How to change pads correctly. Replacing the front brake pads - when and how to change? The choice of brake pads for the car

Every car owner must understand that the proper operation of the brakes is a guarantee of the safety of the driver and passengers while driving. The correct operation of the brake system depends on many factors, but first of all, you should pay attention to the condition of the brake pads. The wear of the pads is determined by the rest of the friction part, that is, the material on the main part of the pads, with which they are pressed against the pancakes. This is the part that is prone to wear.

Brake pads are one of the most frequently worn parts of a car, so every motorist sooner or later must learn how to change brake pads without resorting to the help of specialists.

Front brake pads and rear brake pads must be changed in pairs, that is, it is not recommended to change them on one front wheel and leave the old ones on the other. Also with the rear wheels. This leads to destabilization of the car during braking.

The choice of brake pads for the car

Of course, the longer life of the brake system depends on right choice brake pads. Here you can not save and chase cheapness. Moreover, cheap low-quality pads can ruin brake discs, leaving dents on them when braking, and replacing brake discs is a more complicated and expensive process than replacing pads.

However, the high cost of these parts also does not guarantee quality. Most best option, visit the vehicle manufacturer's website and find out exactly which pads were used in the production of your car model. They will last longer than pads from other manufacturers, as the developers took into account all the structural features of the car and used the most suitable materials.

Preparing to change brake pads

Before you replace the pads with your own hands, you need to prepare a tool:

• car jack;
• balloon wrench for dismantling the wheel;
• pliers;
• a thin peak about ten centimeters long;
• large screwdriver.

In order to start replacing the brake pads, you need to fix the car with a parking brake or substitute some bar or brick under the wheel that will not allow the car to budge. Then you need to slightly raise the car with a jack and release the bolts on the wheel with a wheelbrace. You need to raise the car until the wheel touches the ground and does not turn when the bolts are loosened. After the bolts are released, you need to raise the car with a jack until the wheel is off the ground.

After that, the bolts are unscrewed with a balloon wrench, and the wheel is removed from the hub. Then, depending on the side on which the pads are changed, you need to unscrew the steering wheel in the right direction: if the replacement is made on the left, then to the right side, and if on the right, then to the left side.

Then you need to remove the locking cotter pins from the guide pins with pliers and knock the pins out of the seat with a lance. After you need to remove the springs, if they did not fall out when removing the fingers. Further, pressing on the moving part of the caliper with a large flat screwdriver, you need to increase the distance between the brake disc and the pads. From the resulting gap, you need to remove the old brake pads and install new ones in the same position.

To assemble this part of the brake system, you need to perform all these steps in reverse order.

Knowing how to replace the brake pads on one wheel, you can perform all of the above steps on the remaining wheels.

Important points in the pad replacement procedure

1. Before replacing pads, check the brake fluid reservoir. It does not need to be full to the eyeballs, because. when moving apart the moving parts of the caliper, the liquid may spill out, and this will damage the paint of the car.
2. Before lifting the car with a jack, it is necessary to open the driver's door window, because. when lifting, the body may move slightly, and this will prevent the door from opening.
3. Because when disassembling the brake pad convergence system, many small metal parts are formed, it will be prudent to use a magnet to store them and prevent the loss of any element.
4. In the seat of the guide pins, rust may accumulate, which will make it difficult to remove them, so you need to spray a special liquid there in advance.
5. When installing all the elements back, it is recommended to clean them of dirt and dust and spray them with graphite grease. This will facilitate the subsequent replacement of the brake pads.

Diagnostics of the work done

Before driving the car on the road after replacing the pads, it is necessary to perform some diagnostic steps. The first step is to inspect the pads and wheels visually to check that they are installed correctly and that there is no brake fluid leakage.

Then, sitting behind the wheel, you need to press the brake pedal several times until the pedal failure disappears. This is necessary to bring the pads to the brake discs. Now you need to check on the go how the car slows down. When braking, there should be no destabilization, i.e. during the braking distance, the car must move smoothly, without skidding in any direction.

The best test is acceleration and hard braking. It is recommended to carry out this check in an open area so as not to damage your car or the cars of other road users.

How often should brake pads be changed?

