Another brake disc thread

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I hoped this thread would never be written but unfortunately my '2 has failed it's MOT today due to an inbalance in the front brakes.

I have known that the discs are rusty and a bit scored for a while but was kind of putting off the inevitable.

MrT (Inchscape Guildford) want £570 for discs and pads on all corners. I pretty much laughed and said no chance. I have now ordered all the parts from Speedways for £230. I have read on here about people fitting their own pads & discs and that it is a pretty simple job, anyone have any tips/guides (note I have never worked on brakes before)? I think Tem said in one thread that once you had removed the caliper the disc pretty much fell off and would only be held on by rust, from that I am hoping it should be easy.

Do I need any additional tools? I read somewhere about possibly needing a tool to push the caliper back in?   s:? :? s:?   Suppose I need to pick up some copper grease and brake cleaner (any particular type)?

To cap it all off my MOT has run out. For some reason I thought I had one until the end of Sept instead it expired yesterday. I drove to Mr T this morning thinking that I was on my way to the testing centre so would be ok, am I ok to drive the car home? I asked them if the retest would be free and they said it would be if I could get it back to them tomorrow. They said that once the car had "left the premises" it would no longer be free, although somehow I can get away with taking it home tonight then returning it tomorrow, can anyone clarify this at all???   s:? :? s:?  

Sorry for the big rant about this but I just want to be sure of what I am doing before I get the parts tomorrow.

Thanks,

Paul.

[Tem]

I have read on here about people fitting their own pads & discs and that it is a pretty simple job, anyone have any tips/guides (note I have never worked on brakes before)?

It is quite simple. Just take your time and basically take the old ones off and put new ones in. If you get lost, take a look on the other side  s8) s8)

Don't put any stress on the brake lines (the rubber hose) nor ABS electrical wires and you should be just fine.

I think Tem said in one thread that once you had removed the caliper the disc pretty much fell off and would only be held on by rust, from that I am hoping it should be easy.

Yes. And you don't even have to remove the caliper. Just open the lower bolt and swing it up. If the disc is rusty and doesn't come off easily, just bang it with a hammer to loosen it. Obviously making sure the car has no chance of falling down!

Do I need any additional tools? I read somewhere about possibly needing a tool to push the caliper back in?   s:? :? s:?   Suppose I need to pick up some copper grease and brake cleaner (any particular type)?

Front calipers are pushed back in, rear calipers have to be screwed. Since our cars are still relatively new, you should be able to do both by hand. If not, use some crowbar or whatever to get some leverage. Also note that pushing the piston back inwards raises the brake fluid level, so if your container is full, it will overflow!

Copper grease...not sure if you need it. Brake cleaner...you will need that to get the storage grease off the discs before you install them. All types should be just fine.

[aaronjb]

Copper grease...not sure if you need it.

I tend to put the thinnest smear over the hub surface (after wire brushing the hub off) before refitting the new disc - makes it easier to get off in the future..

And I always copper grease on the back of the pads to stop any chance of them squealing when you apply the brakes (I admit, not done an MR2, but that's been the case on every other car I've owned)

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the quick replies!

Front calipers are pushed back in, rear calipers have to be screwed.

Sorry Tem, do you really mean calipers here? Not discs? Bit puzzled .
  s:? :? s:?

[aaronjb]

Front calipers are pushed back in, rear calipers have to be screwed.

Sorry Tem, do you really mean calipers here? Not discs? Bit puzzled .
  s:? :? s:?

Yep, he really means calipers - well, the caliper pistons.

You'll need to push them back in so that you can fit the new (thicker) pads in, as the pistons will be set 'out' slightly due to your old pads being worn.

The fronts should just push in (if they're difficult, use a lever as Tem suggested), but the rears need 'screwing' in - you'll probably find a notch on the piston that you can use to wind it back in with a suitable tool (read: bodge). Not sure if the rear calipers need the notch lining back up with anything on the pad - they did on the older MR2s, so quite probably on the Roadster too..

