How to Remove Car Brakes
Knowing how to remove your car's brakes is a valuable skill and not hard to do. Getting your brakes done at an auto repair shop can cost a pretty penny. You'll save by doing it yourself. Although different manufacturers use different things, the basics are still the same. This guide is to removing disc brakes pads. Brake shoes are different.
- Engage the parking brake and block the wheels on the opposite end you are working.
- Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel; do not take them completely off.
- Jack up the car at the appropriate place under the frame, finish taking off the lug nuts and remove the tire from the hub.
- Open the brake bleeder valve. Wedge a large screwdriver between the pad and rotor and gently pry back on the piston in the caliper that is holding the brake pads. Don't scar the rotor with the screwdriver.
- Find the bolts that hold on the caliper and back them out. There is no need to disconnect the brake fluid line.
- Note how the old brake pads are positioned, remove the old brake pads and put the new ones in place the same way in the caliper.
- Place the caliper back over the rotor and bolt it back into place. It can be tricky getting these bolts to rethread. The holes must be perfectly aligned.
- Close the bleeder valve and top off the brake fluid reservoir.
- Bleed the brakes once all the pads are replaced. To do this, have someone else start the car and pump the brake pedal while you have the bleeder valve open. As soon as brake fluid comes out, tell them to hold the pedal down while you tighten the bleeder valve.
- Repeat this until only fluid comes out. Test the brakes off the road.