How to change disc pads. How to change the brake pads in your car. We select brands and look at prices

23.01.2013

In previous articles, we have already seen how often the brakes need to be changed, when to replace, how to check the wear:

In this article, we will go directly to replacing the front brake pads.

So, for work we need:

spray can;
wd-40 - we use it wherever it is impossible to unscrew the fasteners;
wrenches, spanners for "13";
a new set of brake pads;
car jack;
flat screwdriver.

Before starting work, be sure to put your car on a flat surface, insert the first gear, put it on the handbrake. On both sides, put the "shoes" (half bricks) under the rear wheels.

How do I remove the front brake pads?

The very first thing to do is to loosen the wheel bolts on both sides, note: only LOOSE!
We install the jack under the car and raise the front wheel (place the jack on a flat surface).
Unscrew the front wheel mount completely, remove the wheel.
For convenience, we completely turn the steering wheel towards the disassembled wheel: if the left wheel was removed, then we turn the steering wheel completely to the left side.
Pay attention to the picture: we take the key for 13 and unscrew this bolt, having previously unbent (straightened) the counter-key. Do not lose the bolts, because will have to be installed back (It should be noted that some manufacturers of brake pads put new fasteners in the box).
We open the barrel of brake fluid, use a syringe to drain a little fluid into the jar in order to leave a margin in case the fluid rises up the level. If, however, the liquid is at the min level, which is very dangerous, then nothing needs to be drained.
We move the caliper (under the number 1 in the diagram) and get access to the pads.
Next, we need to push the brake piston back into the cylinder. Because as the pads wear out, the piston is forced further and further out of the cylinder. To do this, we find an inspection hole (indicated by the number "A" in the diagram). Next, we take a flat screwdriver and thread it into the inspection hole between the shoe and the brake piston. And we begin to push the piston back into the cylinder. Do not use too much force for the piston to move in a uniform force and time.
We remove the brake hose fasteners so as not to interfere.
We move the caliper.
We remove the brake pads.

How to install the front brake pads?

We take new brake pads and put them tightly in the grooves to the brake disc: we rest the pads with antennae against the stops and press them against the disc (look at the picture).
Close the caliper.
We tighten our bolt and do not forget to bend the control washer.
We put in place the brake hose.
We put the wheel and twist the mounts cross to cross.
Add brake fluid to the barrel and close it.

Any car owner can change the front brake pads on their own in the garage or in the field. This step-by-step instruction will help to change the brake linings correctly and without errors. Even those who first decided to wave the pads with their own hands will be surprised how simple and quick the procedure is.

If you service the car yourself, then the result is satisfaction, and of course money saving.

How often should the thickness of the brake pads and the brake fluid level be checked? The answer is obvious - regularly. If the linings are worn thinner than two mm, then in no case postpone the replacement - this is fraught with jamming of the caliper and expensive repairs.

Keep in mind - the front pads wear out faster. On disc brakes, it is very easy to visually check the thickness of the brake lining, so remember to do this more often.

What tools are needed to replace brake pads with your own hands.

As you can see, you need a minimal set of tools.

Attention! Before you start replacing your brake pads - make sure the new pads fit your car, in other words, make sure you bought the correct pads.

Step 1. We open access to the brake mechanism.

Place the car on a firm, level surface, place stops under the wheels so that it does not accidentally roll. These can be both special "shoes" and ordinary bricks or blocks.

Remove the wheel bolts before jacking up the vehicle. Then we raise the required side with a jack, completely unscrew the bolts and remove the wheel. The caliper is now accessible.

Step 2. Remove the old pads.

The caliper is put on the brake disc as a clamp, and its task is to compress the brake disc with the pads using hydraulic pressure. Thus, braking occurs.

Calipers are usually of one piece or two piece design, attached with two or four bolts from the inside of the wheel to the caliper brackets.

Spray the WD-40 caliper bolts to help loosening them. let the grease run for 5-10 minutes, then you can unscrew the caliper guides.

If there are retaining brackets, remove them with a small screwdriver. Many cars have pad wear sensors, so carefully disconnect the connectors.

Check the caliper pressure. We take a large screwdriver and wring out a little of the pads, crushing the cylinder. This way, old pads can be easily removed.

The caliper of the car at rest should move slightly back and forth. If not, the caliper is under pressure and may fly off when the bolts are removed. Check if there are any shims or washers installed between the caliper mounting bolts and the mounting surface. If so, remove and inspect them, if necessary replace with new ones.