It all becomes dead obvious when you're looking at it, though, don't worry  s:) s:)

[Anonymous]

Cool. I think that makes sense. I will try the fronts tomorrow as that is what failed the MOT. I will be armed with a digicam though so I may well be back tomorrow asking lots of questions.

[dieamond]

I just changed front and rear disks and pads, I removed the caliper,are you sure this wasn't necessary ??

[Tem]

I just changed front and rear disks and pads, I removed the caliper,are you sure this wasn't necessary ??

I'm not 100% sure as I haven't actually changed mine  s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

I have changed only the front pads once and that can be done by swinging the caliper up. When I did that, the disc literally fell off. Not all the way to the ground, just against my knee. It seemed like it had enough clearance to wiggle it off all the way, but I didn't try it...  s:? :? s:?


I assume the caliper bracket gets in the way then?


Edit: This article tells to remove it as well, so maybe you have to:
 m http://www.spydermagazine.com/2002/June ... rotors.htm m
(Sorry Emmanuel!  s:lol: :lol: s:lol: )

[dieamond]

it should

[Anonymous]

As others have said, it's not a difficult job at all.  I do all the changing of brake pads/discs for my cars and my parents/sister, and the more you do it the faster you get (like with most things I guess).

Front calipers are pushed back in, rear calipers have to be screwed. Since our cars are still relatively new, you should be able to do both by hand. If not, use some crowbar or whatever to get some leverage. Also note that pushing the piston back inwards raises the brake fluid level, so if your container is full, it will overflow!

As Tem said, you'll definitely have to remove some brake fluid from the reservoir - I usually use a plastic pipette (I work in a lab), but you could manage with a small spoon (though it will be a bit messy!) or a simple syphon.

I always remove the lid from the brake fluid reservoir before pushing the  pistons back in, in order to avoid over-pressurising the line and rupturing the rubber piston housing (I saw this happen on a friend's car once).

The only other things I'd add are i) the job is a lot easier if you use a G-clamp to push the front pistons back in, and ii) if you have a metal file, it's usually worth filing down the top and bottom of the brake pad backing (the metal part of the pad) a small amount, in order to get a nice loose fit in the caliper.  This will help prevent any chance of squealing.

Finally, don't be scared of giving the discs a good whacking with a hammer to loosen them if they don't come off easily!

[Jap GT300]

Also when doing the rears remember to leave the hand brake off, otherwise the piston will poke back out or not twist in all the way.

[Anonymous]

Right chaps,

I have fitted my two front discs with pads. It took around 3 hours, but that included having to go out and get a clamp to push my piston back in to the caliper. The second wheel took about half the time of the first.

Thanks for all your help on here, I wouldn't have had the balls to do the work without you guys.

I haven't fitted the rear discs yet but I did have a look at them last night. They have 6 holes? I have a feeling that speedways have send me the wrong ones cos I was fairly sure that the rear discs that are on my car have just 4 holes. Can anyone who has used speedways confirm that these discs are right/wrong? I haven't put the disc next to the wheel to see if it would fit yet, and the box they came in did have the correct thing written on it. Just a bit puzzled really.

Thanks,

Paul.

[dieamond]

4 holes, like the wheels  s;-) ;-) s;-)

Also, if you needed something to push the front piston, better search for the one to SCREW the rear one in the calipers !

[Tem]

I haven't fitted the rear discs yet but I did have a look at them last night. They have 6 holes?

Can you take a pic?

It doesn't matter if there are extra holes, as long as 4 of them fit our 4x100 studs...

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately I haven't taken a pic, I meant to. Will have a proper look when I get home and see if they are lined up right with my studs. That is, if it passes the MOT today.

[dieamond]

maybe you have 4 bigs and 2 small ? I think it's ti help to unmount if there is too much rust

[Anonymous]

That was what the fronts had, 4 big 2 smalls. The rears are different.

[Anonymous]

Panic over, all brakes fitted. I was just being a numpty   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  . I have never been able to count.

The rear discs had 8 holes. They lined up nicely with the studs for the wheels. No probs at all.

