So my pads need doing in the next month or so on my '02 focus (which has ABS) and I wanted to give it a go myself.

Mr haynes manual says to push the piston back in with the bleed valve open and connected to a brake bleeding kit, else the ABS unit might be damaged.

It also says to put a clamp on the hose going to the hose going to the caliper whilst doing this.

Is this the correct procedure or are they being a bit ocd, as the videos ive seen on youtube dont mention this?

Im also not keen on clamping the hose as I dont have a tool for it and am worried about it splitting!

every1 has there own way to do on this. The only thing i do is open your fluid resiviour, take your calliper apart, i use big pipe plyers and force the piston back these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16-Inch-Water-Pump-Pliers-with-Cushioned-Grip-Chrome-Vanadium-Steel-/150850247816?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item231f601c88 copper grease the side of your pads, and bolts... always check your sliders, pull them out and re-grease. put back together.....

Thanks for that.

Are sliding pins the same thing as 'caliper guide bolts'? (7mm hex head).

Also, what type of grease do you suggest? General copper grease?

Thanks for that.

Are sliding pins the same thing as 'caliper guide bolts'? (7mm hex head).

Also, what type of grease do you suggest? General copper grease?

The front calipers don't use sliders they use guide bolts as you say so they don't need greasing - just make sure they are clean.

Erm, if it has ABS don't you have to screw the piston back in? I used a big flat bladed screw driver in one of the slots and wound it back into the cylinder.

Erm, if it has ABS don't you have to screw the piston back in? I used a big flat bladed screw driver in one of the slots and wound it back into the cylinder.

Front caliper pistons push back, rears need to be rewound

Abs makes no difference, it's the handbrake mechanism that requires the rears to need rewonding

i always use a hose clamp and undo the brake nipple with a non return bleed kit whenever i do the pads ..abs are pretty expensive and i'm not going to chance being the 1 out of 100 that ends up flipping the seals ..it takes a few minutes longer and it also helps the nipples from corrroding to the caliper.. no only that i dont need to worry about the reservoire getting over filled with the excess fluid when the piston moves back .. just my way of doing it ..its one of those thing ..the way you were shown how to do the 1st time is the way that you tend to use ..if you want the easiest way to do it ..give it to the laziest person you know ..they will find it..but its not always the best