Are Brake Rotors and Brakes easy to install...?

Question

I asked before are batteries easy to install and it was quite simple..I have replaced flat tires before so i just wanted to know is it difficult to remove and replace brake pads and rotors?

Answer 1

i own a repair shop and brakes are a little different ,especially anti lock brakes which most cars have now,but doing brakes requires a few good tools,and even some specialty tools also,and if you don't have them,and don't use them all the time its not worth buying them to do one job for,and you have to look at it like this also ,when your driving down the road ,and you need the brakes to work you don't want any doubt in your mind that there going to work,they are difficult to do,so i think if i actually needed brakes,id have them done if i was you,good luck i hope this helps.

Answer 2

First you should be fairly comfortable in making moderate repairs brakes are two to three steps above changing tires. Remember, there is really no second chance if you do it wrong you and other have major problems. You can look up a lot of information in manuals and reference books from the library. Go talk to several auto part store employees.

The first time you'll need jacks and jack stands, a few tools and other extras. You will also need a second car or friend to take the rotors to the car parts and have them resurfaced. This can take 1 to 4 hours depending how many are in front of you. Go back home and change the oil. Get info on what to look for to see if you need new calipers. when everything is back together you'll need someone to pump the brakes to force any air bubbles out of the line. I sort of enjoy it, sort of getting back to high school hot rod days. I don't know if I save that much money but it forces me to keep an eye on other maintenance items.

Answer 3

If you're wearing out one side prematurely, there's a reason. You may have a stuck caliper. The caliper must be free to slide side-to-side on the guide pins as the pads wear. If it's sticking, then you'll likely wear out one pad on that side before the others.If the rotor on the other side still has plenty of metal thickness left, then you could just replace one side. BUT you should have the old rotor ground or machined to remove any 'glaze'- that's when the surface gets polished from wear and heat. If you don't remove the glaze the new rotor will grab better than the old one and cause it to pull to one side. You MUST replace ALL the pads at the same time. You need to clean and lubricate the guide pins (high-quality bearing grease works fine) and the holes where they slide. There's a small rubber seal that keeps out dirt. If the rubber is broken, dirt and water can get in and cause the caliper to stick. Also, you need to use shims behind the pads and pad silencer goop on the shims. Otherwise you'll end up with brakes that squeal.

Answer 4

It's not too easy, is not complicated, but brakes are a safety device and a bad brake job could be very dangerous. You will need some tools, like a wrench and some decimal nuts, hex nuts, or Torx bits, a caliper expander, sometimes a rubber hammer and use gloves to avoid getting too dirty or cut, there are sharp edges there.

Now the best way for me to get an idea of how to service your brakes is to take your car to a brake shop were you can look and learn. Or maybe ask a friend.

Next time you can do it yourself with the help of a repair manual.

Answer 5

If you've never done this before.... it's probably not a good idea to practice on a car that you intend to drive. Brakes are a lot more involved than just replacing a battery or changing a flat. You could purchase a repair manual... like Peterson's or Chilton's and they would have a step-by- step procedure in it.

Answer 6

Anything is easy if you know the answer. It is simple, get a repair manual and they will take you through the process in a step by step manner. The brakes are simple enough and the rotors is simple too once you get the know how. Good luck
Try Chiltons or Haynes for the manuals,

Answer 7

The first time may seem challenging. But, with a chilton's manual, it's fairly straight forward.