MrFTOOO's Brake Upgrade!!

MrFT000 · Post by **MrFT000** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 3:19 pm

Day1
1. Prepare all your tools: jack, stands, spanners, WD40, lock nuts
2. Loosen wheel nuts but do not remove.
3. Jack up car (I did 1 side a time)
4. Secure jack stand under car
5. Remove wheel
6. apply WD40 over inner nut to remove caliper
7. Allow WD40 to set in (apply more if necessary)
8. Attempt to remove nut.
9. Try again
10. Take a break
11. Try again at removing nut
12. Swear excessively, kick various items.
13. Put wheel back on
14. Put nuts back on wheel
15. Lower car.

Day2.
Repeat steps 1-7.
8. Call someone stronger to remove nut
9. Watch them try as hard as they can to remove nut.
10. Try yourself again (hoping that they have loosened it)
11. watch the other person try again.
12. Repeat over and over.
Repeat steps 12-15.

Day3
1. Book car into Brake specialist.
2. Pay an hours labour and have them fit the new rotors and pads.
3. All done.

In the end - i tried, i failed, so i left it to the experts.

mxysxy · Post by **mxysxy** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 3:53 pm

hahhahahah,
I can imagine myself doing those steps over and over again.

Well done MrFT000,
You tried at least.

So, how much did they charge you to refit everything.

MrFT000 · Post by **MrFT000** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 3:56 pm

$80 - and was done in an hour.
And at least I know the job was done properly.

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 4:15 pm

Good stuff Grant

BuCkEt · Post by **BuCkEt** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:26 pm

I've got the same problem.....means I'm absolutely stuff if I get a flat!!!

Chiangstar · Post by **Chiangstar** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:05 pm

one thing to remember when youre working on cars is that you need a hell of a lot of leverage when trying to undo bolts that have been stuck on for 10 years.... and stuck on good and covered in crap

if you can manage it, get the longest spanner you can find or connect some spanners together, or put a pipe over the end of the spanner to make it longer so you get get that extra leverage on the bastard nut and bolt...

here ends simon's dodgy garage tips...

simon

Jono · Post by **Jono** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:34 pm

simon, thats a good tip,

try using Long reach spanners extra leverage means extra force on tight nut's/bolts, maybe that extra few newtons to undo it and also -$80

SilentBob · Post by **SilentBob** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:42 pm

i had the same problem, plus crappy tools which meant the one siezed nut on my front calipers stayed still whilst handle of socket turned into a nice curvy shape

resulted in a trip to supercheap and finally buying a quality socket set, used a extender bar and then banged my chin on the front fender when it finally budged

SilentBob

Chiangstar · Post by **Chiangstar** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 10:52 pm

simon's second dodgy garage tip...

when buying tools, look for ones that are made out of chrome vanadium... theyre a little bit more expensive... but they dont break! well not as easily anyway

i learnt that the hard way

this is especially important if youre going to use massive leverage on a little spanner or socket wrench... ive had too many tools break and fling little bits of metal around!!

simon

afterburner · Post by **afterburner** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 6:00 am

I changed my brake pads and fluid on the weekend, and it took me 3 hours! And the V8 Supercar guys can do it in 30 seconds!

Yeah I have a half metre long power bar which is really handy for undoing stubborn bolts such as the brake caliper ones. It's just a case of getting enough leverage.

Last time I did this I had it done by the pros as I didn't want to mess around with something I didn't have much experience with. But this time I thought I'd give it a go as I am on a saving $$ kick. And it seemed to work OK - new brakes are a 1000% improvement.

Oh and I took a chunk out of my left hand on the driveway when one of the brake bolts suddenly gave way - but I don't figure I've done a decent job unless I've hurt myself at least once

MrFT000 · Post by **MrFT000** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:45 am

oh i now have 2 quality spanners!
one cost $17, and the other $15.

Although i had a brake pedal problem which the brake place fixed up as well so in the end it worth seeing the pro's.

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:52 am

LOL, You just needed me there. hahaha

So what place did the brake upgrade for you? And have you noticed any difference.

Cheers mate.

MrFT000 · Post by **MrFT000** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:06 am

ACT Brakes in Braddon.
Good guys there. As soon as the job was done that actually called me rather than let my car sit around the workshop for most of the day like other places.

Huge difference for me, but i think this is partly due to the fact that my brake pedal was really really really soft. Like to brake before, i had to press it a fair way down, but now, i just tap it and im at a complete stop.

But def recommend the upgrade nethertheless.

mxysxy · Post by **mxysxy** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:08 am

so what was the upgrade?
rotors and pads? calipers as well?

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:11 am

MrFT000 wrote:Huge difference for me, but i think this is partly due to the fact that my brake pedal was really really really soft. Like to brake before, i had to press it a fair way down, but now, i just tap it and im at a complete stop.

Yeah, that's what i told ya! your brake pedal was very diff from mine... cool well soon i will do. when me gets job.

MrFT000 · Post by **MrFT000** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:14 am

so what was the upgrade?
rotors and pads? calipers as well?

I upgraded to the DBA Standard Slotted Rotors with Race Brake RB74 Pads. Same calipers.

Yeah, that's what i told ya! your brake pedal was very diff from mine...

Yeah I think thats what Jake was talkin about. There was somethin up with my brake pedal.

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:20 am

MrFT000 wrote:Yeah I think thats what Jake was talkin about. There was somethin up with my brake pedal.

Yeah, it should be easier to heel & toe now i think, cos your pedal is higher.

Did they change the brake fluid? For mine i was thinking of some race specification DOT4 or something... by motul maybe...

Chiangstar · Post by **Chiangstar** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:21 am

i think bleeding and changing the brake fluid would have made a lot of the difference in your brake pedal feel...

simon

MrFT000 · Post by **MrFT000** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:24 am

Chiangstar Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:20 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i think bleeding and changing the brake fluid would have made a lot of the difference in your brake pedal feel...

simon

I had my brakes bleeded a while back, but that didnt seem to fix it up. I cant remember what they said but they did something.

Chiangstar · Post by **Chiangstar** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:55 am

hmmm thats interesting... anyhoo...as long as its working nicely now

simon