As mentioned earlier, riding on worn pads is unsafe for the driver and passengers, so the car owner himself must monitor their condition. Professionals recommend changing all four pairs of pads at once, but practice shows that the front pads, due to the greater load on them, wear out faster than the rear ones.

In modern cars, there are indicators that determine the wear of the pads and inform the driver about it. But, according to experts, any electronics can fail, and in this case it can lead to tragic results.

It is always best to check the wear of the brake pads yourself. To do this, having unscrewed the steering wheel in the right direction, you need to visually assess the rest of the friction part on the pads. This is enough to understand whether the pads are worn or not. Or you can contact the service.

As you can see, the procedure for replacing brake pads is quite simple, so, as they say, good luck!

Video

Replacing pads on a VAZ is as follows:

Any equipment must be protected, caring for it, properly operating and repairing it in a timely manner. An integral part of the procedure Maintenance considered a status check brake system.

On modern cars, this is a whole range of work, including visual and sometimes computer diagnostics. However, the need for replacing brake pads may occur either earlier or later than the next MOT.

Friction lining wear is affected by many factors:

• The mode in which the vehicle is operated. When driving in dense city traffic, where you often have to stop at intersections, traffic lights or just in traffic jams, wear occurs much faster than on free country roads.
• Driver's driving style. Car owners who prefer a calm driving style have to think about brake maintenance much less often than fans of an aggressive driving style.
• Climatic conditions. At high temperature ambient air loads on the brake system increase.
• Dirt that gets on the surface of linings, discs and drums, acidification of caliper pistons or cylinders - all this also significantly reduces the life of parts.

Given these factors, it is almost impossible to accurately answer the question of when to change the brake pads, indicating the mileage or period of operation.

The main thing is control

Realizing the importance of the problem, many developers install on machines brake wear sensors pads.

There are different types of sensors:

• electronic devices, transmitting information to the on-board computer or signaling wear by a lamp that lights up on the instrument panel.
• Mechanical. In this case, the driver will know that it is time to visit the service center by a characteristic sound. Most often it is a crack that is heard in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe wheels.

But there are cars on which there are no such control systems. In this case, you can rely only on visual inspection data.

To do this, some manufacturers make a special slot in the lining material. In any case, the thickness of the lining must be at least 2 mm. Otherwise, you risk simply damaging the disc surface, and the critical part will need to be replaced urgently.

Features of choice

Before heading to the store or workshop, it is important to answer another question: which brake pads are better to choose? After all, there are many manufacturers specializing in the manufacture of these critical components.

In order not to get into trouble, you need to understand the following:

1. Under no circumstances should asbestos be present in friction linings.

2. There are no pure polymer or ceramic brake pads. Most companies develop their own friction mass recipes, which can contain 20 or more components.

information about the exact chemical composition often kept secret. The presence of large fragmentary inclusions in it indicates the low quality of the part, and the metal shavings added by some manufacturers will extend the life of the linings, but will kill discs and drums in a short time.

The reason is simple: initially, the characteristics of the friction linings are selected in accordance with the parameters of the discs or drums.

In any case, you should give preference to products of well-known brands with a proven track record.

Replacing the front brake pads. Video:

Replacing the front brake pads

Since the load on the elements of the brake system of the front axle of the car is much higher, they have to be serviced more often.

The difference in distance traveled can be quite significant - two or more times.

Most modern cars have front disc brakes.

We will consider this case when answering the question of how to change brake pads. The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. We loosen the tightening of the bolts of the serviced wheels.

2. We hang out one of the wheels of the car. When you have a lift at your disposal, the whole machine can be lifted. If not, then you will have to use a jack, for safety, fixing the rear wheels with the help of stops-shoes. It makes sense to install an additional emphasis under the car for insurance.

3. Completely unscrew the bolts and remove the wheel. Further, there may be options, each of which we will consider separately:

4. Take out one of the pads. After that, arm yourself with a flat mount. After inserting the tool into the space with the piston and the back of the pad, push the piston into the caliper.

If the pistons are located on both sides ( there are such systems), then you will have to repeat this operation in a mirror way. At the same time, try not to put pressure on the surface of the disc, so as not to damage it.

5. Check the integrity of the anthers on the pistons. If they are damaged, be sure to replace them. Make sure that there are no brake fluid leaks on the mechanism parts and hoses.

