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How Easy Is It To Change Break Pads And Discs


fiesta_lad
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Hi all just wondering how easy is it to change break pads and discs on a fiesta 1.3i 51 plate is it just a straight forward job i don't know notthing about cars when i say notthing i know thw basics. Just been watching a few videos on you tube to me looks staright forward so iam just wondering how easy is it and would you recommend me doing it myself knowing i know the basics. cheers alan

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They are easy to change BUT do you really want to try to change something that if you get it wrong could potentially cause an accident and kill someone..... just with you saying you know only the basics about cars and the brakes are pretty important!!

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front brakes maybe but defo not the rear brakes cause there drums and there nothing but a pain in the ar*e. you need all the right tools and equipment as well so unless you have a large tool box it'll be cheaper to put it into a garage or get a member on here who knows what there doin.

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front brakes maybe but defo not the rear brakes cause there drums and there nothing but a pain in the ar*e. you need all the right tools and equipment as well so unless you have a large tool box it'll be cheaper to put it into a garage or get a member on here who knows what there doin.

I have ordered a tool kit looks quite good have a look http://www.kays.com/235-piece-tool-set-and-chest/543753340.prd?browseToken=%2fq%2fsocket+set&prdToken=/p/prod1588722-sku3282890

What do u think.

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That should do yah mate. I've done it on my MK5 too.

You're gonna need a 7mm allen key too, which dont often come in normal sets, to take the Callipers off.

I had to use a big hammer and a blowtorch to get the old ones off too because the hubs has rusted on.

Also get yourself a Haynes manual from Halfords. That'll talk you through the entire thing step by step.

Erms... you might need something to depress the calliper pistons too. I used pipe grips. Dunno if your set comes with them though.

Ooo... Don't forget copper grease. You can get that from Halfrauds too!...

Gimme a holla if you need any help mate

Also, Im not sure if they still do it, but Kwik fit did a free brake system check. Might set your mind at ease after you do it.

Pete

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That should do yah mate. I've done it on my MK5 too.

You're gonna need a 7mm allen key too, which dont often come in normal sets, to take the Callipers off.

I had to use a big hammer and a blowtorch to get the old ones off too because the hubs has rusted on.

Also get yourself a Haynes manual from Halfords. That'll talk you through the entire thing step by step.

Erms... you might need something to depress the calliper pistons too. I used pipe grips. Dunno if your set comes with them though.

Ooo... Don't forget copper grease. You can get that from Halfrauds too!...

Gimme a holla if you need any help mate

Also, Im not sure if they still do it, but Kwik fit did a free brake system check. Might set your mind at ease after you do it.

Pete

Hello mate ive been watching loads of videos on you tube over and over again reading my haynes manual about 10 times aday is it staright forward doing the pads on a mk5 also have the brake pads when you take them out do they have cliped on the back or do they just slide out normal cheers mate.

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I changed my own on my last car and it was a relatively simple job. There are some clips from memory (was a couple of years ago) which were a pain to get off but managed it all with a basic tool set and the special "ford" allen key. you will need to buy that allen key specifically, i bought 3 different sets before i found i could only get it on its own.

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I changed my own on my last car and it was a relatively simple job. There are some clips from memory (was a couple of years ago) which were a pain to get off but managed it all with a basic tool set and the special "ford" allen key. you will need to buy that allen key specifically, i bought 3 different sets before i found i could only get it on its own.

Yeah thats the 7mm one I was on about. Bought a large £10 set from Wickes just because I needed the 7mm. Very hard to get hold of.

The pads are easy to take off once the callipers are off obviously. As Ricky pointed out, there's one clip holding the pads in place, bit of a pain to remove and refit. Need a bit of muscle behind yah but it's relatively easy. To be honest, i'd say that that's the hardest part =] The outside pad slides into place, but the inside one slots into the calliper piston.

Erms... Just remember those pipe grips because you're gonna need to depress the calliper piston a little as your new pads will obviously be wider than the older ones =]

Dunno if you've looked at prices but I was quoted between £120 and £180 at a number of garages. If you find the right place to buy from, you can find Discs and Pads for about £55 so it's well worth doing it yourself. A good job to cut your teeth on when learning about mechanics =]

Sorry for all these long posts... Stuff's just coming back to me =P Speaking of which, you're gonna need something to clean the discs with when they arrive. They come with a surface of oil on them, to protect them during transit, that'll soak into the pads if not removed. And make sure you don't get any copper grease on the pad's face (The part that contacts the disc). They are extremely porous xD

Pete

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Yeah thats the 7mm one I was on about. Bought a large £10 set from Wickes just because I needed the 7mm. Very hard to get hold of.

