| RE:Brakes 101 |
Subject: RE:Brakes 101 by brut on 2006/1/15 18:47:40 First, welcome to the guru! Hope you enjoy the stay! OK, Brakes.....hopefully we will get an official tech tip up soon on it. First, I would use what has been recommended by GM in the system which is DOT 3 or Delco Supreme II. Second, I have never had a problem getting the bleeder valve loose, but it may not be a bad idea to spray some penetrating oil on it if there is rust in the area. You will only have to bleed the system, however, if air gets into it. You can change the pads without "opening the system". You will need just a large C-Clamp and some wrenches. Remove about half of the fluid from the master cylinder. Put the lid back on. Take your c-clamp and carefully position it against the back of the caliper with the other end against the opposite pad. Its hard to describe, but what you are doing is pushing the piston back into its hole. When you do this, its going to push the fluid back in the master cylinder(thats why we took some out). You will have to use two wrenches to get the calipers off, one on the nut and one on the guide pin. There are two bolts. Once that is done you can pull the caliper away and replace the pads. It has always been my practice, whether needed or not, to buy new rotors or have the old ones turned. If you elect to have them turned, make sure you mark how they came off exactly, so they go back on the same way. Put the calipers back on, tightener up, and add new fluid. Slowly pump the brakes to get the pads back next to the rotors. You shouldn't have to bleed. As for the types of brakes, I would get the best you can afford. The better ones emitt less dust and are quiter. Good luck! |
