Wear assessment and replacement of brake pads. How to change the brake pads on your car How to change the front brake pads

February 5, 2017

The efficiency of the brake system largely depends on the technical condition of the pads - elements pressed against the disc or wheel drum when the pedal is pressed. They are equipped with overlays that gradually wear out and at some point become unusable. The actual "life" of parts can be different and depends on many factors. Therefore, every motorist must monitor the brake mechanisms of the wheels and clearly determine when to change the pads. To control the wear of the linings, it is not necessary to go to the service station, you can check it yourself.

The brake shoe is a base made of thick metal with an overlay made of friction material attached to it. The components in it are rubber, graphite and mineral fibers, fastened with technological resins. How often to change these important parts for safe driving is indicated in the car's operating instructions. Typically, car manufacturers recommend the following intervals between replacements:

on cars of the post-Soviet countries, it is planned to install new parts after 10-15 thousand kilometers;
on foreign cars, whose spare parts are traditionally of better quality, the interval is from 15 to 25 thousand km;
a separate category is powerful sports cars, where replacement is made every 5-10 thousand km.

Practice shows that the front brake pads experience a greater load than the rear ones, which is why they wear out faster.

Russian motorists should not rely entirely on the recommendations in the technical data sheet, since many factors affect the wear of the linings:

The more aggressive the driving style, the faster the working surfaces wear out, because for 1 km of the road you use the brakes twice as often as the average driver.
machine operating conditions. If you constantly drive on dirt and bad roads, then wear is accelerated due to dirt getting on the brake discs and drums.
The quality of the material from which the part is made.
Technical condition of brake drums and discs. When grooves appear on the surfaces of these elements, the linings wear out much faster.
Permanent transportation of goods.

This raises the question of how much brake pads run in real life. The mileage range is quite wide - from 5 to 45 thousand km, depending on the brand of car and the degree of influence of these factors. That is why it is important to independently monitor the condition of the overlays.

Part wear symptoms

In the process of driving, there are several signs by which you can navigate when it is time to change the pads of the front or rear brakes, or even all together. The symptoms are:

a metallic rattle when pressing the pedal indicates the complete wear of the lining;
increased stroke of the brake pedal, its vibration when pressed;
when braking, there is a feeling that the front or rear of the car is being pulled to the side, and on a slippery road the car easily goes into a skid;
a serviceable hand brake does not work;
to stop, you need to put more effort on the pedal.

If during braking a metallic rattle and squeak is heard from the side of the wheels, then the question of how much to change unusable parts is no longer worth it. Replacement must be done urgently, since there are no more friction linings and the steel base rubs against the working surface of the disc.

Never bring the brakes to a state of complete wear, otherwise, along with the pads, you will have to replace the discs, which is significantly more expensive.

If you find one or more symptoms that indicate problems with the wheel brake mechanisms, check the condition of the pads. Recommendations for performing diagnostics are as follows:

If the car is equipped with light alloy wheels with large holes, then nothing will have to be disassembled to inspect the front calipers. If necessary, jack up the machine to align the disc opening with the brake mechanism.
Wheels with steel rims must be removed. Inspect the front brake pads and evaluate the thickness of the pads. If it is less than 3 mm, the parts should be replaced immediately. With a thickness of 3-5 mm, you can drive another 1-2 thousand km, no more.
The rear brakes are disc and drum. The former are examined similarly to the anterior ones, while the latter will have to be disassembled. Remove the wheel and release the "handbrake", then unscrew the drum and gently knock it off the hub. Unlike the front pads, the rear pads must be changed at a thickness of 1.5-2 mm.

When, as a result of diagnostics, wear of elements close to the maximum is detected, but replacement is delayed for various reasons, drive carefully and without haste. It happens that a worn out lining comes off completely when you sharply press the pedal.

When diagnosing, pay attention to the working surface of the brake drums and discs. If its development is 2 mm or more (determined by the depth of the groove with a caliper), then the part must be replaced.