The pads are easy to take off once the callipers are off obviously. As Ricky pointed out, there's one clip holding the pads in place, bit of a pain to remove and refit. Need a bit of muscle behind yah but it's relatively easy. To be honest, i'd say that that's the hardest part =] The outside pad slides into place, but the inside one slots into the calliper piston.

Erms... Just remember those pipe grips because you're gonna need to depress the calliper piston a little as your new pads will obviously be wider than the older ones =]

Dunno if you've looked at prices but I was quoted between £120 and £180 at a number of garages. If you find the right place to buy from, you can find Discs and Pads for about £55 so it's well worth doing it yourself. A good job to cut your teeth on when learning about mechanics =]

Sorry for all these long posts... Stuff's just coming back to me =P Speaking of which, you're gonna need something to clean the discs with when they arrive. They come with a surface of oil on them, to protect them during transit, that'll soak into the pads if not removed. And make sure you don't get any copper grease on the pad's face (The part that contacts the disc). They are extremely porous xD

Pete

Will a can of brake cleaner clean the disc ive seen someone on youtube spary the whole disc in brake cleaner is that ok to do. havent really looked into prices yet gonna ring around for a few quotes see who's the best in price range ive heared a number of people saying its simple to change pads and discs and to me it looks easy so i will give it a good go. cheers thank you

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hey fiesta lad, hows it going?

i will breakdown what you will need and what you need to do.

required:

brake cleaner (to remove oil from brake discs and to clean caliper/carrier and yes its fine to soak everything in this!)

wire brush or similar (to remove all the crap from caliper/carrier)

brake grease (not suposed to use copper grease any more but to tell the truth i still do)

emery cloth

7mm allen key for calipers

basic socket set

large flat screwdriver (handy for thos awkward bits of dirt that are stuck and to get the pad clip on/off)

a g clamp or quick clamp to push the pistons back.

rope or bungee cord to tie up the caliper out the road (do not hang it on brake hose)

hammer

first of all, jack the car and remove the wheel. turn the wheels full lock to the side you wish to work on and remove the cap from the brake fluid resevoir (this is a must if you dont want to risk damaging seals)

remove the 2 plastic caps on the back of the caliper and undo the 7mm headed allen bolts

you will need to wiggle the caliper at this point and try lever the clip thing out the road, this will allow the caliper to come right off. remove the pads and push back the piston using your clamp making sure the brake fluid resevoir doesnt overflow. remove the carrier from the hub using whatever size socket or spanner is requires. the discs are not bolted on so should pull right off if not some gentle tapping with a hammer

clean the surface of the hub where the disc sits with emery cloth to make it nice and shiny/smooth again then give everything a good brushing and soaking with brake cleaner take care not to brush the rubber seals) - the more dirt you can remove here the better

give your new discs a clean with brake cleaner as they will be coated in oil to prevent corrosion, then fit them onto the hub.

refit the caliper carrier

refit the pads into caliper, apply a smear of 'brake grease' to any part of the metal backing that come in conact with the caliper or carrier. take care not to get any on the rubber seals as it will damage them! also make sure this does not get on any of the friction sufaces as it will not burn off!

refit the caliper and fit the bolts, then refit the metal clip (use the big screwdriver to lever it if needed)

get in the car and depress the brake pedal about 30% of its travel until the brake pedal goes absolutely solid, otherwise you will have serious issues as the pads wont be in contact with the disc and make sure you do this after doing each side!

its also a good idea to put some copper grease on the face of the disc where the wheel sits and on the threads, this will make the wheel much easier to remove next time as the have a habbit or corroding and being a little difficult to remove.

and thats about it :)

infact, its been a little while since i done ford brakes - i cant even remember if they actually have a carrier or if its just part of the hub. if it doesnt have one its all the better for you :) when i think about it im sure the caliper just fits over the discs, so when you remove it the disc can be pulled right off too

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hey fiesta lad, hows it going?

i will breakdown what you will need and what you need to do.

required:

brake cleaner (to remove oil from brake discs and to clean caliper/carrier and yes its fine to soak everything in this!)

