NEED HELP CHANGING CAR BRAKES?!?!

[NJ Chief Fan]

ok so i got the brakes off and whatever, got the new brakes on, but the bracket thing is to small now to go over the new brakes pads, how do i make the bracket thing larger, i think it has something to do with the piston but im not sure what that is or where its located, im not car part smart, but i have some what of a clue of what im doing

need help A-SAP


the car is a 97 ford taurus

[StcChief]

Get a C Clap to move the piston back
Put that around Piston turn the C clamp screw

[HemiEd]

ok so i got the brakes off and whatever, got the new brakes on, but the bracket thing is to small now to go over the new brakes pads, how do i make the bracket thing larger, i think it has something to do with the piston but im not sure what that is or where its located, im not car part smart, but i have some what of a clue of what im doing

need help A-SAP


the car is a 97 ford taurus

1) Take the master cyl cap off. Wrap a rag around the master cyl to catch the brake fluid that you are about to push back into the Master cyl.
2) Take a large C Clamp, or body shop vice grips and squeeze the piston back into the caliper. Flush, or as far as it will go. But, first make sure you clean any dirt and grime off of the outside of the piston. It is the large round thing that is pressing up against the inner brake pad.

[NJ Chief Fan]

Get a C Clap to move the piston back
Put that around Piston turn the C clamp screw


okay, is the piston the thing attached to the bracket type thing that holds the brake pads in place

by the way thanks for the help and your welcome on your new avi :)

[NJ Chief Fan]

1) take the master cyl cap off. rap a rag around the master cyl.
2) Take a large C Clamp, or body shop vice grips and squeeze the piston back into the caliper. Flush, or as far as it will go. But, first make sure you clean any dirt and grime off of the outside of the piston. It is the large round thing that is pressing up against the inner brake pad.


gracias...thats what i needed to hear

[NJ Chief Fan]

the master cylinder cap, is that where all the brake fluid would be leaking from?

[StcChief]

1) Take the master cyl cap off. Wrap a rag around the master cyl to catch the brake fluid that you are about to push back into the Master cyl.
2) Take a large C Clamp, or body shop vice grips and squeeze the piston back into the caliper. Flush, or as far as it will go. But, first make sure you clean any dirt and grime off of the outside of the piston. It is the large round thing that is pressing up against the inner brake pad.

HE is right Great details.

Break cleaner sprayed my area first....and wiped down.

[StcChief]

okay, is the piston the thing attached to the bracket type thing that holds the brake pads in place

by the way thanks for the help and your welcome on your new avi :)
Yes. Caliper and piston assembly.

Thanks for America's girls pic. Looks like the same girl 3 times?

Nice Photoshop Job....

[HemiEd]

Break cleaner sprayed my area first....and wiped down.


Damn that hurts just thinking about it, reminds me of when my Zippo used to leak lighter fluid. Burned like hell!

[Bwana]

It looks like things are well in hand here so I won't chime in on this, BUT..........on the subject of Brake Cleaner, nothing kills a wasp and or a nest full of wasps faster! I was reminded of this fact again just today. :) Brake Cleaner = the best bee killer on earth.

[HemiEd]

the master cylinder cap, is that where all the brake fluid would be leaking from?

Whoa, no offense, but if you are not sure what the master cyl is, you might want to get some help or a manual.

The master cyl has the resivoir attached to it that holds the supply of brake fluid. When you push on the brake pedal, you are pushing the piston in the master cyl.

[HemiEd]

It looks like things are well in hand here so I won't chime in on this, BUT..........on the subject of Brake Cleaner, nothing kills a wasp and or a nest full of wasps faster! I was reminded of this fact again just today. :) Brake Cleaner = the best bee killer on earth.


It will also clean gravy spots off of a tie! :D

[Nelson Muntz]

ok so i got the brakes off and whatever, got the new brakes on, but the bracket thing is to small now to go over the new brakes pads, how do i make the bracket thing larger, i think it has something to do with the piston but im not sure what that is or where its located, im not car part smart, but i have some what of a clue of what im doing

need help A-SAP


the car is a 97 ford taurus

Based on my new opinion of you, I think you should bleed the brakes and then drive as fast as you can towards a brick wall. That should solve your problem.

[StcChief]

Damn that hurts just thinking about it, reminds me of when my Zippo used to leak lighter fluid. Burned like hell!
ROFL my work area....brake parts

[StcChief]

Whoa, no offense, but if you are not sure what the master cyl is, you might want to get some help or a manual.

The master cyl has the resivoir attached to it that holds the supply of brake fluid. When you push on the brake pedal, you are pushing the piston in the master cyl.As you compress the piston.

The fluid raises in Master cylinder on a closed system.

Might need a hand watching that fluid rise in master cyl.
Also a clean turkey baster will remove
excess fluid from Master cylinder carefully when it gets to full.

[Bwana]

It will also clean gravy spots off of a tie! :D

LMFAO, no kidding, or at least eat the tie. Either way the problem is solved! ROFL

[Adept Havelock]

It's so simple, maybe you need a refresher course!

I'm gonna need some pliers and, ahhh, a set of 30-weight ball bearings. It's all ball bearings nowadays! Now you prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And I'm gonna need about 10 quarts of antifreeze, preferably Prestone. No, no, make that Quaker State.