Other Reasons to Replace Pads

In addition to the situation with critical wear, it is necessary to change the brake pads in such cases:

the thickness of the friction material is more than 5 mm, but the lining itself has begun to peel off from the steel base;
cracks and chips appeared on the surface, the material began to crumble;
on the parts there are stains of oil or brake fluid that reduces frictional properties;
when the brake drum or disc has been replaced.

Another reason for replacement is due to the abundance of low-quality fakes in the auto parts market.. New pads purchased at an unreliable outlet, after 1-2 thousand km, begin to creak or squeak terribly, although the working part is still far from complete abrasion. The culprit is the material of the part, whose hardness is comparable to metal, which is why the surface is “licked” and a creak appears. If the elements made of unknown materials are not replaced, the output on the brake discs will increase sharply.

Many modern cars are equipped with special sensors that register a decrease in the thickness of the friction layer and give a signal to the driver when it reaches a critical level. This is also a reason to remove parts with worn linings and install new ones.

True, the sensors are often clogged with dirt and lose their efficiency, so it does not hurt the owner of the car to independently check the condition of the brakes.

The first and very important rule: you can not change the front or rear brake pads one by one. It is necessary to put a set of new elements on the front or rear axle, otherwise, when braking, the car can strongly drift to the side. Even when one lining is worn out, all four must be replaced.. As a temporary option, it is allowed to install 2 new parts on one rear wheel.

When choosing new pads in the store, use the following recommendations:

Products must match the model of the car and be sold in high-quality packaging with enclosed instructions. The inscriptions on the box are clear and without errors indicating Chinese origin.
See that the friction material is of the same color, without foreign inclusions.
The surface pressed against the plane of the disc must be flat. Small chips along the edges and indentations are allowed if they occupy no more than 1% of the total area of the working plane.
Cracks at the interface between metal and friction material are unacceptable.

Ideally, you should buy original products in their original packaging. This will save you from unpleasant surprises, extraordinary replacements and emergencies during the operation of the car.

Any car. It is with the help of them that the speed is reduced and the vehicle stops. Brake pads are one of the most significant elements that directly affect the safety of the car. But, like any other part, sooner or later they wear out and become unsuitable for further use.

In this case, they must be urgently changed. And today we will look at how to properly change the brake pads with your own hands.

What affects wear?

To begin with, we note a couple of significant factors that reduce the service life of these parts in a car:

Company manufacturer. Most often, it is dishonesty and the desire to earn more money that pushes manufacturers to produce low-quality pads. Therefore, when choosing these spare parts, you should not be guided by the principle of greater savings, trusting your choice to unknown companies. Yes, brake pads of famous brands are many times more expensive. But on the other hand, overpaying for it, you will be sure of your safety.
Driving style. This is also a significant factor affecting the life of the brake pads. Parts wear out much faster if the driver uses a sporty and aggressive driving style (especially in the city), trying to prove something to someone. At the same time, if instead of pads you brake with an engine, the resource of the elements can reach 80 thousand kilometers. But we'll talk about the resource, but for now let's look at how to change the brake pads with your own hands.

Cooking Tools

For a successful replacement, we need to prepare the following set:

Jack.
Lift support.
Standard wrench set.
"Balonnik".

Having prepared all the above tools, you can safely get to work.

Also note that this operation is divided into two stages. First, the front pads are replaced, and then the rear ones. Let's start with the first one.

How to change front brake pads?

Here we will consider the installation of parts on vehicles with drum brakes. First you need to remove the car from the handbrake, put stops under the wheels and jack up its front part. Next, you need to remove the brake hose from the mount and use a spray bottle (alternatively, you can use a key and a mount) to press the piston. Note that the brake fluid level may rise at this point.

Next, the bolt securing the caliper bracket is unscrewed. The penultimate detail is also removed. After that, the old pads are taken out, and new ones are installed in their place. The elements are assembled in the reverse order.

How to change rear brake pads?

Here we will also give an example of how the elements on the “drums” are dismantled and installed. Note that this operation is somewhat different from the previous one. So what should be done? To begin with, we put special stops under the wheels (now the front ones). It can be either a rubber brake “shoe”, or an ordinary brick or a piece of thick wood. The main thing is that the car rests its wheels on this object and does not go further.

