How hard is it to change front discs and pads?
- Thread starter AtreuS
- Start date
Basically.
Jack
Socket for wheel bolts
Allen key for disc retaining screw
May also need
Tub of high heat grease, for the back of the pads, and the pad sliders.
Flat bladed screwdriver for removing pad retaining pin/clip
I recently did them on my BMW in this thread, pictures of doing bits...
here
here
I did do all of the brakes, including the rear discs, pads and shoes, but didn't take photos of the rears being done as I was doing it in a garage and was more interested in getting it finally done.
Your friend should easily be able to help you, especially if he has space. Only reason mine was an issue is because I was working in gravel carparks and had a couple of silly mishaps.
Not forgetting a G Clamp or similar to push the piston back
Basically
-Loosen wheel nuts on ground
-Chock back wheels, jack front and put on axle stands
-Remove wheel
-Remove caliper (normally a couple of big allen bolts) and support it on something (a spare axle stand is handy)
-Remove pads from caliper
-Remove disc - depending on whether the wheels are held on by nuts or bolts, you may have a retaining screw. Depending how long they have been on there, you'll need anything from a moderate amount of force to a brutal smashing with a mallet to remove them
-Wipe new disc off with solvent and fit it to the hub
-Use a g clamp to push the pistons on the caliper back in
-Grease back of pads and fit to caliper
-Fit caliper back
-Refit wheel
-Lather, rinse and repeat
Then its just a matter of dropping the car back down and tightening up the wheel nuts and testing it
Soldato
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- 18 Oct 2002
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If it is your first time (ooh err!!) then I'd allow 2 hours for one side and probably 1.5 for the other side. It's dead easy when you know how and when you know what level of pressure is acceptable on bolts etc (generally, significantly more than you think) and when you are comfortable with the Executive Correction Device, or lump hammer as it is known. It will also depend on how old the car is,, the state of the old discs and pads, the job done by the previous chimp who replaced them. Some discs come off no issue whereas others have taken me ages to remove using the ECD. Give yourself all day and then you are laughing if you finish early. Second time around it will be quicker and the more you do it, the better you get.
Me too, but it isn't as bad as mine, which is a slope.
Yeah, mine slopes too, although to the left rather than away from the house. The worst thing is on my car when you jack one rear wheel off the floor, the other rear wheel comes off the floor too - so I cant do anything involving the rear of the car
The key to making it an easy job is having the right tools so make sure you plan ahead unlike me when I did the pads on mine and my wifes car. I didn't have a piston retracting tool and ended up making up a tool from an old bicycle flat spanner so wasted quite a load of time on this.
My personal opinion is just find a decent indy for this, I know a place (they are good) that charge me £20 to fit new disks / pads. Not worth me getting my hands dirty...
This is from a guy that did a whole engine swap too. I'm much rather pay someone £20 who does it day in day out with something like brakes.
This is from a guy that did a whole engine swap too. I'm much rather pay someone £20 who does it day in day out with something like brakes.
Kind of agree. I got a local indy to do my last oil change for a tenner, with oil and filter supplied ofc. Definitely worth it, just drinking coffee while waiting, no dirty hands/clothes and you dont need to get rid of the old oil.
I'd imagine he supplied the oil himself? Much like I supplied the disks and pads...
He did say the oil and filter were supplied foc (well he said ofc but I assume thats what he meant
)
Yes im a total car nub before anyone comments
I have a simple question. Ive just had the car ( focus 1.8 collection 2001 y-reg ) moted and taxed and ive had an advisory on the pads and discs, front only as its not ABS the back drums and shoes are fine.
Ive been quoted approx £200 for standard ford parts ( fitted ) and tested. They claimed to properly clean and fit the discs/pads takes 2.5 hours so a lot is labour costs.
Ive just priced up standard ford discs and pads and its £76 delivered, and thats just the first place i looked.
So how hard is it to do myself? i have no tools but i have a friend who is a motorbike nut and im quite sure hes got the kind of kit we need. Hes on holiday atm so i cant ask him if hes done this before, though i bet he has.
Is the garage scaring me with the old "if not done by a professional your wheels will come off and you will die" routine?
Of course i know that brakes and wheels arent things to take lightly in regards to safety but saving myself £120 by doing it myself seems daft not to consider.
Discs and pads can be done in less than an hour, and shouldnt cost more than a ton to do at your local corner garage.
It just isnt worth the dirt and the time to do it yourself for what it costs.
For instance, a set of front discs and pads can be had for as little as £55 for stuff even as large as a Land rover discovery, so a focus wont be too expensive.
Took me about an hour and a half to do mine, mainly because I'd never done them before, so had a little trouble loosening the securing bolts for the caliper and re-seating them again. I reckon if I were to do it again, I could probably have front discs and pads changed in 30-40 minutes.
If you have an accident caused by not maintaining the car properly (whether you did it yourself or not) its an at fault claim.
However, if you did it through a garage you may be able to claim off their public liability insurance for any costs incurred
However, if you did it through a garage you may be able to claim off their public liability insurance for any costs incurred