Brake Caliper Guide Bolts

Many vehicles use a two-piece sliding caliper, which only needs to be removed with two 12-14mm guide heads. You will not need to remove the entire caliper.

Replacing the front brake pads with your own hands

Now we remove the caliper or set it aside if the guides were unscrewed only on one side.

Hang the caliper carefully on a wire or rope from the wheel or damper spring.

Replacing the front brake pads with your own hands

Attention!The caliper will still be connected to the brake line, so secure it so that it does not pinch or pull on the brake hose.

We take out the brake pads from the brackets. We clean the shoe seats with a metal brush or screwdriver.

Replacing the front brake pads with your own hands

Be sure to check the guide bolts - the anthers should be intact, and the guides themselves should easily and smoothly walk in the grooves.

Attention!Every time the brake pads are replaced, the caliper guides must be cleaned and lubricated. This procedure will not take much time, but will extend the service life and increase the reliability of the brakes.

Use a special high temperature grease to lubricate the slideways. Litol, in the old fashioned way, does not need to be used. Some pad manufacturers can find this grease in a set with new pads.

Step 3. Installing new brake pads.

All preparatory operations have been completed - we proceed to assembly.

The first step is to press the brake cylinder completely. Compress the caliper cylinder by the brake caliper piston. Changing the brake pads with your own hands, and if still in the field, you can use a balloon wrench, a clamp to compress the caliper piston. You can also make a special tool with your own hands, use a large bolt for this and old shoe... There are a lot of options, the main thing is to take into account the principle of operation of the original tool and use your wit.

how to press the brake caliper piston without special tool in the field

Attention!Some pads analogs may vary slightly in shape. For example, the lugs of the pads may be longer than the caliper seats and the part does not fit into the grooves. In this case, do not panic, but check: whether the shape and design of the shoe matches the rest of the parameters.
Yes, corresponds - we grind off excess protrusions to the size of the old block.
No, does not match - there are significant differences - it is necessary to select other pads. Do not try to make the right ones out of the wrong pads, because of this, the brakes can jam or work poorly.

We insert new pads and put on the caliper. We treat the threads with copper grease for corrosion prevention.

Change The Brake Pads in Your Car Step 9 Version 6.360p

We assemble the caliper, as we disassembled, put on the wheel.

Important!Before going on a trip - after replacing the pads, you need brakes. Press the pedal all the way down. Drive and brake. And so repeat a couple of times. Everything is fine? Repeat braking at a higher speed. Make sure there is no scratching or other discomfort.

For what reason can the brakes jam?

The piston of the brake caliper is worn or dirty. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the piston mirror and the integrity of the anthers and cuffs.
Brake pad misalignment. Check for correct fit and fit.
Worn, dirty, corroded caliper guides. grease and replace the boots or the guides themselves.

Replacing brake pads countless times has been described and shown in the video. For our part, we will not only answer the questions: how to assess the wear of the brake pads, what is the minimum thickness of the friction linings, but also show the subtleties of servicing the front and rear brakes when replacing the pads with our own hands.

Resource

It would be wrong to talk about the average service life for the reason that the wear rate depends on many parameters:

How to estimate the degree of wear

Remove the pads and measure the residual thickness of the friction layer with a vernier caliper. Please refer to the workshop manual for the minimum thickness of the front and rear brake pads. Please note that the thickness of the friction pads is not the distance from the metal base to the edges of the pads, but the distance from the edges to the technological margin (about 3 mm). This means that if the friction linings are worn out by half of the original thickness, then this is not 50% of wear, but all 65-70%. In some designs, brake pad residual life can be estimated from the distance to the contact plate.

Wait until the wear sensor is triggered. Depending on the device of the warning system, a signal for replacement will be a metal squeak or a wear indicator on the dashboard. You must first check the health of the electronic system. Many drivers, not wanting to restore the performance of the sensors, install tricks. In this case, the error light on the wear sensors does not light up on the dashboard, and the system does not respond to critical wear. It is necessary to change the pads, the design of which does not include a wear indicator, at the moment when the plane of the working surface is equal to the bottom of the groove in the middle of the friction lining.

How to change the front pads

Replacing the front brake pads is shown in the video and described using the example of Daewoo Matiz. Since the device and principle of operation of disc brakes on modern passenger cars are extremely similar, the instructions and video will help you replace brake pads with your own hands not only on Daewoo, but also on VAZ, Opel, Ford, Renault, Kia, etc.

