84_civic_wagon

so, i tried today to replace my breaks. i first undid the break-line...it was leaking, but i figured i had fluid so this would be okay. i then tried to get off the calipers...to no avail. the bolds wouldnt budge. so, i put the line back on, and put it down...in the meantime, ALL the brake fluid is gone. so i refilled it...anyhow, here are my questions:

1. no breaks. goes straight to the floor. do i have to blead the whole damn system through the bleed bold on the caliper even though i never got the caliper off???

2. how do i get those caliper bolts off? okay, so im going to sound retarded here, but i have to ask. when i LOOK at the calipers, the bolts are on the other side. so, in this case, i turn them RIGHT, correct? logic being that if i were looking directly at the bolt, this would be LEFT. if this is wrong, maybe this is why they wouldnt budge...but i highly doubt it. anyhow, what are some tips to get them off? i tried so hard at one point i went flying backward and ended up laying in my driveway.

anyhow, i need to get this going tomorrow, or else i have no way to get to school on monday. so PLEASE someone help me tonite!!

mersee

Provocateur

Yes, you have to bleed the whole brake system because by undoing the brake line, there is now air in there. Pressure in the pedal should stabilize once you do that.

The calipers can be tricky. I go one way and if that doesn't work, I go the other. It really confuses me. Keep trying though.

88IntegraRS

Cannot help you with the bolts -- sometimes bolts are reverse-threaded, but I would not know in your specific case. It may help to see what the torque spec is for those bolts, and that will tell you how easily they should come off, and you can try both directions as long as you don't over torque them and risk breaking them off (bad!). As for the fluid, yes, if you drained the line, and refilled, you would need to bleed the air out.

84_civic_wagon

thanks for the info about bleading the line. now my next questions:

1) how do i really crank down on the caliper bolts? its not a very large space, between the caliper bolts and the rest of the wheel/tire housing area.

2) what tool do you recommend? ive heard breaker bar, ive heard pipe fitting over a ratche, ive heard box end wrench over the end of a wratchet. which has worked best for you? i only want to purchase one new tool if i can help it.

3) when i finally get this all done, and the new calipers on, how important is it to actually set the torque?

thanks!

hoyoung02

1) have someone hold the wrench in place, then hammer it to right direction. (which is right to left)

2) what ever fits right.

3) Make sure you go get some break cleaner, just spray througly to get ride of the break dust before you work on it. NOTE AGAiN..BEFORE. Be sure to push the pistons back on the caliper if you are planning to change the pads with C-clamps. torque for the bolts that holds the caliper in place? just tighten it. it's just there to hold it in place.

88IntegraRS

If you need more space to work, it may help to turn the wheels one direction or the other rather than having them in the straight-forward position.