How to change brake pads with your own hands next? At the next stage, we jack up the car, tear off the bolts and unscrew the wheels. Then take out the brake drum. To do this, unscrew the guide bushings. If this element is difficult to remove, we try to turn it 30-45 degrees and alternately tighten the guide bushings. Next, using pliers with narrow noses, we pull out the flat springs from the pads. After we take out the upper horizontal spring. This can be done with a large minus screwdriver.

How to change brake pads next? Now we take the block to the side and take out another, lower spring. To finally remove this part, remove the spacer plate and pull out the cotter pin from the handbrake rod. Then we take out the lever with springs and mount a new block in a regular place.

Features of replacement on cars with disc brakes

Here, in contrast to working with the drum system, we will need special pullers, which differ in type and marking for each model of the machine. So what needs to be done? First, the handbrake cable is loosened and the parking brake lever is released. Next, special pins are knocked out and the retaining spring is removed. After that, the pads themselves are removed. Further pistons are pushed into the cylinder and new brake pads are installed in place of the old ones. In this case, both sides of the gasket must be lubricated with a layer of silicone grease.

Completion of works

Upon completion of all work on both disk and drum cars, a check is made, and, if necessary, bleeding of the brakes. It is also important to check the brake fluid level before driving. If possible, add it to the required level.

About the resource

The service life of brake pads is ambiguous. Depending on the place of application (front or rear of the car), they serve from 20 to 50 thousand kilometers. And again, the resource depends on the build quality and the type of ride of the driver himself.

As for the first point, there were cases when, after 3-5 thousand kilometers of run, the upper friction layer of the pads simply crumbled and turned into powder. All that was left of them was a metal plate. If this problem is not noticed in time, this part will simply stick to the brake drum or disc. Then blocking the wheels is inevitable.

In general, it is necessary to control the wear of these elements not by mileage, but by the thickness of the remaining upper layer. All pads have special indicators - recesses. They just signal wear and tear. If the top layer has reached these beacons (as a rule, it is 1.5-2 mm thick from the plate), then the brake pads need to be changed.

How much does such a service cost at the service station?

Prices for such work in auto repair shops can reach 1 thousand rubles. But, as you can see, it is quite possible to perform such an operation on your own, without expensive tools and assistants.

So, we figured out how to change the brake pads with your own hands.

Before proceeding to the process of replacing brake pads, it is worth clarifying the principle of operation of the brake system. The fact is that by pressing the brake pedal, several actions take place in the car at once, the end result of which is the stop of the car. At the moment, all passenger cars are equipped with hydraulic brakes with a vacuum boost system - this helps to reduce the effort when pressing the brake pedal to effectively stop the vehicle.

By pressing the pedal, you press on the brake caliper cylinders with a special fluid (brake fluid). At the same time, the degree of pressure is increased by means of a special vacuum booster, and the brake caliper cylinders press special heat-resistant pads with a high coefficient of friction against steel brake discs or drums that are directly connected to the wheels. This is what makes the car stop.

When to change brake pads

First of all, it is worth remembering that any car requires periodic replacement of brake pads, regardless of the high cost of the model, but the frequency of replacement itself can differ significantly from the model of the car and the quality of the brake pads themselves. Usually, this interval is from 20,000 to 60,000 km. Remember that operating a vehicle with worn brake pads is a potential emergency. After all, the effectiveness of the brakes decreases, and the stopping distance increases.

It is worth noting that most modern cars and brake pads allow you to quickly understand that the service life is already coming to an end. Let's start with the brake pads: most modern manufacturers install a small piece of metal into the pads themselves at a certain depth, and when the wear reaches a critical point, the pads begin to “creak” strongly when you press the pedal. Also, there are car models with a pad wear indicator. The principle of operation is approximately the same, but not sound is used, but electrical contact. When the element touches the brake disc, a warning indicator lights up on the instrument panel.