6. Make sure the disc is not damaged or worn beyond the limit.

Degrease its work surface. This can be done with gasoline or alcohol.

After that, install new parts and assemble in reverse order. Some manufacturers sell a special lapping compound along with the pads. It will have to be applied in a thin layer on the working ( rubbing against the disc) the surface of the overlays.

7. Press the brake pedal several times so that all the details fall into place.

8. Install and tighten the wheel. After that, repeat all the above operations on the other wheel. Which one to start with - left or right - does not really matter. Remember that you must act carefully so as not to damage the parts of the brake system.

Replacing the rear brake pads

In the case when on rear axle your car is equipped with disc brakes, the replacement process will be the same as for the front wheels.

How to change rear brake pads when dealing with a drum system? Proceed in the following sequence:

How to choose good front brake pads? Video:

Important!

After replacing the brake pads, it will take some time for the pads to get used to the drums. During this period, the braking performance will be lower than normal.

It makes sense to drive through safe territory for several kilometers at low speed, accelerating and braking.

Possible problems

Everything is smooth on paper. But it is possible that after performing the above work, certain problems may arise. We will try to mention the most common problems, possible reasons their appearance and methods of elimination.

1. Brake discs running hot after pad replacement. Depending on the design brake system, the reasons may be different:

• Disc brakes tend to get hot due to soured calipers. This can be either souring of the floating caliper bracket itself, or pistons pressing on the pads. It is possible to solve the problem by removing corrosion from the parts and, as experts say, by “rocking the calipers”, ensuring the free movement of their components.
• Drum brakes get hot for other reasons. The most probable are incorrectly installed pads or a ledge-like development formed on the working surface of the drum. The development must be removed by turning the part on lathe. If this is not possible, you will have to install a new drum.

In both cases, the cause of the malfunction may be poor-quality brake pads, whose size does not correspond to the standard one. Unfortunately, this happens.

Another reason - clogging of the compensation hole in the brake master cylinder, causing excessive pressure in the brake circuits. Dirt from the hole will have to be removed.

2. Pads squeak when braking. This does not always affect the efficiency of the car's braking system, but it certainly irritates the driver and passengers.

To understand why the pads creak, you will have to return to the section that lists the features of the device and the choice of these parts.

Most often, the reason lies in the incompatibility of the material of the friction linings and the metal from which the brake discs or drums are made. In this case, resonant vibrations occur at the contact point of the parts, which cause an annoying squeak.

Buy pads and discs from the same manufacturer, and you will get rid of squeaking.

The cause of the problem may also be the incorrect operation of the brake mechanisms associated with the wear of some parts.

In this case, it is possible to bring everything back to normal by purchasing and installing, which includes springs, guides and spacer bars.

But the occurrence of a pressure difference in the circuits of the brake system cannot be ruled out. This happens if air or dirt gets in there. Change brake fluid and bleed air.

In any case, remember that it requires certain skills and patience.

You will not be able to cope with the work yourself if you do not have a quality tool.

People who doubt their abilities should contact the service station, trusting the solution of their problems to professionals. After all, this is not about the brakes, and therefore about your safety.

There seems to be a question mark at the end of the title. Really, how do you replace brake pads yourself? But for those who love and know how to tinker with technology, this is not a question. They've done this kind of thing over and over again. For them, replacing the front brake pads themselves, as well as the rear ones, is, in general, an everyday thing. There will certainly be such car owners, whose replacement of brake pads is independently comparable to a flight to Mars. They will not find out the details in social networks, from friends and acquaintances, but simply go to the dealer. There are those who want to save money, but at the same time learn a useful business. The “cheat sheet” is addressed to them on the topic: “How to change the brake pads yourself?”

When to change?

First of all, let's try to answer the question, when do they need to be changed? The fact is that no one will tell you the exact period, since several main factors affect the wear of the pads. This is the quality of the product, and operating conditions, and driving style. If you purchased a counterfeit product (intentionally or out of ignorance - it doesn’t matter), drive on unkempt roads, brake hard, then, of course, the service life of the pads will unpleasantly surprise you. For a calm driver who does not crave self-realization or the dubious fame of a road bully, they will last much longer.

