soulman123 Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 1.8 04 petrol My pads are coming up to change time I picked up a set from eurocarparts and was wondering how simple a job is this ? I did it on my old mk4 but have not touched a focus front brake wise, did the rears. I noticed there is some kind of wire brace on then and on the new pads not something I have come across in my limited experience. I have a wind back tool from Halfords does the fronts just push back or do then need winding ? Also when pushing the piston back do you just undo the brake fluid cap or does this require you to crack a nipple and bleed it after ? Any tip or gotchas would be great *thumbs up* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Replacing the pads is easy... you need the pads, winding tool, or large G clamp, jack, wire coathanger, copper grease and a hex key set (10mm?) 1) Pop the bonnet and take off the brake fluid reservoir cap 2) loosen the wheel on the ground 3) Jack the car up 4) remove the wheel 5) find the 2 hex bolts at the rear of the caliper and loosen them off 6) wind back the piston 7) remove the spring clip 8) Bend the wire coat hanger into an S shape, and secure the top of the hanger to the suspension spring 9) lift out the caliper and secure the caliper itself to the bottom of the wire coathanger... remove the old pad, and apply copper grease to the new break pad at its contact points with the piston and the caliper 10) re apply the brake pad to the caliper, and repeat on the opposite side of the caliper. Re-attach the caliper in the reverse of the above. and then move onto the next wheel. I did this on my first go on my last focus in about 30 minutes on the two front wheels. It really isnt a difficult job. just do a quick google search on "changing brake pads on Focus" and you will find a few videos that also can be very helpful. just remember the golden rule - NEVER DANGLE THE CALIPER BY THE BRAKE HOSE!!! always ensure that the brake hose has slack at ALL TIMES!!! remember this and you wont have any real trouble :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAZ91 Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I did my rears last weekend and bought the Halford Laser wind back tool. if you have the same one it was a waste of money the prongs didnt fit into my calipers so i had to remove them and go Kwik fit who were kind enough to do it for free. id try and check it fits before going whole hog on them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stef123 Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 For the front calipers you don't need a rewind tool, a g-clamp or pipe grips is enough. Also you will need a 7mm Allen key 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman123 Posted June 12, 2013 Author Share Posted June 12, 2013 Replacing the pads is easy... you need the pads, winding tool, or large G clamp, jack, wire coathanger, copper grease and a hex key set (10mm?) 1) Pop the bonnet and take off the brake fluid reservoir cap 2) loosen the wheel on the ground 3) Jack the car up 4) remove the wheel 5) find the 2 hex bolts at the rear of the caliper and loosen them off 6) wind back the piston 7) remove the spring clip 8) Bend the wire coat hanger into an S shape, and secure the top of the hanger to the suspension spring 9) lift out the caliper and secure the caliper itself to the bottom of the wire coathanger... remove the old pad, and apply copper grease to the new break pad at its contact points with the piston and the caliper 10) re apply the brake pad to the caliper, and repeat on the opposite side of the caliper. Re-attach the caliper in the reverse of the above. and then move onto the next wheel. I did this on my first go on my last focus in about 30 minutes on the two front wheels. It really isnt a difficult job. just do a quick google search on "changing brake pads on Focus" and you will find a few videos that also can be very helpful. just remember the golden rule - NEVER DANGLE THE CALIPER BY THE BRAKE HOSE!!! always ensure that the brake hose has slack at ALL TIMES!!! remember this and you wont have any real trouble :) Thanks stef and all, I really should go to google more often. Thanks kindly for that info its exactly what I was after. Sounds straightforward even for me hehe. All I need is a quiet few hours on the weekend. I did see a few youtube vids that were really helpful too and a few people just let the caliper dangle, I cringed. The rears were ok to do hard to push the piston in but the fronts are normally simpler. I did the pads and dics on my old mk4 golf and that was a very similar process not much if anything is different in method. The only new thing is this spring clip which I have figured out simple really. I did on the golf just pop the pads on the caliper guides then the caliper. so have noted how its done here. *big thumbs up* ... not scratching my head now hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman123 Posted June 12, 2013 Author Share Posted June 12, 2013 I did my rears last weekend and bought the Halford Laser wind back tool. if you have the same one it was a waste of money the prongs didnt fit into my calipers so i had to remove them and go Kwik fit who were kind enough to do it for free. id try and check it fits before going whole hog on them That's the same one I have. I had no trouble on the rears other than my feeble hand strength when winding hehe .. I wonder if you have the circular metal bit the right side round as it has 2 sides and the nobs have different spacings depending on what side you are using ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAZ91 