Also, it is worth knowing that not only pads are subject to wear, but also brake discs. Their service life can be from two pad replacements to an indefinite time, it all depends on the quality of materials and operating conditions. However, it is definitely worth keeping an eye on it. When the brake disc wears out, the braking performance deteriorates.

In addition, when performing a self-replacement, it is necessary to pay attention to all brake hoses, looking for any hints of a possible leak. The fact is that even the weakest brake fluid leak can lead to an unpleasant consequence involving your car in an accident.

How to Prepare for a Brake Pad Replacement

Before proceeding with the replacement of brake pads, it is necessary to comply with all safety regulations. It is clear that many change pads with little or no insurance, but one case is enough to cripple. Therefore, before replacing the pads, it is necessary to put stops under several wheels, so that the car does not roll in case of emergency. The jack must be installed on a flat and solid surface to prevent the car from falling when you change the pads.

Before raising the car on the jack, it is necessary to “break off” the wheel bolts, but do not unscrew them completely. After that, the body is jacked up from the side of the wheel on which the pads are replaced, and after that, the bolts are unscrewed and the wheel itself is removed.

After these simple procedures, one wheel is available for repair work. Replacing the pads on each subsequent wheel follows the same pattern.

The next step will be the process of replacing the old pads with new ones.

Removing old brake pads

After all the procedures for preparing the car are completed, you can proceed directly to removing the old pads. To do this, you will need to unscrew one or more bolts that hold the brake caliper itself. After the caliper is freed from the bolts, it must be lifted above the brake disc.

Note that the brake hoses remain attached to the caliper and do not need to be unscrewed. The only thing is, use a wire or other improvised means, but do not let the brake caliper hang on the hose. Otherwise, it may damage the hose itself or the connection, and a brake fluid leak will occur, which will be difficult to notice after installing new pads.

Once the brake caliper is securely suspended and the brake hoses are hanging freely and not in danger of damage, you can pay attention to the condition of the brake disc. Firstly, it should be relatively smooth, without large scratches and grooves. It's a good idea to look up information about standard disc thicknesses and recommended minimum thicknesses before replacement. After checking, you can determine whether it is worth changing the brake disc, or it will still serve.

After the brake caliper was removed, access to the old brake pads appeared, and already by eye you can determine the degree of wear. If the thickness of the old pads has reached a third of the new ones, this is already a sign of the need for an urgent replacement. You should not use them until they are completely erased, otherwise, the pad may fly off the metal base, and it or the base will jam between the caliper bracket at the most inopportune moment.

How to install new brake pads

Now you can safely proceed to install new brake pads, but before installation, you will have to manually remove the caliper cylinder, which will not allow you to insert new wider pads.

Before you try to crush the caliper piston to the stop, it is advisable to remove the cap of the brake fluid expansion tank. Otherwise, you will have to apply more force to return the piston to its place. For simple and effective compression of the piston, a C-clamp can be used. With its help, gently squeezing the caliper and piston, it will be possible to do this operation without much effort and without the risk of damaging the boot or brake hose.

After the piston has returned to its place, the very least remains - to assemble everything in the reverse order. To do this, install new pads in place of the old ones, and put the caliper on top. Make sure that the brake hose is not twisted, and the brake fluid reservoir cap must be returned back. The more it is left open, the more dirt can get into it.

After installing the caliper in its place, do not forget to return all the bolts to their place. A forgotten bolt can lead to a serious accident at high speed. Then the simplest part of the whole job remains - return the wheel to its rightful place, tighten all the bolts, and repeat this procedure on the remaining wheels.

Remember, after replacing new pads, you need to press the brake pedal several times. The fact is that we crushed the brake caliper piston to the stop, and for the first few clicks, it does not transmit force to the pads. If you forget about this fact, you can be left without brakes.

In addition, it should be borne in mind that the first few hundred kilometers, new pads do not fit snugly against the brake disc, due to irregularities on the disc itself. And until the pads “grind” (do not take the form of a brake disc), the car will slow down several times worse. Therefore, special attention will be required on the road, unfortunately, there is no other way to get rid of this.