wire brush or similar (to remove all the crap from caliper/carrier)

brake grease (not suposed to use copper grease any more but to tell the truth i still do)

emery cloth

7mm allen key for calipers

basic socket set

large flat screwdriver (handy for thos awkward bits of dirt that are stuck and to get the pad clip on/off)

a g clamp or quick clamp to push the pistons back.

rope or bungee cord to tie up the caliper out the road (do not hang it on brake hose)

hammer

first of all, jack the car and remove the wheel. turn the wheels full lock to the side you wish to work on and remove the cap from the brake fluid resevoir (this is a must if you dont want to risk damaging seals)

remove the 2 plastic caps on the back of the caliper and undo the 7mm headed allen bolts

you will need to wiggle the caliper at this point and try lever the clip thing out the road, this will allow the caliper to come right off. remove the pads and push back the piston using your clamp making sure the brake fluid resevoir doesnt overflow. remove the carrier from the hub using whatever size socket or spanner is requires. the discs are not bolted on so should pull right off if not some gentle tapping with a hammer

clean the surface of the hub where the disc sits with emery cloth to make it nice and shiny/smooth again then give everything a good brushing and soaking with brake cleaner take care not to brush the rubber seals) - the more dirt you can remove here the better

give your new discs a clean with brake cleaner as they will be coated in oil to prevent corrosion, then fit them onto the hub.

refit the caliper carrier

refit the pads into caliper, apply a smear of 'brake grease' to any part of the metal backing that come in conact with the caliper or carrier. take care not to get any on the rubber seals as it will damage them! also make sure this does not get on any of the friction sufaces as it will not burn off!

refit the caliper and fit the bolts, then refit the metal clip (use the big screwdriver to lever it if needed)

get in the car and depress the brake pedal about 30% of its travel until the brake pedal goes absolutely solid, otherwise you will have serious issues as the pads wont be in contact with the disc and make sure you do this after doing each side!

its also a good idea to put some copper grease on the face of the disc where the wheel sits and on the threads, this will make the wheel much easier to remove next time as the have a habbit or corroding and being a little difficult to remove.

and thats about it :)

infact, its been a little while since i done ford brakes - i cant even remember if they actually have a carrier or if its just part of the hub. if it doesnt have one its all the better for you :) when i think about it im sure the caliper just fits over the discs, so when you remove it the disc can be pulled right off too

Sounds good to me i mean like ive said in this thread i know a little about cars but at the moment i havent got the money to pay garage rates a hour so i want to start and do my own work save money and at least you know its done right i think i will be bringing this laptop outside with me to follow the step by step guide you have written for me :lol: because i have changed the brake pads and discs do i have to put in new brake fluid or do i just top it up at the end if i have lost any also its best if i get myself some axle stands cheers for the guide through.

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hey fiesta lad, hows it going?

i will breakdown what you will need and what you need to do.

required:

brake cleaner (to remove oil from brake discs and to clean caliper/carrier and yes its fine to soak everything in this!)

wire brush or similar (to remove all the crap from caliper/carrier)

brake grease (not suposed to use copper grease any more but to tell the truth i still do)

emery cloth

7mm allen key for calipers

basic socket set

large flat screwdriver (handy for thos awkward bits of dirt that are stuck and to get the pad clip on/off)

a g clamp or quick clamp to push the pistons back.

rope or bungee cord to tie up the caliper out the road (do not hang it on brake hose)

hammer

first of all, jack the car and remove the wheel. turn the wheels full lock to the side you wish to work on and remove the cap from the brake fluid resevoir (this is a must if you dont want to risk damaging seals)

remove the 2 plastic caps on the back of the caliper and undo the 7mm headed allen bolts

you will need to wiggle the caliper at this point and try lever the clip thing out the road, this will allow the caliper to come right off. remove the pads and push back the piston using your clamp making sure the brake fluid resevoir doesnt overflow. remove the carrier from the hub using whatever size socket or spanner is requires. the discs are not bolted on so should pull right off if not some gentle tapping with a hammer

clean the surface of the hub where the disc sits with emery cloth to make it nice and shiny/smooth again then give everything a good brushing and soaking with brake cleaner take care not to brush the rubber seals) - the more dirt you can remove here the better

give your new discs a clean with brake cleaner as they will be coated in oil to prevent corrosion, then fit them onto the hub.

refit the caliper carrier

refit the pads into caliper, apply a smear of 'brake grease' to any part of the metal backing that come in conact with the caliper or carrier. take care not to get any on the rubber seals as it will damage them! also make sure this does not get on any of the friction sufaces as it will not burn off!