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I tried both sides..... obviously one is super far apart but the other side was still too wide i have a mk2.5 if it makes any differance but it just didnt fit so a waste of 30 odd pounds for me haha :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman123 Posted June 12, 2013 Author Share Posted June 12, 2013 I tried both sides..... obviously one is super far apart but the other side was still too wide i have a mk2.5 if it makes any differance but it just didnt fit so a waste of 30 odd pounds for me haha :( Ahhh I see mines a 1.5 so I guess its not use on a 2.5 my mistake I assumed they would all be the same lol ... one of those days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamp Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 For the rears, if you buy the expensive Laser tool you need the Ford adaptor too. Cheaper alternatives can be had for around a tenner though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAZ91 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Just a quickie to add to this, Itys been two weeks since I put the new discs on and they seem to be picking up the rust already anything i should have / can put on it to stop this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy H Dibley Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Hi, Rust is a fact of life with brake discs. They're made from iron and rust very quickly. The good news is that it is just surface rust. This can be cleared by just dabbing the brakes very gentle while moving. DO NOT try and put anything on them to stop them rusting. The only thing that would stop them rusting is applying a layer of some liquid or chemical which stops the oxidisation process. This liquid or chemical is the. Also likely to go and cause your brakes not to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 agreed! surface rust is just the oxidation with the moisture in the air, it is no problem and will not hurt you, it may only becme noticable after leaving the car for some time with no driving! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixmasterlooney Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Make sure you open the bleed nipple before winding back the piston, this can ruin the master cylinder, and you are suppose to clamp off the brake fluid hose to stop it returning to the master cylinder. Personally i would also bleed the system and change brake fluid at the same time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k13r4n Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 1.8 04 petrol My pads are coming up to change time I picked up a set from eurocarparts and was wondering how simple a job is this ? I did it on my old mk4 but have not touched a focus front brake wise, did the rears. I noticed there is some kind of wire brace on then and on the new pads not something I have come across in my limited experience. I have a wind back tool from Halfords does the fronts just push back or do then need winding ? Also when pushing the piston back do you just undo the brake fluid cap or does this require you to crack a nipple and bleed it after ? Any tip or gotchas would be great *thumbs up* EUROCAR PARTS put me out of a job I work for their Scottish rival lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman123 Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Job done. I take an age to do anything! No probs with it just took my time in th heat, spring lip was hard but all done woohoooo ... Now to do its service and figure out how to drain the power steering fluid for renewal as its black! Feels good gettin another job done without it oing all wrong lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 black is worrying! sounds like contamination Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman123 Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Maybe the previous owner topped up with the wrong stuff. I've ordered a bottle of new fluid with is a red oily colour acording to the parts guy. I guess I syringe out the reservoir then disconnect the small hose and put in a bottle and lock to lock the steering. Then refil after connecting hose back ? It is there another way to drain the old fluid out ? Steering is a bit heavy too to add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy H Dibley Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Firstly, great work! Nothing better than doing a job yourself and getting it sorted! As posted, black is worrying! I would do some more searching for suggestions, I'm sure that I read somewhere that said running the steering without fluid is bad. I'd hate to find out in an attempt at draining it you've actually caused damage. I've used before one of those suction pumps and sucked as much as I can out from the reservoir, then replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 you can just disconnect the pipes and let it drain out, then as you say - lock to lock to remove any further. Reconnect the hose and then top up half, then lock to lock again a few times to let it through, then top the rest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artscot79 Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 You can renew it constantly it will still turn black the inside of the rubber hoses turn it black with age as the rubber degrades so that red fluid will be black pretty quickly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman123 Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Ahhh I see is this a sign that those hoses need replacing ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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