# Brake Service - need instructions



## Curtis Sentra (Oct 17, 2002)

Hey all, 
I need a quick run-down of what I have to do for a full do-it-yourself brake service. Essentially I want to clean, lube and adjust back brakes, and on the front I'm putting on new rotors, and also need to clean and lube. Help would be much appreciated. 

D.


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## Petrovich (May 13, 2005)

Curtis Sentra said:


> Hey all,
> I need a quick run-down of what I have to do for a full do-it-yourself brake service. Essentially I want to clean, lube and adjust back brakes, and on the front I'm putting on new rotors, and also need to clean and lube. Help would be much appreciated.
> 
> D.


Front ones are easy. You'll need a jackstand, a lug wrench, a BIG C-clamp, a piece of wire and a socket wrench with a good set of sockets. Having a can of brake cleaner is advisable if you don't want your lungs to glow red at the end of the day. Jack up the car, remove the wheels, unbolt the caliper (it's really intuitive as far as unbolting is concerned), and pull the entire caliper assembly off; hang it up to something (like the strut, or a spring coil) with a piece of wire or rope so that you won't flex the brake line too much. Remove pads and rotors, put on new rotors. Use a c-clamp (it has to be a HUGE c-clamp, with at least 4 inches of travel) to push the piston back into the caliper so that you'll be able to put the thing back togeter (new pads and rotors are thicker than old ones, naturally), then put on new pads and reinstall the caliper. DON'T let anyone press the brake pedal while you do this if you don't want a caliper piston and a cupfull of brake fluid in your face. Bolt everything back together, lower the car and pump the brake pedal a bit. Enjoy.

Rear ones are a major PITA if you have drums like I do. Unless your pads are worn, the best you can and should do is take off the drum, clean it (and pads) with brake cleaner, put a SMALL amount of grease on parts that you think may squeak, like spring attachement points, and close it back up. Rear drum brakes are self-adjusting. If you want your pads/drums changed, you better get yourself a manual of some sort. Trust me, you'll need pictures 

BTW if you're changing rotors, don't go cheap and get some pads, too, even if yours are almost new. It's a good way to save yourself from buying yet another set of rotors


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## SE-R_03 (May 27, 2005)

Some advice that has really saved me in the past. When doing your drum brakes, Do one at a time. Completely finish one side before you even start the other side, that way if you forget how to put it back together, you can use the other side as a guide. It is also a good idea to use the C-clamp on the old brakes rather than the new ones, that way you don't damage the new ones. Chances are that you won't, but why take the chance.


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## cedquist (Mar 18, 2005)

How exactly do you go about removing the drum. Do I need a special tool?







SE-R_03 said:


> Some advice that has really saved me in the past. When doing your drum brakes, Do one at a time. Completely finish one side before you even start the other side, that way if you forget how to put it back together, you can use the other side as a guide. It is also a good idea to use the C-clamp on the old brakes rather than the new ones, that way you don't damage the new ones. Chances are that you won't, but why take the chance.


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

cedquist said:


> How exactly do you go about removing the drum. Do I need a special tool?


Disengage the handbrake and you can usually slide the drum off by hand.


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