Conclusion

In fact, changing brake pads, especially on disc brakes, is a simple and chore job that can be done in 20 minutes on both wheels with a little experience, but the first time around, it can seem a bit complicated. Therefore, if you have neither the time nor the desire to do this yourself, then you can contact any service station near you, or find one on the Internet, now many service stations have their own websites. For example, a service station located in St. Petersburg - http://autoport.spb.ru/.

Brake pads are an important part of the vehicle's braking system, responsible for slowing down the vehicle when necessary. The safety of the driver and passengers depends on the quality and performance of the brake pads, so every driver should know what the replacement of brake pads is and how to maintain the performance of the brake system. This is a simple procedure, so it will not be difficult for motorists to replace the pads with their own hands.

All parts in the car have a certain working resource, which decreases during operation. Brake pad wear is affected by various factors, so the replacement frequency may vary on a case-by-case basis. How to replace brake pads and what is needed for this - all this will be discussed in this article.

Most passenger cars are equipped with disc brakes, but some still have drums (such as the Toyota Prius). When you press the brake pedal, the friction surface of the pads contacts the disc, causing its movement to slow down. In the case of drum brakes, everything happens in a similar way, only the pads are pressed not from both sides, as happens with a disc, but from the inside of the drum. As soon as the driver releases the pedal, the pads automatically return to their original position.

How does the braking system of a car work?

Gradually, the friction surface wears out, as a result of which the system cannot slow down the vehicle. A faulty braking system puts the lives of the driver, passengers and other road users at risk. Therefore, it is necessary to change the pads in a timely manner, without postponing this matter for later.

Why pads wear out

The following factors can affect the life of the brake pads:

the quality of the previously performed pad replacement;
climatic conditions of your region;
manufacturing company;
part cost;
driving characteristics;
pavement quality.

Brake pad wear

On a note! It is recommended to check the operation of the brake system every 10,000 km. During the check, special attention should be paid to the brake pads, their behavior when the brake pedal is pressed. When squeaks or other third-party sounds appear, damaged elements must be replaced.

Despite various factors affecting the frequency of replacing brake pads, there are average data. If you own a domestic car, then you need to change the pads every 15,000 km. In the case of foreign cars, these indicators differ significantly and it is recommended to replace it every 20,000 km. If we are talking about racing cars, then the replacement should be carried out much more often (about every 5,000 km).

The wear of the front brake pads is more intense than the rear ones, so they need to be changed several times more often. There is also a significant difference between operating a car with disc and drum brakes. If the average frequency of replacing pads for disc brakes is 10,000-20,000 km, then for drum brakes it is 120,000 km. But these figures may vary depending on several factors mentioned above.

Main signs of wear

The brake system of the car works non-stop, so over time, some of its components may fail. But most often, malfunctions in the system occur as a result of pad wear. There are several signs that help motorists identify rear or front brake pad wear.

Stopping distance increases

If you suddenly notice that the braking distance has increased dramatically, then this may indicate the need to replace the pads or other elements of the system. As practice shows, an increase in the brake may be caused by damage to the brake caliper or wear of the friction surface of the pads.

Uneven frictional pad wear

If the pads are worn more on one axle than on the other, then this most likely indicates the need to replace the brake caliper, as it does not function properly. Untimely replacement of the caliper will lead to the fact that even the most expensive and new pads will fail quickly enough.

Uneven brake pad wear

Integrity violation

The presence of mechanical damage, which is visible even to the naked eye, indicates the need to replace damaged parts. Most often, drivers are faced with damage to the brake discs, chipping off parts of the friction material from the pads, severe scuffs or cracks.

Large free play brake pedal

Severe wear of the brake pads can be determined by the force that must be applied to press the pads to the surface of the disc. In this case, the brake pedal must be pressed with great effort, which the driver notices almost immediately, as well as the increased travel of the pedal itself.

