DonkeyDave Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 Before I charge in with the spanners and screwdrivers anyone want to talk me through a Noddys guide to changing the brake pads? Thankyou! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StewartG Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 The hardest bit is taking the wheels off. Then there's the tricky Allen key bolt and the difficult springy bit. Next is the finger nail splitting slide out of the pads. Lever the pistons back with a bit of wood and then the reinsertion making sure the metal backing plate on one side of the pads is not next to the discs. Add the springy bit followed by the allen bolt and replace the wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonkeyDave Posted April 24, 2001 Author Share Posted April 24, 2001 I was hoping it would be that easy, unfortunately taking the wheel off on another car I've torn my extensor carpi radialis (ask wong) leaving me one handed for a while :-(( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Bees Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 Nasty, hope it wasn't the wrong (or should that be Wong?) hand... wink.gif Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 26, 2001 Share Posted April 26, 2001 OUCH!!!!! Which front brake setup do you have? Mine are the older AP setup which have a small caterham badge rather than the newer black ones with Caterham moulded into the metal. I know how to do mine (and also found out the hard way that they have 2 bleed nipples! (It doesn't work well when you only bleed one of them!) Alex Edited by - Alex Wong on 26 Apr 2001 12:04:51 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonkeyDave Posted April 26, 2001 Author Share Posted April 26, 2001 newer one I think, missed the two nipples though! I've got two nipples on the Subaru calipers - which are AP as well - didn't see it on the 7 best nip into the garage and check Edited by - DonkeyDave on 26 Apr 2001 13:50:07 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Russell Posted April 26, 2001 Share Posted April 26, 2001 Surely you will not be needing to bleed the system if you are simply changing pads? Not exactly a one handed job if you have a 'bleed' in mind. The two nipples are worth bearing in mind for when you do bleed the brakes. As stated previously, a pad change is not at all problematical with the big brakes........famous last words! Andrew Edited by - Andrew Russell on 26 Apr 2001 16:11:58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted May 1, 2001 Share Posted May 1, 2001 I just changed the pads on my "standard" old-fashioned calipers. I also rebuilt the calipers with new seals at the same time. After putting it all back together I had a long brake pedal. James Whiting says this is common and the answer is to make sure the pistons are in the right position before putting the pads in, i.e. it should be a tight squeeze to get the new pads in between the piston and disc. If you push the pistons too far back, then when you apply and release the brakes they'll be pulled back into the cylinder by a tiny amount, causing the long travel. I don't know if this happens with the AP calipers, nor whether it only applies when you've fitted new caliper seals or whether it always happens when you fit new pads. Worth bearing in mind though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevefoster Posted May 2, 2001 Share Posted May 2, 2001 A lot of caliper pistons require screwing back in not levering. The standard brakes are like this. Not certain for AP big brakes as I have not had to change them yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StewartG Posted May 2, 2001 Share Posted May 2, 2001 I think it's only the rear calipers that have a screw-back piston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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