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trouble replacing rear brake pads
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Spider
Anonymous Poster
longet@email.uc.edu
Oct 1, 2008, 7:30 PM
Post #1 of 6
(2358 views)
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trouble replacing rear brake pads
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I haven't really worked on cars, but I figured how hard could it be to replace brake pads. Well it's turning out a little harder than I thought. I got the caliper off and replaced the pads, but now I can't get the caliper back on. I know you have to compress the brake cylinder and I tried to do it with a C clamp, but it didn't seem like it was working. I know there are caliper reset tools, but the one I saw at AutoZone was $50 and I'm a poor college student. The other thing is the piston actually came out of the caliper enough to let some brake fluid out. Does that mean the caliper is ruined? My car is a 97 Honda Accord, 2.2L VTEC. Thanks for any help. I'm kind of out of my league here.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 2, 2008, 1:31 AM
Post #2 of 6
(2351 views)
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Re: trouble replacing rear brake pads
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You may end up being a poorer college student over this
Are you working with front or rears? Since it leaked - need to know if piston came out too far from extreme wear, someone hit brake pedal while caliper was off, clamp to retract screwed up or what happened?
Brace yourself as this could snowball into lots more than you had in mind for what might look so simple at a glance.
Explain a bit more on just where you are at with this and we'll try to get you out of this. It may mean towing it to a shop as it's possible to need lots more equipment/tools than you may have available to you,
T
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Spider
Anonymous Poster
longet@email.uc.edu
Oct 2, 2008, 3:42 AM
Post #3 of 6
(2348 views)
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Re: trouble replacing rear brake pads
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I'm working on the rear brakes and I did hit the brakes with the caliper off. Guess I should've looked this up before I started screwing with it. So do I need to replace to whole caliper now? Thanks
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 2, 2008, 4:31 AM
Post #4 of 6
(2345 views)
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Re: trouble replacing rear brake pads
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 Beck Arnley / Brake Caliper Loaded Single - Rear
Warranty - 3 MO 079-0755 Price: $166.99  Core: $80.00 Total: $246.99  Application: Sedan Note: Driver side
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Arggh! They don't give these away. NEVER HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BRAKES APART! With that I'll have to suggest tossing that caliper as I can't see what might have been wrecked by the time fluid leaked out.
When calipers are thought to be good in this type they are retracted by putting slight pressure on the piston and turning it at the same time - there are tools for that. Rear caliper like this encorporates the parking brake inside. You'll find trouble just getting the cable + hydraulic line off, back on and bleeding this out.
Don't check now but was parking brake working? Is rotor so good you can use it again? Flex hose in good shape and so on. I know you wanted to just toss in pads and save some bucks but this is BRAKES!
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You said at first post you were over your head and I understand the financial troubles. Like any problem it's all about what you do about it. I'm suggesting you get a professional to look at this to see if caliper can be reused or if they should have been replaced along with other items anyway for the job. All this is doable with the tools, some experience and know how.
What is the situation now? Are you in a parking lot on campus, a driveway or at home in garage? Can you ask a local mechanic to go take a look at this for some direct advice? Without any question local shops to a college are dealing with this all the time.......
T
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Spider
Anonymous Poster
longet@email.uc.edu
Oct 2, 2008, 6:27 AM
Post #5 of 6
(2340 views)
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Re: trouble replacing rear brake pads
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Trust me I'll never do that again. It looks like all the other parts in the system are good. The parking brake did work before this. I used it regularly since my car's a 5 speed. The flex hose looks good too. Is the rubber around the brake piston supposed to be permanently fixed? If so, I definitely screwed up this caliper. Thanks for the help.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 2, 2008, 8:36 AM
Post #6 of 6
(2338 views)
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Re: trouble replacing rear brake pads
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I can't say for sure if the caliper can be just put back in and used again or not as I really don't know how much it went thru to be able to leak. There's a small ring the seals the fluid and the outer flex boot style ring is to keep dirt and water away from rusting it and hence then can seize up.
Part would be exchanged for a "rebuilt" one and may cost much less - specify the exact car as there were a few different ones and huge price differences. The one picked for the pic was pricey.
Flex hose can be reused if there are no signs of troubles and it worked before. Rear flex hoses don't take the abuse front ones do as they don't also have to bend with steering.
You can get a caliper with pads in place for this more bucks - ask. Generally you do things to both sides when replacing parts like this. Your call on that.
The brake cable will give you a fight to put back on - it may come off ok.
We know now that bleeding the rear brakes will be in order and that could be a problem if bleeders are frozen or break off in trying. New caliper would have a new bleeder.
More: This type caliper if a replacement is needed will come in assorted ways. With certain brackets, pads, items for parking brake or not. Ask and look at replacement first if you continue with this yourself as they want them back or you pay "core" charges till they get usable core parts back to rebuild or that $$ is lost.
Note: I'm not blaming you and just want you and reader to know that it's important to have a good grip on what you are doing with brakes. With a hydraulic failure you lose all braking in that axle - in this case rear brakes wouldn't work but trace amounts of force would be left with intact fronts. That isn't to say you have 1/2 the braking power - you don't!
Hey - there are much more straight forward brakes than this car and I'm sure you've hear of folks getting out of just tossing in pads for cheap. It's still just a fake brake job if that's all that's done. Pros should be VERY reluctant to doing that up to refusing to.
For this round I really think you need some help. Ask if a mechanic will come to the car if that's possible with tools and get it going where it is with what you know about it now AND and honest appraisal of how safe it is without doing more. Good luck. School is expensive enough - I know -- so chaulk this up to "learning" which is what you are there for,
T
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