karl I appreciate the time

I found it very easy. Removing the tires takes the longest amount of time. This is exactly what I do everytime I go to the track off the top of my head. 1) Remove Tires. 2) Pull Bobby-like pin(with small screw driver and hammer) and clasp pops off. 3) Open piston by opening a plumber's wrench between the calipers. 4) gently remove old pads and wear sensors and tie-wrap sensors to strut. 5) put new pads in(I do not use the sensors anymore because I use either the Hawk HPS or Pigat?? for track). 6) Pump the brakes to close caliper and replace clasp and pin. 7)replace rims and tires.

it would be hard to believe that there are many (if any) cars which are easier to change pads on than the 996.

Does anyone re-use the anti-squeal pads? Last time I just bought a complete set of shoes, pads and sensor wires. Glad I did too, cause the sensor heads disintegrate when you harass them......This was likely do to the length of time they were in service.

For a track car or street/track car where you are going to change pads regularly, I'd suggest tying off the wear sensors and not using the anti-squeal pads. Since you are checking the pads regularly, the wear sensors are redundant, and the anti-squeal pads just make changing pads harder. However, for my street car, I replace the anti-squeal disks when I replace the pads. Helps keep the pads quiet on the street. Karl

Thank you I plan on tackling this project over the weekend and appreciate everyones input. It's exactly what I needed!

Oh one more question. Do you keep the caliper on the rotor and turn the wheel or do you have to remove the caliper to change the pads?Thanks again

if you don't have the anti-squeal pads installed, the brake pads slip right out without removing the calipers. If you don't know if you have anti-squeal pads then you have them, because they come stock and you would have had to remove them before now. I suppose if the brake pads are warn enough it might be possible to get them out without removing the calipers, but I doubt it. New brake pads take up almost all of the free space between the caliper pistons and the rotor........ Plan on removing the calipers unless you want to scrape off the anti-squeal pads as previously described. If you do it this way, and you want to reinstall new anti-squeal pads, you install them clip side into the pistons leaving the paper on the adhesive until you are ready to drop the brake pads in place. Remove the paper off the 4 anti-squeal pads with a blade, (both inside and outside pistons), drop the brake pads in the back of the calipers, (after installing the wear sensors into them). replace the pad retainer in correct position on the back of the caliper and then press on the brake pedal to reseat the brake pads to the adhesive on the anti-squeal pads. job all done.

gretch thanks for the reply but one more question. What would be the easiest way to put the front (both sides) on stands and get the wheels off. or should I do one side at a time(meaning lift one side change brakes then go to other side)? I'm a little confused about the post I've read on jacking the car up. I have 21/2 ton jack and 2 jack stands. Also is it 97foot pounds of torque for the lug nuts in a star pattern?

Having done it a few times now, pads take me about 30 min to do all four.

Jack each side of the car from the rear jack point (in front of the rear wheel) and put a jack stand under the front jack point. That'll get the front off the ground for you. Torque setting should be 96 ft lbs. If you do remove the calipers in order to change the pads, don't forget to put copper anti-seeze on the caliper bolts or you may never get them off again. Karl

Actually, maybe I'm lucky or getting the brakes good and hot as happens at the track makes a difference. But when I changed my 996 TT brake pads the first time, the anti-squeal plates weren't stuck to the pistons at all. They just came right out with the pads. I just use a pair of channel locks (with the jaws taped so as to not scratch the caliper paint) to compress the pistons, and remove the old pads and anti-squeal plates. No scraping required. So I'd try that first before going the extra step of removing the calipers. Save the time and effort for something else.

Thanks for all the info I think I'll try to do the job without taking the calipers off first then if I can't do it I will got with the copper antiseez and go that route . Wish me luck and I'll report back when I'm finished to let others know the deal. Thanks again!

Well it's done in about 1:20 minutes next time it will take me maybe :20. It truely was a piece of cake! Couldn't have done it without you guys and gals. thanks again!

Glad it worked out for you. I've done it both ways. There are pro's and con's to both and neither is too difficult. For others who may want to remove the calipers here are a couple additional pointers. If you remove the caliper, you have to disconnect the steel brake that goes into the caliper to get the caliper off. If you just remove the line, it will drain all the brake fluid from that side of the system and because the entire system is now full of air, make it more difficult to bleed the brakes when you are done. Not to mention make quite mess if you don't collect all the fluid perfectly. There is a tool to place between the seat and the brake pedal to pushes the pedal down far enough to close the ports in the master cylinder, blocking the flow of fluid. I use a 2X4 propped between the seat bottom and the brake pedal. The fitting is often a little tough to break loose and if you just use an open-end wrench, it is easy to round the flats off the fitting. Even with the proper flare-nut wrench it is easy to round these. I break them loose using the flats of a large pair of Vise-Grips and then use an open-end once they are broken loose. Lastly, be careful when you pull the springs out of the piston not to pull the piston out of caliper. The pistons can be difficult to get back into the caliper. Hope that helps. RJ