On average, the pads on the front wheels go 10 - 15 thousand kilometers. The rear pads are more durable, especially on drum brakes, they can last up to 50,000 kilometers or more. But again, it depends on the condition of the car and the factors listed above. And anyway, the day will come when it becomes clear: the pads need to be changed. It is important not to miss this moment.

It's one thing - a pebble hit, the brakes "squeaked" and calmed down, and quite another - a steady creak when braking, which only grows every day. Service immediately! Or to the parts store if you decide to replace the brake pads yourself. Otherwise, the piston of the working cylinder may be covered. This is exactly what happened to the author of these lines: the brake pedal failed right in the movement, all the brake fluid leaked out and ... Well, the speed was low, and there was an almost empty parking lot nearby, where we managed to stop. And if everything happened at high speed, and even in a dense stream?!

I had to change the pads on both front wheels, as well as the discs - the most expensive components in this "company". And, after all, he knew how things could turn out, but kept delaying the repair. If I didn’t pull tires, I would save the disks and save money. But the lesson received, however, somewhat harsh.

In general, decide whether to drive the car to an authorized service, to the garage "to Uncle Vasya" or try to figure out how to change the brake pads yourself. You may lose time, but you will definitely save money.

Changing front pads

To replace the front brake pads ourselves, we drive onto a flat surface, put the car into gear, raise the “handbrake” lever, put shoes under the rear wheels on both sides.

Now you need to loosen the bolts that secure the wheel to the disc. Then - jack up one side of the car, and when the tread comes off the surface, install a stand, on which the body will also rest.

Replacing brake pads yourself is not so difficult, but if you are doing it for the first time, then you need to be patient, have patience and push doubts somewhere very far away. Then replacing the front brake pads on your own will go relatively smoothly. So: unscrew the wheel mounting bolts and remove it from the disk.

For better access to the caliper, we turn the wheel with the steering wheel so that it is convenient for you to work; in order to avoid damage to the brake hose, remove it from the mounting niche; with a screwdriver or a chisel, we bend the edges of the lock washers that fix the guide bolts.

The caliper serves to use hydraulic pressure to create traction with the discs, which slows the wheel before the brake pads even work. It usually consists of one or two parts and is attached with two or four bolts to the hub - where the wheel sits on the axle.

We insert a screwdriver between the disc and the brake bar from the side of the caliper piston. Now you need to press on the bar to relieve the piston pressure and slightly move the pads away from the disc. This will allow you to lift the cover and pull out the pads without additional effort.

Now loosen one of the bolts and completely unscrew the other. We move the caliper casing with fixing brackets and take out the old pads.

Note how each pad is attached. As a rule, they are latched with metal clips. It is possible that you will have to make an effort to pop the pads out. "Apply" carefully so as not to hurt the calipers and brake pipe.

The algorithm is simple, but skills are required, and they are acquired only through experience. A few of these operations, and you will know as well as others how to replace the brake pads yourself.

photo caption Inserting the piston into the cylinder

Before installing new pads, use the same screwdriver to squeeze the caliper piston inward until it stops. The brake fluid level in the reservoir will begin to rise. Excess liquid needs to be pumped out. For example, using a rubber pear. Check the integrity of the brake hoses: if there are cracks - change it has not already passed. Then - an immediate replacement, unless, of course, you really care about your safety.

Everything is fine? Then we put the pads in place, assembling in the reverse order. After making sure that the replacement of the front pads was done correctly on our own, we will figure out how to replace the rear brake pads ourselves.

But first - a small "lyrical" digression. Private requests are often found on the network, for example, “Self-replacement of brake pads on Solaris”, “Replacement of Tiguan brake pads independently”, “Replacement by AMD of the Daewoo brake pad”. Actually, it's all from the same "opera", well, maybe, with the exception of some nuances. The abbreviation AMD is the name of a South Korean company whose products are fully consistent with the parameters of original spare parts. If your car has just such pads, then this only speaks of their quality, the replacement process is still the same. True, it is necessary to take into account the features of some models, for example Daewoo Nexia.