Loosen the wheel bolts.
Raise the front of the vehicle from the replacement side, pre-installing the wheel chocks on the diagonally opposite side. Use the jack only for raising and lowering the car, and during the repair the body must be fixed on the stops.
Remove the wheel.
Use an enema or syringe to pump out some brake fluid from the reservoir. Since the new pads will be wider than the worn out friction linings, you will have to press in the brake cylinders to install them. Pumping down will prevent the brake fluid from spilling out of the reservoir due to a change in the brake line volume.
Use a slotted screwdriver to push in the piston slightly. The tip must be inserted between the working surface of the inner brake pad and the piston. Since the force for pressing in is rather large, arm yourself with a screwdriver of sufficient length or an extension cord to create a lever.
With a socket or box wrench 14, unscrew the bolt of the lower caliper guide.
Without unscrewing the upper bolt, throw the lower part of the caliper up and secure with wire.
Remove the front brake pads from the caliper.

Installation

Before installing new front friction pads, the guide plate and the bracket seats must be thoroughly cleaned. As shown in the video, a slotted screwdriver and a metal brush are best suited for this purpose. For free movement of the front friction linings along the guide plates, the plates themselves and the ends of the pads must be lubricated with high-temperature caliper grease.

After all the manipulations, the working surface of the discs and brake pads must be free of fat deposits, residues of any grease.

Final operations to replace the front pads:

install the guide plates;
insert new friction linings into the grooves;
reassemble the caliper and all other elements in the reverse order to removal.

After completing the replacement, check the brake fluid level.

Even before unscrewing the guides, check the free movement of the calipers. They should move without distortions, jamming. Also carefully inspect the guides anthers, brake hoses. When moisture, dirt, road reagents get inside, the guides begin to stick to the caliper. Difficult movement of the calipers will lead to uneven wear of pads, discs. The situation is also unsafe because the redistribution of braking force between the front wheels may change.

Caliper Parts Requiring Lubrication

On many cars, the guide bolt is unscrewed with a hex wrench, therefore, the inner cavity must be thoroughly cleaned before unscrewing. Bolts often stick together without proper lubrication. In order not to rip off the edges, the hexagon must be securely fixed in the groove of the bolt head.
For replacement, we recommend buying pads with anti-squeak plates. Before installing the plate, it is advisable to separate it from the pads in order to apply a thin layer of special grease for the calipers at the points of contact with the metal base.

Rear drum brakes

Let us consider the procedure for replacing the rear friction linings using the example of the Hyundai Accent II.

Loosen the wheel bolts.
Adhering to safety regulations, jack up the rear of the car.
Remove the wheel.
Loosen the handbrake cable tension.
Remove the brake drum.

Disengage the end of the parking brake cable from the groove of the manual brake shoe lever.
Remove the top and bottom return springs.
Unscrew the "soldiers" holding the rear friction linings.
Install the end of the parking brake cable into the groove of the manual shoe feed lever.
Place the new pad at the intended attachment point, and then fix it with the "soldier".
Install the regulator with the lever in the grooves of the new shoe, and then attach it to the brake shield, installing the "soldier".
Install the upper and lower return springs.

In order not to look at the parts of the rear drum brakes with bewildered eyes during assembly, take a photo before disassembling that will allow you to easily assemble the brake mechanism.

If you decide to change the brake pads, but keep the old drums, it is advisable to cut down the "shoulder". In the case of deep potholes, uneven wear, it is advisable to grind the drums before installation. Be sure to adjust the parking brake after completing work.

Rear disc brake pads

The device and principle of operation of the rear disc brakes are not much different from the mechanisms on the front axle, therefore the replacement process is extremely similar. We suggest watching a video that shows in detail how to replace the rear brake pads on disc brakes.

Every car owner must understand that the correct operation of the brakes is a guarantee of the safety of the driver and passengers while driving. Correct work brake system depends on many factors, but first of all you should pay attention to the condition of the brake pads. The wear of the pads is determined by the remainder of the friction part, that is, the material on the main part of the pads, with which they are pressed against the pancakes. It is this part that is prone to wear and tear.

Brake pads are one of the most frequently worn out car parts, so sooner or later every motorist should learn how to change brake pads without the help of specialists.

The front brake pads and the rear brake pads must be replaced in pairs, that is, it is not recommended to replace them on one front wheel and leave the old ones on the other. Also with the rear wheels. This leads to destabilization of the vehicle during braking.

The choice of brake pads for a car

Of course, a longer brake system operation depends on the correct choice of brake pads. Here you cannot save money and chase cheapness. Moreover, cheap, low-quality pads can ruin the brake discs, leaving dents on them when braking, and replacing brake discs is a more complicated and expensive process than replacing pads.