[HemiEd]

LMFAO, no kidding, or at least eat the tie. Either way the problem is solved! ROFL

All kidding aside, it works! I used to rep Berryman, they told us to try it in a Sales meeting. They said that spray Carb Cleaner and Brake Clean are just different grades of dry cleaning fluid.
I have had varying degrees of success doing it, but the ties do stink like hell afterwards and people look at you funny in meetings. :p

[Bwana]

All kidding aside, it works! I used to rep Berryman, they told us to try it in a Sales meeting. They said that spray Carb Cleaner and Brake Clean are just different grades of dry cleaning fluid.
I have had varying degrees of success doing it, but the ties do stink like hell afterwards and people look at you funny in meetings. :p

Well now, I rep about 10 different lines fo Brake Cleaner alone and own, but don't have to wear ties.................Hmmm? I see a fun week coming up in the near future. :hmmm:

[rad]

I've never taken the master cyl. cap off when changing brake pads. Never had a problem. When you do that, you introduce air to the system and you have to bleed it out.

[HemiEd]

Well now, I rep about 10 different lines fo Brake Cleaner alone and own, but don't have to wear ties.................Hmmm? I see a fun week coming up in the near future. :hmmm:

What lines do you have? I repped K&W for a while, they sent a Semi full of samples to my house. OMG, I had to call my buddies over for free samples just so I would have my garage back.

[HemiEd]

I've never taken the master cyl. cap off when changing brake pads. Never had a problem. When you do that, you introduce air to the system and you have to bleed it out.

Sorry, but you are wrong. The air is above the fluid, not in it. When you push the piston back, the fluid has to go someplace if the resivoir was full when you started the project.

[rad]

Sorry, but you are wrong. The air is above the fluid, not in it. When you push the piston back, the fluid has to go someplace if the resivoir was full when you started the project.

Brake fluid doesn't go anywhere. It's in a closed system. If your low on fluid then you have a leak somewhere and you need to bleed the system anyway.

All I know is I've done it w/o taking off the cap, and never had trouble, otherwise I wouldn't keep doing it that way.

[HemiEd]

Brake fluid doesn't go anywhere. It's in a closed system. If your low on fluid then you have a leak somewhere and you need to bleed the system anyway.

All I know is I've done it w/o taking off the cap, and never had trouble, otherwise I wouldn't keep doing it that way.

But, keep in mind that as the pads wear, the level goes down. Most people add fluid when they see that it is low. Especially since most of the newer reservoirs are clearish plastic.
But you are correct Rad, if fluid has not been added, then the reservoir will just become full again.

[Bwana]

What lines do you have? I repped K&W for a while, they sent a Semi full of samples to my house. OMG, I had to call my buddies over for free samples just so I would have my garage back.I have a bunch of jobbers with their shows coming up and I am in the same boat. I called the various product reps about three weeks ago and I have PALLETS showing up at my house of gojo, sea foam, Highland Tie down straps, Paper Towels, Mothers products, CRC Brake Cleaner, cases of wiper blades, Head Lamps, Valvoline, coats, shirts clocks, Turtle wax products, permatex products and the list goes on. I need to dump some of this stuff fast. I sent in a request for one company to send me some wiper blades ( I figured a pair or two) for my truck and they send me 40 fricken pair. I feel your pain! I have no more room in my garage and I have tracking numbers for 3 more pallets of crap showing up this week. :shake:

As far as the company, check your smoke.

[rad]

But, keep in mind that as the pads wear, the level goes down. Most people add fluid when they see that it is low. Especially since most of the newer reservoirs are clearish plastic.
But you are correct Rad, if fluid has not been added, then the reservoir will just become full again.

Yeah, if I see my fluid level low enough, I check out my brakes.

I always thought taking off the cap was getting air in there, and bleeding was neccessary.

[StcChief]

Brake fluid doesn't go anywhere. It's in a closed system. If your low on fluid then you have a leak somewhere and you need to bleed the system anyway.

All I know is I've done it w/o taking off the cap, and never had trouble, otherwise I wouldn't keep doing it that way.

Well when your brake pads wear down...the fluid level in the Master goes down. If you 'top off' the fluid.....If you don't top of the fluid
it may get to low (below the min line) and air would get in the lines
That would be BAD, have to bleed all out and add all new brake fluid.

Now changing the front brakes and collipse the piston....the fluid goes up the lines to the master cylinder and the level will rise.

Will be come apparent when the 2nd wheel caliper is compressed for the new front pads.

[NJ Chief Fan]

thanks for all the help I GOT EM ON AND THEYRE WORKIN :)

[luv]

thanks for all the help I GOT EM ON AND THEYRE WORKIN :)
Testing out breaks. That doesn't sound like something I'd want to do.

[PastorMikH]

I saw you already got the brakes on but I thought I'd chime in anyway. On the rear brakes (disc brakes) on some of the fords you have to screw the piston back in, not compress it. I had a friend that called for help and I fought the thing for a good little bit before figuring it out.

[NJ Chief Fan]

Testing out breaks. That doesn't sound like something I'd want to do.


haha definately not, especially if i was the one that changed them and it was my first time doing so


BUT I LIVED TO SEE ANOTHER DAY

[StcChief]

thanks for all the help I GOT EM ON AND THEYRE WORKIN :)Excellent.

If the brake pedal feels spongy...Air in line

[NJ Chief Fan]

Excellent.

If the brake pedal feels spongy...Air in line
nope the pedal feels regular :thumb:

[NJ Chief Fan]

oh and screw you mechanics that charge 200+ for a brake change, it took like a half hour to change both front brakes and the brakes cost 30 bucks, my hands maybe blacker than a night sky but whatever saved atleast 200

[chefsos]

Nice. The day that God created disk brakes should be an international holiday for jacklegs such as me. Drum brakes suck ass.

[StcChief]

Nice. The day that God created disk brakes should be an international holiday for jacklegs such as me. Drum brakes suck ass.
Still too many rear drum brakes on cars/trucks/SUV.

Thank God they don't have to be done as often.