Replacing Solaris brake pads on your own will require box wrenches and a wide flat screwdriver. Before proceeding with the replacement, it is necessary to pump out the brake fluid if it is at the MAX mark. First, the lower guide is unscrewed, then the upper one, the brake caliper and brake disc are removed along with the old pads. The worn block must be picked up with a screwdriver and removed. We do the same with the second block. The plate from the old pads is mounted on the new ones.

And in the case of Nexia, and in the case of Solaris, and with other cars, it is recommended to drive the first 500-1000 kilometers calmly, without resorting to emergency or just intense braking. Give the pads time to get used to the discs.

Changing rear pads

Let's skip the steps of preparing the car for removing and installing pads. When the wheel is removed, unscrew the two bolts with the wrench, holding the guide. Then we dismantle the brake caliper and press the front brake cylinder. We remove the pads, clean the caliper, install the pads and assemble the entire structure.

Replacing the rear brake pads yourself will be more confident if you have already changed the front ones. I mean disc brakes. Drums are a little more difficult. Nevertheless, replacing the Solaris rear brake pads on your own will not bring much trouble if you follow the instructions, take your time and do not confuse anything. In general, we perform the work in the same way as on other machines with a similar type of rear brakes.

In any case, you need to know that the drum brake mechanism works a little differently than the disc brake. When you press the pedal, brake fluid flows through the tubes and hoses and acts on both pistons in the working cylinder, which press the bars against the sides of the drum and dampen speed.

We fix the front wheels with shoes. We turn on the first gear, do not squeeze the handbrake. Loosen the bolts holding the wheel to the hub. We raise the desired side with a jack. Here we move the stand under it. Now you can unscrew the bolts and remove the wheel. We proceed to dismantle the brake mechanism.

Directly replacing the rear brake pads by ourselves begins with the removal of the brake drum. It is fixed on the hub with two guide pins. We twist them. We compress the divorced pistons of the cylinder with a mount, acting on the slats. This is important, otherwise it will not be possible to put the drum back on by installing new pads.

We monitor the level of brake fluid, which, when the pistons of the cylinder are compressed, can spill out of the reservoir. Pliers remove the upper and lower tightening springs. We dismantle the handbrake lever itself. Installing the pads and assembling the brake mechanism with your own hands is done in the reverse order.

What pads to buy?

The answer is simple: you need to buy those brake pads that are recommended by the manufacturer. Everything else is from the evil one. Replacing the rear brake pads is not such a difficult task if you follow the right sequence and do not fuss. But as for the choice of pads, then perhaps this process will be more difficult.

If, for example, you look for the cheapest pads on the VAZ-2110, or any other car, then, thinking only about savings, you can lose a lot in quality, and, therefore, in safety. This applies to both budget and expensive cars. Finding out which brake pads are the best isn't really difficult. But, what is most interesting, it's not so much about brands, but about where you buy parts.

On the market or in online stores, there are more chances to run into fakes that can only be distinguished from the originals by an expert. And they learned how to stamp the packaging no worse than the branded one, however, an experienced person will find differences on the boxes.

A non-original pad, even if it fits in size, can fit into the caliper at different angles and in different planes. We look at photo 1 - the block is easily shifted to a certain angle to the right relative to the axis. Photo 2 is on the left. In photo 3 - it rises in a different plane, only known to it. In any of these positions, wear will be uneven and the pad will not last long. It will creak, play (* move away), damage the brake disc, dirt will get into the caliper, and as a result, braking efficiency will be reduced, because the clamping force will be different.

In general, experts say that even in the most famous networks selling spare parts, you can easily run into a fake. Another thing is if you knowingly buy a non-original part or, in our case, brake pads. But then the responsibility for the consequences lies entirely with you.

It is better, after all, to contact an authorized dealer and buy pads from him. So at least you get an authentic product. The path is a little more expensive, but you will still save on self-installation, and at the same time, it is quite possible that you will save your health and life.

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Any car owner can change the front brake pads on their own in the garage or in the field. This step-by-step instruction will help to change the brake pads correctly and without errors. Even those who first decided to wave the pads with their own hands will be surprised how simple and quick the procedure is.

If you service the car yourself, then as a result you get satisfaction, and of course, saving money.

How often should the brake pad thickness and brake fluid level be checked? The answer is obvious - regularly. If the pads are worn out thinner than two mm, then in no case postpone the replacement - this is fraught with jamming of the caliper and expensive repairs.