Lost brake fluid

During operation, when the pads gradually wear out, an increase in brake fluid consumption is noticed. This is due to the fact that the brake caliper is forced to work with great effort to press the pads to the surface of the disc. Such an operation requires more pressure and, accordingly, the amount of brake fluid. This leads to a rapid decrease in its level in the system.

Special signal triggered

Some car models are equipped with a special sensor that alerts the driver when the brake pad is thin. You can find out about this by hearing a characteristic sound or by seeing a warning light come on. If this happens, then you should replace the pads as soon as possible.

What is required to replace

Before you change the brake pads, you need to prepare all the tools:

C-clamp;
a set of wrenches (they will be required to remove the wheel and loosen the brake caliper);
work gloves;
jack;
pliers;
screwdriver;
goggles to protect the eyes from chemicals;
a respirator may also be required to protect you from inhaling harmful brake dust;
set of new brake pads.

Tools for changing brake pads

Most of the above tools should be kept in the garage of every motorist, so you do not need to be a born mechanic and have special equipment to replace brake pads, whether you have a VAZ 2101-21099 or Renault Logan.

If there are no problems with the preparation of tools, then when choosing a set of brake pads, you may encounter some difficulties. First of all, this is due to a large number of manufacturers.

What to pay attention to

There are several important points to consider when choosing brake pads. This is the originality of the details, the quality of the packaging, as well as the operational features of the pads.

Originality of details

The automotive market is full of various fakes that unscrupulous sellers are trying to sell to drivers under the guise of original products. Moreover, it is not always possible to determine a fake by value. It takes practice or special skills to identify a copy. To do this, there is a large amount of information on the Internet, which indicates the main methods for distinguishing original parts from fakes. Spend 30 minutes of free time learning about your lasts.

Buy only original brake pads

If possible, then you need to make purchases only in trusted specialized stores. This will help protect against low-quality products.

Product packaging

When choosing pads, directly in the store, try to study the packaging in detail. Read all the inscriptions (evenness of the written lines and the correct spelling of all words), pay attention to the design of the packaging. Also, it will not be superfluous to unpack it and inspect the pads themselves for mechanical damage and other defects. Make sure the serial number on the box matches the number on the pads themselves.

Read the information on the box of brake pads

Operational Features

If you are a fan of fast driving, then you need to select the appropriate pads. There are special brake pads that are designed for use in urban areas, in mountainous areas or for a sporty way of driving.

Manufacturer rating

Having decided on the type of brake pads that suits you best, it remains only to choose a manufacturer. We will try to help you with this. Below is a list of well-known brands of brake pads for domestic and foreign cars.

Table. An overview of the best brake pad manufacturers.

brand name	Description
ABS	European manufacturer of automotive brake parts, considered one of the best in the world. The company produces products not only for cars, but also for trucks, capturing a range of vehicles of American, Korean, Japanese and European production.
	It is rightfully considered a leader in its field. Allied Nippon is recognized as the best manufacturer of brake pads for imported vehicles. Due to the mineral metal used in production, the pads have an increased coefficient of friction.
ATE	ATE products have a long service life, making them among the best in terms of economy and reliability. Brake pads function effectively in various weather and temperature conditions.
	In the manufacture of brake pads, the latest technologies were used, which ensured optimal braking under different conditions. Ferodo Target is the perfect combination of price and quality, which is why many motorists prefer the products of this brand.
Bosch	The friction material of Bosch brake pads includes mineral wool, carbon fiber, aluminum, copper, natural rubber and other components, making them resistant to temperature and other external factors. The products of this brand meet all standards for wear resistance, stability and uniformity of characteristics.
Samko	An Italian manufacturer that has managed to conquer the whole world. The friction material of the brake pads does not contain asbestos, which makes them unique in their kind. The products are characterized by quiet operation, thermal stability and minimal abrasiveness. In addition, the coefficient of friction of the pads does not change with increasing temperature, as can happen with some analogues.

On a note! You cannot save on safety, so when choosing brake pads, give preference not to the cost of the product, but to its quality. Low-grade brake pads are made from cheap components, which significantly reduces the efficiency of the system.

