DIY Disc Brake Pad Replacement.

[joshman]

First of all, a warning:
IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT THIS WHATSOEVER, DO NOT ATTEMPT IT WITHOUT COMPETENT SUPERVISION OR GIVE YOUR TRUCK TO QUALIFIED PERSONS.

Alright here's a bunch of photos and a rough process (that i followed) to replace my front disc brake pads.

Materials:
- Brake Fluid - DOT3 or matching whats currently in your system (buy a big bottle, i bought 4L, it's a good idea to flush your system at the same time as you change the pads)
- Brake Cleaner
- Disc Pads - part# DB1439 (make sure they're the 4WD version, specify when you purchase) ($100-$120)
- Lint free rags

Tools:
- 14mm spanner
- 10mm spanner (open ended! - for the brake bleed screw)
- Brake bleed kit
- Multigrips/G-clamp and a block of wood
- Brake Line clamp

First things first, Park the truck on some solid flat ground, and chock the rear wheels (not entirely necessary, but a good safe guard nonetheless)

Crack the wheel nuts before jacking the car up off the ground, and jack it up high enough that you can get a chassis stand in underneath the lower control arm. NEVER WORK ON A CAR SUPPORTED ONLY BY A JACK.

Undo the two 14mm bolts that hold the brake Caliper to the Carrier.

Slide the caliper off and tuck it away so that it can't fall nor hang by the brake line, fencing wire, bungy straps or cable ties work well. i found that i could safely tuck it away on the lower control arm.

If you can't get the caliper off, the system might be pressurized. You might need to just crack the bleed screw to let any excess pressure out, watch out, because the brake fluid might squirt out. and don't lose that rubber cap.

 

[joshman]

Underneath the caliper are the brake pads, one either side of the rotor.

A small note here, in that the left and right side of the truck uses different pads on the inside, the reason is the wear indicator is on the bottom of the inside pad, which make them NOT interchangeable. the plus side is that it was fairly well written on the new pads.

The pads should slide out of the carrier fairly easily, they're just held in there with some spring steel. On the back of each pads is a sheet of metal, again this should separate fairly easily from back of the old brake pads.

I used this opportunity to spray some brake cleaner around and give things a wipe, trying to get rid of some road grime.
Old vs. New

Put that sheet of metal over the top of your new brake pads and slide them into the carrier. the pad with the wear indicator goes on the inside of the rotor, with the wear indicator on the bottom.

CONGRATULATIONS! you now have new brake pads, only a few more steps to get it all back together.

 

[scooba_285]

great write up there, should help many people out who want to do it themselves

 

[joshman]

Alright, now we need to compress the pistons to be able to slide the caliper over the new brake pads.

i found the easiest way was to put a line clamp over the brake line and crack the bleed screw. I used multigrips to compress the pistons, allowing the brake fluid to bleed out the bleed screw. here's where you can use the G-clamp and block of wood to compress the pistons. once they're in, do up the bleed screw and take off the line clamp.

The end Result:

After you've got the pistons compressed, it's time to put the Caliper back onto the Carrier, it's just the reverse of taking it off, line up the two 14mm bolts and do them up tight - check the service manual for exact torque settings, but i did it by feel as to what it took for me to take them off.

Once the caliper is back on, it's time to give your brake lines a bleed. make sure your bleed line runs UP and back down before going into your catching container, this will stop any air bubbles from getting into your brake system.

 

[raywise]

Come on Josh, waiting for the bleed photos!

Nice write up, I'll have to check mine.

 

[joshman]

Bleeding the brake lines properly is VERY important, as any airbubbles in the lines will SEVERELY reduce the ability of the brakes.

This is fastest done with two people, but can be achieved alone, if you've got the setup, as in the last picture above, you need to have the bleed line traveling up before your collection pot, so no airbubbles can rise and go into the brake lines.

before you start bleeding make sure you pop the brake fluid reservoir under the hood. Wipe it down, undo the cap and just sit the cap on the top. this is to allow air in to the top of the reservoir.

next you want to just crack the bleed screw enough so that fluid starts running out of it, don't pull the screw all the way out, 1/4 turn is enough. Get someone (or yourself) to push the brake pedal NO MORE THAN HALFWAY 5-6 times, then check the bleed line for air bubbles:

Check the reservoir fluid level and top up with new fluid if near the 'min' line, and empty the catching pot as necessary. Repeat the pedal pump, check bleed line, check fluid level and empty catching pot until there are no more air bubbles coming out of the brake system in the bleed line, or in the case of a brake system flush, the colour of the brake fluid changes to the new stuff.

once your satisfied that the system is good, close off the bleed screw wipe it down and replace the rubber cap.

replace wheel, etc.

and repeat to do the other side of the truck.

after you've done the both side of the truck clear out under the truck and go for a 'safe' drive to test out the pedal feel/stopping power. it might take a bit of wear before the pads 'get into their groove' so to speak, but you should have responsive pedal action, if the pedal feels spongy, or has excessive travel before the brakes take up, inspect and re-bleed your brake lines.



Congratulations, you've just successfully changed your brake pads.

 

[raywise]

Are you going to check the rear shoes as well Josh? I'm going to have a look at mine next weekend.

 

[joshman]

Are you going to check the rear shoes as well Josh? I'm going to have a look at mine next weekend.

yeah ray, i've got new shoes for the rear as well, that'll be a job for next weekend i think. i'll do a write-up on that as well.

 

[tweak'e]

nice, tho usually don't bother taking the caliper right off. just undo bottom bolt (i think) and swing the caliper up.

 

[joshman]

nice, tho usually don't bother taking the caliper right off. just undo bottom bolt (i think) and swing the caliper up.

haha, it's my first time doing a pad change, plus compressing the pistons was a PITA, was much easier with it off the carrier completely.

but i'll keep that in mind for next time.

 

[bods]

Great writeup, the only thing I will add is, generally when flushing the fluid it's best to start at the furthest wheel, so rear left in our case to ensure the old fluid is bled from the longest line first. I don't know if the proportioning valve on the d22s needs bleeding separately to the calipers/wheel cylinders, but as long as you don't get air in the lines it should be ok

 

[tweak'e]

normally you do not need to bleed the brakes as no air has gotten in. but if you undo any brake lines then you will need to bleed the lines.
but you may want to consider changing the brake fluid anyway.

 

[sparra04]

nice, tho usually don't bother taking the caliper right off. just undo bottom bolt (i think) and swing the caliper up.

thats right
no real need to take both bolts out (second pic)
take bottom bolt out and swing callipers up, easier to work with
i usially flush when pads and calipers are re fitted
brake fluid attracts and retains moisture and needs to be flushed

great diy joshman

 

[joshman]

thats right
no real need to take both bolts out (second pic)
take bottom bolt out and swing callipers up, easier to work with
i usially flush when pads and calipers are re fitted
brake fluid attracts and retains moisture and needs to be flushed

great diy joshman

No worries mate! Hope it helps some noobs (like me!) out.

I'm quite happy I DIY'd it.

Rear drums and new DIY battery box are next weekend. LOKKA sometime in the future, lol.

 

[grasshopper]

When changing brake pads on anything (bikes, cars 4x4s) I clean the pistons prior to pushing them back in, so as to not push any crudd into the recess with them.

From your pics it is not clear if you cleaned them prior.
But great to see more DIYers out there too

 

[joshman]

When changing brake pads on anything (bikes, cars 4x4s) I clean the pistons prior to pushing them back in, so as to not push any crudd into the recess with them.

From your pics it is not clear if you cleaned them prior.
But great to see more DIYers out there too

I didn't do much of this, which is quite unlike me, I did give them a wipe down and a spray with brake cleaner, but then I didn't touch any of the seals, so they should still be intact.

 

[d22dave]

First of all, a warning:
chassis stand in underneath the lower control arm. NEVER WORK ON A CAR SUPPORTED ONLY BY A JACK.

]

Nice write up and photo,s. I would put chassis stand under chassis, The control arm has a fair bit of movement if something happens to the jack,

 

[joshman]

Nice write up and photo,s. I would put chassis stand under chassis, The control arm has a fair bit of movement if something happens to the jack,

Yes and no. The top of the jack slips nicely under the control arm, and my chassis stands aren't tall enough to get the chassis on and get the wheels off. I do have a second one ready under neater the chassis near the jack, just in case. Ideally you should be having both.

 

[d22dave]

All good mate. Did the pads on the back of my mums patrol on Saturday, cant beat a good trolley jack

 

[joshman]

Couldn't agree more, unfortunately I don't have room to use a trolly jack at this place. Once I buy my own joint ill get a big shed and a car hoist.