How easy is changing brake discs and pads myself?

[JoeChamberlain]

I'm looking to save some serious money by changing all four brake discs and pads myself and am keen to know how hard it is and if there are necessary tools.

 

I consider myself quite a mechanically minded guy even though I have not done this before have found it easy to follow guides to change my ECT sensor and tighten my handbrake.

 

I have access to a trolley jack, the erm... jack standsand have the Haynes manual to follow.

 

Do I really need a torque wrench? Is it easy to mess something up?

 

Thanks

Edited 10 June, 2014 by JoeChamberlain

[@Lee]

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/232066-changing-discs-and-pads/?hl=%2Bchange+%2Bbrake+%2Bpads#entry3768264

[mattievrs]

It's simple if you have a decent spanner set, big enough Allen keys and a piston rewind tool.

[ChipUK]

Yep. You could do it no problems. Just done my fronts and I'm less mechanically minded than most! You will need a rewind tool for the rears as mentioned but I didn't need it for fronts.

Take your time and its straightforward.

[mkc2bad]

Its a pretty straight forward job and since you've already done some work on your car, I think you should find it pretty easy. Best to have a quick look at some youtube vids if you're not sure - most brake systems are the same.

[JoeChamberlain]

Cool OK, thanks for your input guys, I shall do some more research and read through similar posts on here.

 

I'm thinking though, I may just buy the parts online and take them to my local garage and see if he can do them when he fits new tyres, hopefully that won't add too much to the labour, even if it's £50 on top, I don't really mind.

[rover220]

You will need a piston rewind tool, 8mm hex key, 16 and 18mm sockets in particular aswell as other necessary items.

Where are you located?

[mogwye]

Its a pretty straight forward job and since you've already done some work on your car, I think you should find it pretty easy. Best to have a quick look at some youtube vids if you're not sure - most brake systems are the same.

 

That's an easy practical solution, especially as the wheels are already coming off.

 

DB

[Petardo]

Impact driver is essential.

Halfords do a good one for about £17 ish.

To quote a popular meme 'One does not simply' remove a disc retaining screw without one.

 

Aside from that I needed: 
a socket set with small breaker bar
copper grease

blue roll
gloves
brake cleaner

a club hammer
small wire brush for brushing off any rusty bits
caliper rewind tool for the rear, press back tool for the front

jack stands

 

I think that's all ...

[rover220]

You can use the piston rewind tool on the fronts. No need for a seperate tool

[giandougl]

All-in-all it's definitely a DIY job and far cry from being rocket science.

Keep on eye on brake-fluid level as brake fluid will be forced back-up into the master brake cylinder reservoir. (fitted to back of the bulk-head in the engine compartment)

 

Garage will charge about one and a half hours to 2 hours @ £50+ hour depending what the garage labour charges are.

[Molly_Fabia]

Impact driver is essential.

Halfords do a good one for about £17 ish.

To quote a popular meme 'One does not simply' remove a disc retaining screw without one.

Erm... I can get those retaining screws out without one and I'm a girly.  But maybe its because as soon as the wheel is off, I fire some brake cleaner and penetrating oil onto bolts, nuts and screws and brush any rust away with wire brush. IIR the first time getting them out was a mare, this time round they were cleanest part of disc :| . Looks like a torx screw btw, at least that's what I got it out with, and to put it back in, I pop the wheel nuts in lightly too to keep the disc aligned on the hub. Ratchet screwdriver probably helps.

 

I changed my discs and brakes all round last week and it all went smoothly bar the one bloomin' bolt which resisted penetrating oil, force, limited leverage, burly bro-in-law, impact driver... I had to resort to WD40 Fast Penetrating Spray, heat and Irwin's bolt grippers to get it out. I don't give in easily, but neither did that bolt! Guess that was the one anti-seize forgot...

 

Hex size for my FSiii front caliper pins is 7mm. Ended up replacing caliper pins and rubber boots as one refused to go back in and boots looked a bit saggy. They are now Tx40 supposedly (fit 6mm hex bit).  I actually did most of the winding with the smaller L shape allen key from a set because I could fully turn it in the small space, tightened up with the long handled Laser tool (that I have it, so I'm going to use it mentality.  :no: Get a hex bit and ratchet wrench, it'll save a lot of cussing, most automotive bit sets contain 7 and 8. Except mine. D'oh!).  

 

Guide bolts on rear caliper were 13mm socket/spanner and 5/8 or 15mm spanner on the caliper slide pin head. They can be pigs to get out, just can't get enough leverage under there. New guide bolts came with pads, don't reuse old. Use anti-seize on bolts and lubricate pins. I've heard metal greases are bad for ABS and of course, mineral greases are bad for rubber (incl. CV moly), so ended up with ceramic brake grease on caliper pins, apparently silicone is better, pfft. Grease industry bosses must be wining and dining with their bank managers...

 

Re rewind tool, I found it kept slipping on the front as its slightly smaller than the piston, so I wedged a hard bit of card in there. Watch you don't snag or deform piston rubber boot. If the caliper + pads won't fit back on, piston isn't far enough in. You'll also need some silicone tubing and container (I used 5.4mm ID tube from eezibleed kit) and spanner for opening the bleed nipple when winding back the piston. Can't recall the spanner size, sorry, its fairly small. I also took off the reservoir cap and wadded around it with paper towel, just in case.

 

A flat blade screwdriver is handy for levering off old pads/rust and aiding the new springs (gently) into place. Pay attention to the Haynes photos to see which way the front pads go in, mine weren't labelled or colour-coded as Haynes think. And clean hub, calipers, pins, screws etc free of rust before fitting new kit. Did I mention anti-seize yet?

