evolution

I'm changing my brake pads at 55k km (40k miles). Do I have to worry about ABS or is it just a take em' off without worries about electronics.

syclone

no electronics to fiddle with.. pretty straightforward job.. just becareful with the rear caliper piston.. the front can be pressed in using a clamp, but the rear piston needs to be twisted in.

MrChad

K&B tools sells a front piston caliper and a rear disc brake tool. Both can be had for under 30bucks easy at most local autoparts stores. They make the job way easier. Sears carriers a cheaper version too.

Just pop the brake resivior cap. Remove the calipers one at a time and push the pistons back in (turn the in in the rear). and replace the pads. reinstall the calipers. replace resivor cap. Bead in the brakes per the pad directions.

You may want new shims and some pad antisqueak, but I have never needed any and I've changed my pads 3 or 4 times now.

to do it just like Honda, get the service manual.

www.helminc.com

jschmid

Just one thing to add...you might want to start the car and push the brake pedal to get the fluid level back down to keep from having the brake fluid reservior overflow. Just keep an eye on the level as you push (or twist for the rear) the piston back in.

The cap actually has vent holes so it will still overflow if you don't remove the cap, so just keep an eye on it.

evolution

Ok, thanks for the tips. I have the Honda manuals and i'm just leafing through them now. I hope this takes care of that squeaky sound problem.

MrChad

I like to do the front pads--bead them in then do the rear pads.
This helps with the fluid overflow problem and prevents you from driving around on 4 new pads all at once which I try to avoid at all costs

Intrepid241

What they all have said is true. A brake job really isn't too much trouble.

REbornHONDAneer

follow propper break in procedures to eliminate future rotor "wobblies".

If you have alloy wheels of any kind, investing in ceramic pads is a good idea..keeps dust to a literal BARE minimum.

Make sure u torque back all bolts correctly..u dont want ur calipers falling off!

good luck!

Dave

MrChad

Ceramic pads having low dust isn't a guarentee. I had EBC Green Stuff pads on prior to my Hawk HPS pads. The EBC's would leave brake dust like no other pad the rim would be black after one day.

AEM's were the exact oppisite no dust at all, but the pad isn't any better then stock for feel and braking, stopping appears to be roughly the same.

The Hawk HPS have a minor bit of dust but they bite like hell, best pad I have ever used bar none.

Also you don't always need to turn your rotors between pads, if the surface is clean and free of heavy grooves and the run-out indicates the surface is true and flush to the pad. You may simply clean the rotor surface well and install new pads and follow the break in per the pad directions. I'm on my 3rd set of pads and still have the original rotors because I care for them as recommended by Honda and I check the surface regularly and I let my brakes cool down properly after hard use. With any luck I'll be able to get one more set of pads from these OE rotors.

jschmid

And you have like 20K miles on your car too cause you never drive it.

My stock rotors lasted 75k, so it's true, they can last a long time.