OK just waiting for my Hawk pads and Rotopros rotors to come.....so I thought I would get ahead and start taking things apart for the front.

I have loosened the two bolts that hold the caliper bracket in place. I have also taken off the two bolts that hold the caliper to the caliper bracket.

Now for the life of me, I can not separate the caliper from the caliper bracket. Isnt is suppose to come off fairly easily?

What am I doing wrong?

 

No one can help me here?

 

Usually, you leave the bracket on and then remove the caliper first... It may take some wiggling and or light prying since the pressure of the piston is still clamping the pads and such.

:shrug:

 

Yeah, don't loosen the anchor bolts until after you have the caliper loose.
Remove the caliper bolts first.
Wiggling or I just use my hands to squeeze the pads away from the disc.
Tie up the caliper, then go after the anchor plate bolts.

 

Thanks I will give that a try today. I have just loosened the anchor bolts, but they are still in place to hold the anchor plate to the rotor. I have removed both caliper bolts, but the caliper is still stuck (frozen) to the anchor plate.

When you separate the caliper from the plate do the pads remain with the anchor plate or do they stay with the caliper?

The American Muscle write-up shows the pad remaining with the anchor plate.

I will try the wiggling and if I need to pry where and what do you pry with?

Thanks!

 

The pads should stay w/ the bracket... Also, make sure there aren't any retaining clips, springs, or pins holding the caliper to the bracket in addition to the screws.

If you have Brake cleaner around, try spraying that onto the caliper stuff.

Usually just gently pry between the gap of the bracket and the caliper.

 

Chutoyy, your advice using the screwdriver worked like a charm! It came off quite easily with a little wiggling and using the screwdriver.

I guess what I will do next is give the caliper and the anchor plate a good cleaning.

When installing the new pad.....do you:

1. Install the new pads, anchor plate and caliper all as one piece onto the rotor at the same time.

or

2. Install the anchor plate first, slip in the new pads into the anchor plate and then put the caliper on.

Obviously, I would compress the caliper pistons first. Is there 2 pistons on each side in the front? If so, do you compress one at a time?

Is it necessary to drain some brake fluid out first from the reservoir? Or would it be OK to just open the cap?

 

Uhh.. I install the caliper bracket, properly torque the bolts, grease the BACKSIDE (only) of the pads, then place them in the bracket, then compress caliper piston, and then put caliper on, then tighten the caliper bolts.

Compressing them one at a time should do the trick... But sometimes, one will push the other back out slightly (it's fine) Make sure to clean the piston as best you can before compressing it in case contaminants get into your brake line.

Loosening the cap helps relieve pressure in the brake system; Put a shop towel around the opening in case it overflows and leaks out a little.

IMPORTANT: When you finish installing ALL the brakes, TAP (DON'T pump all the way down) the brake pedal a few times until you feel resistance before driving anywhere; that way your caliper is actually clamping the pads.

 

Thanks for the great advice! A couple of more questions for anyone out there:

1. What type of grease would be best for the back of the pads? I have got some white lithium grease lying around in the garage.

2. When putting the caliper back on after the piston is compressed, I would imagine there might be some wiggling or a little finesse used to get the caliper back together with the caliper bracket since it will probably be a tight?? What would be the best way?

3. Is it a good idea to use some blue loc-tite on the caliper bracket bolts. I noticed some blue loc-tite on them from the factory. I think I was even reading somewhere that the bolts should not even be re-used?

Just waiting for my Hawk pads, Rotopros rotors and my valve covers to come back from powder coating. Also got my Dupli colour red paint the other day......so I got a few things on the go.

 

1) Not sure if that grease will work... But the pads should come w/ grease.. if not, go buy some pad grease at a local auto store

2) Should fit on no problem as long as u get the pistons compressed back enough. If not, make sure everything is aligned properly.... and Jeremy Clarkson it! (Rubber mallet)

3) Wouldn't hurt to put on some blue loc-tite, but I never have; my cars are perfectly fine. Torquing it to proper spec is more important.

 

I don't use grease on the pads but the caliper pins need some. Use something like this. http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-24115...=pd_sbs_auto_1

 

Thanks again for your input! Yeah, I will check on the grease thing and the good ole rubber mallet comes in handy.

I guess another option to a C clamp to compressing the front pistons would be a brake pad spreader??

Does anyone know if this works better than a C clamp or vice versa?