refit the caliper and fit the bolts, then refit the metal clip (use the big screwdriver to lever it if needed)

get in the car and depress the brake pedal about 30% of its travel until the brake pedal goes absolutely solid, otherwise you will have serious issues as the pads wont be in contact with the disc and make sure you do this after doing each side!

its also a good idea to put some copper grease on the face of the disc where the wheel sits and on the threads, this will make the wheel much easier to remove next time as the have a habbit or corroding and being a little difficult to remove.

and thats about it :)

infact, its been a little while since i done ford brakes - i cant even remember if they actually have a carrier or if its just part of the hub. if it doesnt have one its all the better for you :) when i think about it im sure the caliper just fits over the discs, so when you remove it the disc can be pulled right off too

Hello again is this the sort of 7mm allen key i need.

http://tooltray.com/hand-tools/hexagon-keys/allen-keys/allen-keys-short-arm-metric/short-arm-allen-key-7-mm-82026.htm?utm_source=Tooltray&utm_medium=Froogle&utm_campaign=Shopping

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Sounds good to me i mean like ive said in this thread i know a little about cars but at the moment i havent got the money to pay garage rates a hour so i want to start and do my own work save money and at least you know its done right i think i will be bringing this laptop outside with me to follow the step by step guide you have written for me :lol: because i have changed the brake pads and discs do i have to put in new brake fluid or do i just top it up at the end if i have lost any also its best if i get myself some axle stands cheers for the guide through.

no worries, if you get stuck just give us a shout, im usually not far away from the forum :lol:

you dont need to change the brake fluid at this point but it is recommended every 2 years. if you would like to do this i would see how you get on with the pads and discs first and see how it goes and how you feel.

when you fit new pads, you push the fluid from the calipers/brake lines back into the resevoir so sometime you need to remove some of it to stop it overflowing. unless its low right now you shouldnt need to top up.

that allen key will do fine, might have a little issue with getting enough leverage though. its a bit of expense but i always use a 3/8 ratchet and 7mm socket bit.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FRANKLIN-7mm-HEX-KEY-SOCKET-ALLEN-3-8-DR-FREE-POST_W0QQitemZ250602472933QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Hand_Tools_Equipment?hash=item3a591245e5

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no worries, if you get stuck just give us a shout, im usually not far away from the forum :lol:

you dont need to change the brake fluid at this point but it is recommended every 2 years. if you would like to do this i would see how you get on with the pads and discs first and see how it goes and how you feel.

when you fit new pads, you push the fluid from the calipers/brake lines back into the resevoir so sometime you need to remove some of it to stop it overflowing. unless its low right now you shouldnt need to top up.

that allen key will do fine, might have a little issue with getting enough leverage though. its a bit of expense but i always use a 3/8 ratchet and 7mm socket bit.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FRANKLIN-7mm-HEX-KEY-SOCKET-ALLEN-3-8-DR-FREE-POST_W0QQitemZ250602472933QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Hand_Tools_Equipment?hash=item3a591245e5

So that tool on eBay that just attach to the ratchet looks and sounds alot easy than a small allen key. Also i checked my brake fluid last week and its up to the max so iam i best takeing some out to stop it going everywere. its all sounds staright forward if i just take my time don't rush i can't go wrong.

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no worries, if you get stuck just give us a shout, im usually not far away from the forum :lol:

you dont need to change the brake fluid at this point but it is recommended every 2 years. if you would like to do this i would see how you get on with the pads and discs first and see how it goes and how you feel.

when you fit new pads, you push the fluid from the calipers/brake lines back into the resevoir so sometime you need to remove some of it to stop it overflowing. unless its low right now you shouldnt need to top up.

that allen key will do fine, might have a little issue with getting enough leverage though. its a bit of expense but i always use a 3/8 ratchet and 7mm socket bit.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FRANKLIN-7mm-HEX-KEY-SOCKET-ALLEN-3-8-DR-FREE-POST_W0QQitemZ250602472933QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Hand_Tools_Equipment?hash=item3a591245e5

Also what the best axle stands.