Getting Started

Replacing brake pads will cost a motorist much less than a visit to a car service, which usually results in a serious blow to the wallet. To properly perform this procedure at home, you need to follow the step-by-step instructions below.

Removing old pads

Step 1. Buy quality brake pads. They are available at any auto parts store or local car dealership. Just give the manager the necessary information about your car (year of manufacture, car model and the approximate cost of the product you are counting on). In general, the more expensive the pads, the longer they will last you.

Step 2 Make sure the car is cold. If you have just arrived on it from work or from the store, you risk getting badly burned by hot pads or calipers. Before proceeding with the replacement, make sure that these parts have cooled down well.

Step 3 Loosen nuts. Using a wrench, loosen each of the nuts that hold the wheels in place. Unscrew them about 70%. Do not loosen all wheels at the same time. As a rule, when replacing brake pads, 2 front or two rear pads are changed. It depends on your vehicle and how evenly worn the work surface is. So either start at the front or at the back.

Step 4 Carefully raise the vehicle with a jack until it is high enough to work. Check your owner's manual to determine the correct position of the jack under the vehicle. Place some wheel chocks behind the other wheels to prevent the vehicle from moving when changing.

Step 5 You can start removing the wheels. Finish loosening the fixing nuts only when your car is in a raised position. Pull the wheel slightly towards you to remove it.

Step 6 Select the correct wrench size to remove the brake caliper mounting bolts. The main task of the brake caliper is to force the adhesion between the friction surface of the pads and the disc. As a rule, calipers are attached to the car hub with 2 or 4 bolts. If necessary, use WD-40 if you have trouble loosening the retaining nuts.

Take the opportunity to check the performance of the brake calipers. To do this, move them slightly from side to side at rest. But here you need to be careful, even though one hundred fasteners are not completely unscrewed.

Step 7 Carefully hang the brake caliper onto the wheel well as shown in the picture. Use a small piece of wire to hang the caliper. So you can protect the flexible brake hose from squeezing.

Replacing elements

Step 1. It's time to remove the old brake pads, but before that you need to remember the position in which each of them was fixed. As a rule, the pads can be fixed using a special metal latch. After removing the pads, you need to conduct a visual inspection of the brake disc. Pay attention to various cracks or chips. Many manufacturers recommend replacing brake discs along with pads.

Step 2 Install new pads. At this point, you can apply lubricant to the metal edges of the brake pads. This will avoid the appearance of squeaks when braking. Avoid getting lubricant on the pads as this can reduce the effectiveness of the vehicle's braking system. Install new elements in reverse order.

Step 3 Check the brake fluid level on your vehicle and top up if necessary. Replace the brake fluid reservoir cap when finished.

Step 4 Install the brake caliper in place. Carefully place the caliper back on the brake disc, being careful not to hit or damage anything. After that, twist and securely tighten the fixing bolts holding the caliper with your hands.

Now you need to install the brake caliper in place

Step 5 Reinstall the wheel. Install the wheel and tighten the fixing nuts. Only then can the car be lowered to the ground.

Step 6 Tighten the wheel nuts until tight. Once the vehicle is on the ground, begin tightening the opposite nuts. This will increase the reliability of the wheel fastening. Read the car's owner's manual. There should be information about the force that must be applied when tightening the nut (tightening torque). You will need a torque wrench to measure it.

Tighten the wheel nuts until tight

Step 7 Start the car. After making sure that the car is on the handbrake, pump the brakes by pressing them 15-20 times. This will help you make sure the pads have been installed correctly.

Step 8 Check new brake pads. Moving at a speed of no more than 10 km / h, gently press the brake pedal. If the vehicle stops normally, repeat the test at 20 km/h. Repeat a few more times, gradually increasing the speed to 60 km / h. After that, check the operation of the brake pads, moving in reverse gear. This will speed up the process of fitting new pads to the brake disc.

On a note! Pay attention to sounds as you move. After installation, new brake pads may squeak a little, this is normal. But if you hear a metallic screech when braking, then most likely you have installed the pads incorrectly. Replace them as soon as possible.