However, the high cost of these parts also does not guarantee quality. The best option is to visit the car manufacturer's website and find out which pads were used to make your car model. They will last longer than the pads of other manufacturers, as the developers have taken into account all the structural features of the car and used the most suitable materials.

Preparing to replace brake pads

Before replacing the pads with your own hands, you need to prepare the tool:

jack for raising the car;
wheel wrench for wheel removal;
pliers;
a thin peak about ten centimeters long;
a large screwdriver.

In order to start replacing brake pads, it is necessary to fix the car with a parking brake or substitute a block or brick under the wheel that will prevent the car from moving. Then you need to slightly raise the car with a jack and loosen the bolts on the wheel with a wheel wrench. Raise the car until the wheel touches the ground and does not turn when loosening the bolts. After the bolts are released, you need to raise the car with a jack until the wheel is off the ground.

After that, the bolts are unscrewed with a wheel wrench, and the wheel is removed from the hub. Then, depending on the side on which the pads are changing, you need to unscrew the steering wheel in the right direction: if the replacement is made on the left, then to the right, and if from the right, then to the left.

Then you need to remove the locking pins from the guide fingers with pliers and knock the fingers out of the seat with a lance. Then you need to remove the springs, if they did not fall out when removing the fingers. Further, by pressing on the moving part of the caliper with a large flat screwdriver, you need to increase the distance between the brake disc and the pads. From the resulting gap, you need to remove the old brake pads and install new ones in the same position.

To assemble this part of the brake system, you need to perform all the above steps in reverse order.

Knowing how to replace the brake pads on one wheel, you can perform all of the above actions on the other wheels.

Important points in the pad replacement procedure

Before replacing the pads, it is necessary to check the brake fluid reservoir. It is not necessary that it be full to the eyeballs, because when moving apart the moving parts of the caliper, fluid may spill out, and this will damage the paint of the car.
Before lifting the car with a jack, open the driver's door window. when raised, the body may move slightly and this will prevent the door from opening.
Because when disassembling the brake pad assembly system, many small metal parts are formed, it will be prudent to use a magnet to store them and prevent the loss of any element.
The accumulation of rust is possible in the seat of the guide fingers, which will make it difficult to remove them, so you need to spray it with a special liquid in advance.
When installing all the elements back, it is recommended to clean them of dirt and dust and spray them with graphite grease. This will facilitate the subsequent replacement of the brake pads.

Diagnostics of the work done

Before leaving the car on the road after replacing the pads, it is necessary to perform some diagnostic steps. To begin with, you should visually inspect the pads and wheels to check if they are installed correctly and if there is a brake fluid leak.

Then, sitting behind the wheel, you need to press the brake pedal several times, until the pedal failure disappears. This is necessary to bring the pads to the brake discs. Now you need to check how the car brakes on the go. There should be no destabilization during braking, i.e. during the braking distance, the car must move smoothly, without skidding in any direction.

The best test is acceleration and hard braking. It is recommended to carry out this check in an open area so as not to damage your car or the cars of other road users.

How often do you need to change the brake pads

As mentioned earlier, driving on worn-out pads is unsafe for the driver and passengers, so the car owner himself must monitor their condition. Professionals recommend changing all four pairs of pads at once, but practice shows that the front pads, due to the greater load on them, wear out faster than the rear ones.

In modern cars, there are indicators that determine the wear of the pads and inform the driver about it. But, according to experts, any electronics can malfunction, and in this case it can lead to tragic results.

It is always best to check the wear of the brake pads yourself. To do this, twisting the steering wheel in the right direction, you need to visually assess the remainder of the friction part on the pads. This is enough to understand whether the pads are worn out or not. Or you can contact the service.

As you can see, the procedure for replacing the brake pads is quite simple, so, as they say, good luck!

Video

Replacing the pads with a VAZ is as follows:

When driving. The main task of this system is to partially slow down the car, as well as to stop it completely. The traffic rules state that it is completely prohibited to operate a car with a faulty braking system.

The elements of the brake system must be carefully monitored

The design and principle of operation of brakes

These mechanisms are installed on the wheel hubs and are an intermediate link between the hub and the wheel, due to which deceleration is possible.

Often, disc mechanisms are installed on the front axle, and drum mechanisms, since they are also used as a parking brake, on the rear. Although there are many cars with disc brakes on both axles.

The principle of operation of the drum mechanism is as follows: the drum with the wheel fixed on it rotates freely around the hub axis, the brake shoes inside the drum are in a compressed state. The pads are compressed by two springs. The lower part of the pads is installed in the mounting grooves of the hub, and top part - in the grooves of the pistons of the working brake cylinder.