 

It's really straight forward, most time consuming part is cleaning off the rust and tools needed are common and cheap. Best bit is the saving, I saw one franchise quote recently for £250 for just the rears. Whole car costs me around £120 in parts (double check your caliper type and that the parts fit, don't trust your plate number to select the right part on ECP/eBay etc.) P.S. I love Eric-the-Car-Guy for entertaining You-Tube DIYs  :clap:

[Molly_Fabia]

Packing away tools today, found I used: Tx30 bit for disc retaining screw. 7/16 (11 metric?) spanner used on bleed nipple.  1/2 imperial socket used on rear guide bolt (snugger fit that 13mm). Caliper mount is 8mm hex socket. Also adjustable webbing strap (or wire) for suspending caliper to avoid hose damage. Small 1/2" radial brush and pipe cleaners for bolt holes. Wire wool. Wish I'd had: rust remover spray, bigger wire brush/ drill attachment wire brush. Notes for next time: New anti-rattle shims. Silicone grease. Consider renewing rear rubber seals/boots.

[LukasV]

Hello guys 

 

Yesterday I was trying to change brake pads with disk. But when I started to try unscrew caliper bolt with 7mm allen key. It looks like it spins but stays in place. Spend 1 hours trying to unspin it. Both of them but still stays where they are. So now I don't know what to do. I try to spin it back but it still stays in the same position. As far as I know no one didn't change them for about 2-3years. So I need them urgently

 

Any suggestion what to do ? I don't want to cut it   

[seanw]

is the head in the stud rounded off?

[seanw]

or is there a flat part on the outside to hold them with a spanner?

[gav_is_con]

or is there a flat part on the outside to hold them with a spanner?

Agree with Seanw, you usually have to hold a nut with a spanner whilst winding the torx head. To undo the caliper pin.

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[Thisday]

Hello guys

Yesterday I was trying to change brake pads with disk. But when I started to try unscrew caliper bolt with 7mm allen key. It looks like it spins but stays in place. Spend 1 hours trying to unspin it. Both of them but still stays where they are. So now I don't know what to do. I try to spin it back but it still stays in the same position. As far as I know no one didn't change them for about 2-3years. So I need them urgently

Any suggestion what to do ? I don't want to cut it

Saw this and thought of you....

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/57923-fabia-vrs-how-to-change-rear-discs-and-pads/#entry691533

[LukasVy]

Sorry I forgot to tell you that its 1.4TDI not VRS. I was looking today and I cant find anything where I can use 13mm socket.

 

I have bolt like this which is not coming out. And for that bolt I need to use 7mm allen key

 

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/technical-stuff/1352903d1427127961t-diy-skoda-fabia-brake-disc-rotor-change-4th-service-too-img_20150321_114122.jpg

[TMB]

Sorry I forgot to tell you that its 1.4TDI not VRS. I was looking today and I cant find anything where I can use 13mm socket.

 

I have bolt like this which is not coming out. And for that bolt I need to use 7mm allen key

 

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/technical-stuff/1352903d1427127961t-diy-skoda-fabia-brake-disc-rotor-change-4th-service-too-img_20150321_114122.jpg

 

The threads might be stripped. Someone might have overtightened them in the past.

 

Are you exerting some pulling force at the same time as unscrewing them? You sometimes need to do that to get them out of the guides.

[gav_is_con]

The other end of the guide pin requires an open ended spanner as well as the 7mm Allen you are using to undo it. That's how most of the vw group brakes have worked over the years. If you follow the guide pin there is a place that a spanner can fit. Personal experience. Can't say for sure that you have this on yours though. [emoji1]

Position 2 like on these brakes is where the spanner goes. Position 1 is where your Allen key goes.

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Edited 29 May, 2015 by gav_is_con

[TMB]

The other end of the guide pin requires an open ended spanner as well as the 7mm Allen you are using to undo it. That's how most of the vw group brakes have worked over the years. If you follow the guide pin there is a place that a spanner can fit. Personal experience. Can't say for sure that you have this on yours though. [emoji1]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

If it's the type of pin he shows in the link there is no other part to hold.

 

[vzo25]

Sorry I forgot to tell you that its 1.4TDI not VRS. I was looking today and I cant find anything where I can use 13mm socket.

I have bolt like this which is not coming out. And for that bolt I need to use 7mm allen key

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/technical-stuff/1352903d1427127961t-diy-skoda-fabia-brake-disc-rotor-change-4th-service-too-img_20150321_114122.jpg

Try getting some long nose pliers on either the end of bolt it should show itself out of its sleeve.then once it just spins . use allen key to turn it. You should be able to prise it out. Thats what i did.

Once youve got them out. Clean them up on wire wheel or brush. Use ceratec greese to lube them up. Ive not had probs with mine

[vzo25]

The other end of the guide pin requires an open ended spanner as well as the 7mm Allen you are using to undo it. That's how most of the vw group brakes have worked over the years. If you follow the guide pin there is a place that a spanner can fit. Personal experience. Can't say for sure that you have this on yours though. [emoji1]

Position 2 like on these brakes is where the spanner goes. Position 1 is where your Allen key goes.

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Thats for the rear isnt it. He means for front

For the rears you need a spanner on number2 and use a socket on the bolt head numer1

[lupoluke]

Did they crack off and undo as they should sometimes they can be a little snug in the rubber boot, I normally find if you twist and pull with the Allen key it's normally enough to pull them out.

Could always use a screw driver to push them out taking care not to damage the threads.

Also they don't have to be FT, torque setting is 30nm off the top of my head but double check it.