I had a little trouble screwing the piston back into the caliper. Once I had figured out which bit to screw I was ok but it was tricky finding a tool to use that didn't totally mangle the piston. I had to use a pair of grips in the end and just twist it in. The brakes seem to be ok although the handbrake is no better   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  . Has always been fairly weak, just disc brakes for you I guess.

Thanks again for all the help guys. Was most useful. I didn't bother taking any photos or writing any aricle about it cos these two on Spyder magazine are pretty good:

http://www.spydermagazine.com/2002/June/rotor/rotors.htm
http://www.spydermagazine.com/2001/March/brakepads.htm

I have not done too much work on cars before but I wouldn't hesitate to work on disc brakes again. Not as bad as I thought they would be.

The MOT passed finally. Brakes were fine and emissions weren't a problem, even without any pre-cats. Yay   s:D s:D  .

Thanks,

Fraz.

[Tem]

it was tricky finding a tool to use that didn't totally mangle the piston

A tool meant for that is about £2  s8) s8)
 m http://www.biltema.fi/osteri/osteri.cgi ... yhmaid=134 m

The pic gives some idea about how to make one, if you don't want to buy one. But basically anything works, even sticky gloves  s8) s8)

[Anonymous]

I found the piston was really quite stiff to twist. Couldn't do it with my hands and I didn't really want to put penetrating fluid on it. All sorted in the end though.

[dieamond]

8 holes normal : 4x100 and 4x14.3 I think

[aaronjb]

I found the piston was really quite stiff to twist. Couldn't do it with my hands

Ditto - there's no way Dan's pistons were going to screw back in with hands or any other makeshift tool really.. Even with the proper tool attached to a decent sized ratchet handle it wasn't exactly easy - I reckon the plastic tool they show on Spydermagazine would have just chewed itself up before ever screwing the piston in, too  s:? :? s:?

[roger]

A tool meant for that is about £2  s8) s8)
 m http://www.biltema.fi/osteri/osteri.cgi ... yhmaid=134 m

Anybody know where we could get this in UK? I've seen them for about £40!!

If not I feel Tem might be volunteering for a GB   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[aaronjb]

Anybody know where we could get this in UK? I've seen them for about £40!!

Halfords sell one that covers most makes of cars for £20 - it's not a box like that, though, it looks more like a hub puller with a disc attached to the end of the thrust screw. You can take the end off and use it with a standard wrench & extension, though.

Still a lot more than a fiver, but considerably less than £40..

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I hoped this thread would never be written but unfortunately my '2 has failed it's MOT today due to an inbalance in the front brakes.

I have known that the discs are rusty and a bit scored for a while but was kind of putting off the inevitable.

MrT (Inchscape Guildford) want £570 for discs and pads on all corners. I pretty much laughed and said no chance. I have now ordered all the parts from Speedways for £230. I have read on here about people fitting their own pads & discs and that it is a pretty simple job, anyone have any tips/guides (note I have never worked on brakes before)? I think Tem said in one thread that once you had removed the caliper the disc pretty much fell off and would only be held on by rust, from that I am hoping it should be easy.

Do I need any additional tools? I read somewhere about possibly needing a tool to push the caliper back in?   s:? :? s:?   Suppose I need to pick up some copper grease and brake cleaner (any particular type)?

To cap it all off my MOT has run out. For some reason I thought I had one until the end of Sept instead it expired yesterday. I drove to Mr T this morning thinking that I was on my way to the testing centre so would be ok, am I ok to drive the car home? I asked them if the retest would be free and they said it would be if I could get it back to them tomorrow. They said that once the car had "left the premises" it would no longer be free, although somehow I can get away with taking it home tonight then returning it tomorrow, can anyone clarify this at all???   s:? :? s:?  

Sorry for the big rant about this but I just want to be sure of what I am doing before I get the parts tomorrow.

Thanks,

Paul.

LOL this EXACT thing has happened to me!
i failed today,
I want to know the address for Speedways too plz! I drove home and am not fitting them myself. I remember an artical recommending some NON rust discs that were sporty and not too pricey. Can anyone recommend any for me?

Thx very much