When acting on the pedal, the fluid under the action of force presses on the pistons, they begin to leave the cylinder, pushing the pads and overcoming the force of the tension springs. The pads expand and come into contact with the drum. The friction that occurs between them slows down the rotation of the drum, and with it the wheels. The more force the fluid transfers, the more the pads will be pressed against the drum, and the braking will be more intense.

Removing the disc brake caliper when replacing the pads

Disc mechanisms have a slightly different design and principle of operation. The brake pads are installed in the caliper, which has a U-shape. The caliper itself can move longitudinally on its mounting bolts. On the one hand, usually the inner one, a brake piston is installed in the caliper, and the caliper itself acts as a working cylinder. The piston rests against one of the pads.

The mechanism works like this: a disc placed between the pads, if braking is not performed, rotates freely. When the force is transmitted, the piston leaves the cylinder and begins to press the pad against the disc. The force created by the fluid on the caliper piston not only presses one pad, it also forces the caliper itself to move along the axis, and the pad, located on the other side of the disc, also begins to press against it. This ensures a two-way action of the pads on the disc.

When you need to replace the brake pads. Signs of wear

From the above it is clear that the pads are the main element of this mechanism. Their frequent interaction with the drum or disc leads to the erasure of the friction linings, after which the brake pads will need to be replaced. There are several signs that the brake pads need replacing:

Video: How to replace brake discs and pads

A squeal is heard when braking. The appearance of a sound indicates the complete erasure of the friction linings and the metal part of the pad is already interacting with the drum / disc.
Braking is too slow or too fast. With severe wear of the friction linings, the gap between the pad and the drum / disc increases. This gap affects the time required for full contact of the lining with the drum / disc, and also changes the brake pedal travel, more pedal pressure is required, and, as a result, the effort increases. Because of this, braking is slower. The absence of friction linings leads to the fact that when braking, the metal part of the pad and the disc / drum begin to interact with each other. Friction between them increases significantly - braking is faster than usual. In this case, the interaction of metal parts significantly damages the surface of the drum / disc;
... This is due to uneven wear or damage to the friction lining. The appearance of a runout also indicates that the brake pads need to be replaced.

When at least one of these signs appears, the brake pads are replaced.

Replacing the front brake pads

As already mentioned, disc mechanisms are installed on the front of the car, and since the design of such a mechanism is simpler, the replacement of the front brake pads is easier.

Replacing the front brake pads

To replace the front brake pads, the car must be installed on a flat surface, put on the parking brake and throw chocks under the wheels. Then the car is jacked up from the side where the front brake pads will be replaced, the wheel bolts are loosened beforehand.

After jacking up, the wheel is completely removed from the hub. At this stage, you can visually assess the condition of the pads, if they notice a strong wear, they change. To do this, unscrew one of the caliper mounting bolts. Further, the caliper is removed from the disc by turning it around the axis of the second mounting bolt. Then the worn out pads are removed from the caliper.

Video: Video of replacing the front brake pads VW Passat

Before replacing the front brake pads, it will be necessary to sink the piston into the brake cylinder, otherwise it will be impossible to reinstall the caliper. You need to press it in with effort, but carefully, since the caliper is made of aluminum and it is not difficult to damage it.

After the piston is depressed, the pads are installed in the caliper, it is put in place and secured back with a mounting bolt. Then the wheel is installed in place and the car is removed from the jack.

Replacing the rear brake pads, if they are disc, is done in the same way as at the front.

Replacing the rear brake pads

But if a drum mechanism is installed at the back, replacing the rear brake pads is more laborious, the disc ones.

Replacing pads on rear drum brakes

Again, the wheel where the brake pads will be replaced is jacked up and removed from the car. To remove the drum, you will need to unlock the drum fastening nut and unscrew the nut itself. Further, carefully prying the drum from different sides, it is removed from the hub axis. When removing it is important to observe the bearing that is installed in the drum. If there is a parking brake mechanism, then it is removed.

Before replacing the rear brake pads, you will need to sink the pistons into the working cylinder. Then the pads are put in place. Then they are fixed with clamps, tension springs and a parking brake mechanism are installed on them. Then a drum with a bearing is installed in place and tightened with a nut, the nut itself locks. After the wheel is installed. The rear brake pads of the drum mechanism have been replaced.

It is important to take into account that the replacement of the pads is carried out at least in pairs, that is, if the pads are replaced on one front wheel, then they must be changed on the second. And it is better to replace the pads on all wheels at once.