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So that tool on ebay that just attach to the ratchet looks and sounds alot easy than a small allen key. Also i checked my brake fluid last week and its up to the max so iam i best takeing some out to stop it going everywere. its all sounds staright forward if i just take my time don't rush i can't go wrong.

yeah just attach it like you would a normal socket :)

i would do one side then pump the pedal until it goes solid and see how much if any that its over the max. i normally use a syringe to remove any extra fluid if im not replacing the fluid at the same time. ive used kitchen roll to soak some up in the past also, just watch it doesnt drip on anything :lol:

its very straight forward really, its a good sense of achievement when your finished something like this for the first time. take it easy and take your time, you will be fine.

axle stands - ive got 2 + 3 tonne ratchet type that Halfords sell but ive also got the standard 2t type that you just put the pin through at the desired height, only cost about £8 but have been brilliant.

to get you started i would just go for the cheaper type.

what kind of jack do you have?

i used to use one of these when i first started on cars

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/13244/Hand-Tools/Spanners-Wrenches/Wrenches/Telescopic-Wheel-Wrench

now its in the boot beside the spare, brilliant bit of kit and can be picked up for as little as a fiver!!

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yeah just attach it like you would a normal socket :)

i would do one side then pump the pedal until it goes solid and see how much if any that its over the max. i normally use a syringe to remove any extra fluid if im not replacing the fluid at the same time. ive used kitchen roll to soak some up in the past also, just watch it doesnt drip on anything :lol:

its very straight forward really, its a good sense of achievement when your finished something like this for the first time. take it easy and take your time, you will be fine.

axle stands - ive got 2 + 3 tonne ratchet type that halfords sell but ive also got the standard 2t type that you just put the pin through at the desired height, only cost about £8 but have been brilliant.

to get you started i would just go for the cheaper type.

Good so the pin axle stands are good just been looking at the pin ones look ok and 2 tone ones are bound to be ok with a fiesta :lol: never done breaks in my life but iam keen do learn and do my own work ive got the tool kit so iam going to put some use to it. :lol: some people say its not worth doing your own breaks if you don't know anything about cars.

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Good so the pin axle stands are good just been looking at the pin ones look ok and 2 tone ones are bound to be ok with a fiesta :lol: never done breaks in my life but iam keen do learn and do my own work ive got the tool kit so iam going to put some use to it. :lol: some people say its not worth doing your own breaks if you don't know anything about cars.

yes those will be fine, they are 2t capacity but remember not all the weight of your car will be on them :) there might only be 650kg on them. the back wheels will still be taking a bit of load.

it might not be 'cost effective' doing your brakes this time but next time it will only cost you parts and a little bit of your time, plus its a learning experience :)

if you get condfident with carrying out jobs on the car your toolbox will start to grow over time

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yes those will be fine, they are 2t capacity but remember not all the weight of your car will be on them :) there might only be 650kg on them. the back wheels will still be taking a bit of load.

it might not be 'cost effective' doing your brakes this time but next time it will only cost you parts and a little bit of your time, plus its a learning experience :)

if you get condfident with carrying out jobs on the car your toolbox will start to grow over time

If i get left alone and no one taiks to me i can get stuck in ive got a pretty good tool kit now ive got this one http://www.kays.com/235-piece-tool-set-and-chest/543753340.prd?browseToken=%2fb%2f3279%2fq%2fsocket+set&trail=3279&prdToken=/p/prod1588722-sku3282890

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If i get left alone and no one taiks to me i can get stuck in ive got a pretty good tool kit now ive got this one http://www.kays.com/235-piece-tool-set-and-chest/543753340.prd?browseToken=%2fb%2f3279%2fq%2fsocket+set&trail=3279&prdToken=/p/prod1588722-sku3282890

should be plenty in there to keep you going for a while :)

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should be plenty in there to keep you going for a while :)

Sure is i think once the breaks are out the way i will look at doing me own oil and fliter change.

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Sure is i think once the breaks are out the way i will look at doing me own oil and fliter change.

ha yeah thats a nice easy number. very easy one that but always makes a difference

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ha yeah thats a nice easy number. very easy one that but always makes a difference

Does look very staright forward i must say. When placeing axle stands on my type of car were are the strong points without causeing damage can i put the axle stands.

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Does look very staright forward i must say. When placeing axle stands on my type of car were are the strong points without causeing damage can i put the axle stands.

i would normally put them on the sills either side. roughly where the standard jack that comes in the boot would go. (if that makes sense)

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i would normally put them on the sills either side. roughly where the standard jack that comes in the boot would go. (if that makes sense)

I only ever used the standard jack the one that come with the car because what i was going to do were you have the jacking points the little cut out bit were the jack goes into i was going to place the axle stands next to it so iam just thinking would this be ok.

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