I know this is a stupid question to about 95% of the people on this web site but still, I am learning so I gotta ask. I need to change my brake pads and I heard that it is very easy so I figured I could save some money by doing it myself. What tools am I gonna need besides a jack and tire iron. Thanks in advance for you time.

 

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...75#post1132275

You will need a 3/8" allen key to get the front calipers off. Get one that is in a socket that you can use with a breaker bar or ratchet. If you have never done brakes before, you might want to buy a simple manual like a Haynes to help you along. After all, you want to do the brakes right.

 

You definatly should get the 3/8 allen socket. If i find out who cranked the calipers on my car up with so much torque, the consequences will not be pleasent. I snapped a ratchet handle in half on one of them. (with a breaker bar)

So Shoeboxes advice is very wise. There is no way a standard allen wrench will do the trick if your car has over tighened parts, it will just bend.

You will also need a decent sized C-clamp.

 

if not a c-clamp, then a brake pad spreader will be great

http://www.shoppingfish.com/car-part...-Spreader.html

also, when pusing the piston back in the caliper, be sure the fluid resevior cap is off

brakes are very easy after the 1st time, but drum brakes are the devil!!

 

I just replaced my rotors and pads not but a month ago. You will need a 3/8 allen socket for the front and a metric socket for the rear. Use a 6 or 7 inch C-clamp to push the cylinder into the caliper. I didn't open the bleed screws, I just used the clamp to push the piston back in. I just loosened the top guide pins and swung the caliper out. You will need to loosen the bottom also so that it will pivot. The pads should come right out. Now is the time to take a wire brush to everything so that the pads will seat correctly. You can get some anti squeak from you local store. I spread some on the pads, inserted them into the caliper, and pivoted the caliper back into place to bolt on. Check the rubber boots and grease the pins. Bolt everthing up and you are ready to go. The rear is a bit different. The pins are metric bolt( forgot what size). The process is the same for the rear as the back except for the pins. There are two wrenches required to tighten the pins.

After changing the pads. I took it to GM and flushed and vacuum bled the system. Workin great and now with my new rotors all the way around, my breaking is a 100%better and no heavy vibrations from the front.

Hope this helps and BTW, please correct me if I am wrong in any aspect. Provide this boy with more specifics, like wrench sizes, grease to use, music to listen to, turn off you cell phone.

The fronts are smoother when you turn the wheel so that you can actually look at what you are working on in the back.

later hosen
Finch