Bleeding the brakes

Step 1. Unscrew the cap from the reservoir of the brake cylinder. Under the influence of the environment, the brake fluid becomes contaminated during operation (dirt, dust, moisture gets there). All this negatively affects the properties of the liquid, due to which its boiling point decreases. Be sure to drain the fluid if you are going to change brake pads or calipers. But, no matter how ironic it may sound, during the replacement process you may need this fluid, so you need to drain from the brake calipers themselves, and leave a little in the reservoir.

Step 2 Drain the brake fluid sequentially. You need to start on the side that is farthest from the tank. Be sure to check the operating instructions for the car, as all car models are different in this regard. If you have any questions or can't find the manual, then consult the salesperson of the auto parts store.

Step 3 Attach a plastic hose to the nipple that acts as a brake fluid drain hole. Place the other end of the hose in a small bottle or saucepan to drain the liquid. To keep air from flowing back into the system, you need to hang or hold the bottle above the level of the calipers.

Step 4 Have an assistant depress the brake pedal. With the engine off, ask your friend to constantly pump up the brakes until he feels resistance. After that, he should notify you so that you know about the appearance of resistance. After that, you need to slightly unscrew the fitting.

At this point, the liquid should drain into a bottle or pan. Screw the drain screw back in when your friend's foot touches the floor. Repeat this process until you see air bubbles in the tube.

Step 5 Double check the system for air bubbles. If squeezing the brake pedal is accompanied by fluid seething in the master cylinder, then there are still air bubbles in the system. Start draining it again before driving.

Turn the steering wheel of the car so that the front wheel is turned outward. This will greatly facilitate the replacement of brake pads due to the increased access for work.

If you are changing pads on the rear wheels, work carefully around the parking brake system. Be extremely careful when removing and adjusting. Inspect the brake discs for wear and rust. These two symptoms can lead to pad squeaking when braking.

Important Points

When replacing, you need to consider some nuances. This will avoid common mistakes that beginners often face.

Always use jack stands when jacking up the machine and place wheel chocks or ordinary bricks under the wheels. This will prevent the machine from moving when changing pads. In this case, you should not completely rely on the work of the jack.
Avoid contact of lubricant with the surface of the brake pad. If this does happen, then the system will cease to create the necessary friction and become practically useless.
Do not remove the brake hose from the caliper. This can cause air to enter the system and cause it to stop functioning properly.

We hope our article was useful for you, and you managed to change the brake pads yourself. Not a nail, not a wand, dear motorists!

Video - Replacing brake pads on a VAZ 2108, 2109

23.01.2013

In previous articles, we have already learned how often to change brakes, when to replace, how to check 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, box wrenches on "13";
new set of brake pads;
car jack;
flat screwdriver.

Before starting work, be sure to put your car on a flat surface, put in first gear, put on the handbrake. On both sides, put “shoes” (halves of bricks) under the rear wheels.

How to remove front brake pads?

The very first thing to do is to loosen the wheel bolts on both sides, mind you: just LOOSEN!
We install the jack under the car and raise the front wheel (place the jack on a flat surface).
We completely unscrew the front wheel mount, remove the wheel.
For convenience, we completely turn the steering wheel towards the disassembled wheel: if the left wheel is removed, then we unscrew the steering wheel completely to the left side.
Pay attention to the figure: we take the key to 13 and unscrew this bolt, having previously bent (straightened) the counter-key. Do not lose the bolts, as will have to be installed back (It is worth noting that some manufacturers of brake pads put new fasteners in the box).
We open a barrel of brake fluid, using a syringe, pour a little liquid into a jar in order to leave a reserve in case the liquid 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 on 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, 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, take a flat screwdriver and thread it into the inspection hole between the block and the brake piston. And we begin to move the piston back into the cylinder. Don't use too much force to move the piston, you need a steady amount of force and time.
We remove the fasteners of the brake hose, so as not to interfere.
We move the caliper.
We remove the brake pads.

How to install front brake pads?

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

THE BELL