My stock pads would squeal a week after a wash. When I first got the car I thought my brakes pads were done. I used this write up to change over to stoptechs. Great thread, thanks for the info!

 

I know I'm missing something basic!!!! I've replaced many disc pads. I just checked the rears, there are no cotter pins to hold the pins in place nor does it look like the pins are threaded, how the hell do I slide out the two pins??

 

I think everyone could benefit if the OP included a picture and a description of the tools he used for this brake job.

 

Sounds like "tap tap tap" if you do it right just teasin'.

Those are NOT threaded are those pins. Get yourself a punch smaller than that hole, I got a kit, but others have found certain nail punches that have an indentation handy. A small ballpeen hammer or basic claw hammer is all the force you'll need. You'll use the same but reversed technique to tap them back in from the inside of the car, sticking your head in a bit into the fender well, to keep an eye from nicking the powder coated shiny red.

I myself the first time pulled the whole stinking caliper off with the two semi-normal HD bolts. Silly me!

So removing them is just tapping them out. After the first couple blows loosen it easily and begin moving it, I like to keep the punch on the pin and continue tap til I run out of punch, helps because the springs are still pushing. To install, you should install one of the two pins hand tight, til it's ready to be tapped back in. Then put the spring back in so it's both pretty tensioned AND centered with the lip of the spring sort of riding on the first pin you inserted. While you hold the spring down with one hand, put the second pin into the hole and insert -- wiggling that second pin around the side of the spring your other hand is still holding to. You can use both hands to wiggle, moving the spring in more as well as side-to-side/up-down action with the pin from the inside-out. Once you get it past the clip-spring and started in the outer caliper hole like the first spring, you "tap-tap-tap" the pins both back into position, til you see the tips sticking out about as much as you started with. either fr or rear stick out more, can't remember which. Just tap tap tap til pretty much flush on the inner side of the caliper.

Takes more time to type this than to change ALL FOUR on a car that's already got the wheels off. It's easy peasy, makes old style brake jobs tedious and stupid/silly in retrospect.

(I personally go bottom-to-top for access preferences, but I bet there are other believers)

EDIT: After you do that, for the sake of this kind of car and what people do to it, flush the brake fluid. Motive powerbleeder is $55 or something, SuperBlue is about $14 for a liter to do the brake fluid flush. There's nasties that happen near the calipers and they'll float through the whole system eventually fouling calipers and possibly even the electronic control unit (expensive). Easy to do, semi-messy, but you can buy a bottle that holds the fluid flushed for about $12.

EDIT2: You really should think about buying some SS lines, omg are those designed for this brake system. Another $100 and change, but wow, they're beyond words from a mere mortal.

 

A friend of mine just took his into the dealer (without checking with me) to get his breaks done........they told him 500 an axle......for changing the pads!

 

Cripes, did that include their righteous OEM pads or just labor?!

 

Thanks journeymansteve. It's hard for me to find time to answer all the time. I'll try to post a pic of all tools needed.