Keep in mind - the front pads wear out faster. On disc brakes, it is very easy to check the thickness of the brake lining visually, so be sure to check it often.

What tools do you need to replace brake pads with your own hands.

As you can see, the set of tools you need is minimal.

Attention! Before you start replacing your brake pads, make sure the new pads fit your car, in other words, make sure you buy the right pads.

Step 1. We open access to the brake mechanism.

Place the car on a firm, level surface, place stops under the wheels so that it does not accidentally roll. It can be either special "shoes" or ordinary bricks or bars.

Before lifting the car with a jack, we tear off the wheel bolts. Then we raise the required side with a jack, completely unscrew the bolts and remove the wheel. Now access to the caliper is open.

Step 2 Remove the old pads.

The caliper is put on the brake disc like a clamp, and its task is to compress the brake disc with pads using hydraulic pressure. This is how braking occurs.

Calipers are usually one-piece or two-piece construction, mounted with two or four bolts from the inside of the wheel to the caliper brackets.

Spray the caliper bolts with WD-40 to make them easier to remove. let the grease work for 5-10 minutes, then you can unscrew the caliper guides.

If there are fixing brackets, then you need to remove them with a small screwdriver. Many vehicles have pad wear sensors, so carefully disconnect the connectors.

Check caliper pressure. We take a large screwdriver and wring out a little pad, crushing the cylinder. Thus, the old pads will be easy to remove.

The caliper of the car at rest should move slightly back and forth. If not, the caliper is under pressure and may come off when the bolts are removed. Check if there are any shims or wear washers installed between the caliper mounting bolts and the mounting surface. If there is, then remove and inspect them, if necessary, replace with new ones.

Brake caliper guide bolts

Many vehicles use a two-piece sliding caliper that only requires the removal of two guides with 12-14mm sockets. You won't need to remove the entire caliper.

Do-it-yourself front brake pad replacement

Now we remove the caliper or set it aside if the guides were unscrewed only on one side.

Carefully hang the caliper from a wire or rope to the wheel or strut spring.

Do-it-yourself front brake pad replacement

Attention! The caliper will still be connected to the brake line, so secure it so it doesn't pinch or pull on the brake hose.

We take out the brake pads from the brackets. We clean the seats of the pads with a metal brush or a screwdriver.

Do-it-yourself front brake pad replacement

Be sure to check the guide bolts - the anthers must be intact, and the guides themselves should walk easily and smoothly in the grooves.

Attention! Each time the brake pads are replaced, the caliper guides must be cleaned and lubricated. This procedure will not take much time, but will extend the service life and increase the reliability of the brakes.

Use a special high temperature grease to lubricate the guides. Litol, in the old fashioned way, does not need to be applied. Some pad manufacturers can find such a lubricant complete with new pads.

Step 3. Installing new brake pads.

All preparatory operations are completed - proceed to the assembly.

The first step is to press the brake cylinder completely. Compress the caliper cylinder to the brake caliper piston. Changing the brake pads with your own hands, and if still in the field, you can use a wheelbrace or a clamp to compress the caliper piston. You can also make a special tool with your own hands, use a large bolt and an old block for this. There are a lot of options, the main thing is to take into account the principle of operation of the original tool and use your ingenuity.

how to push in a brake caliper piston without a special tool in the field

Attention! Some analog pads may differ slightly in shape. For example, the lugs of the pads may be longer than the seats in the brake calipers, and the part does not fit into the grooves. In this case, do not panic, but check whether the shape and design of the shoe matches the rest of the parameters.
Yes, corresponds - we grind off the extra protrusions to the size of the old block.
No, does not correspond - there are significant differences - it is necessary to select other pads. Do not try to make the right pads out of the wrong ones, because of this, the brakes may jam or work poorly.

We insert new pads and put on the caliper. We treat the threads with copper grease to prevent corrosion.

Change The Brake Pads in Your Car Step 9 Version 6.360p

We assemble the caliper, as we disassembled, put on the wheel.

Important! Before you go on a trip - after replacing the pads you need brakes. Press the pedal all the way. Pull up and slow down. And so repeat a couple of times. Everything is fine? Repeat braking at higher speed. Make sure there is no grinding or other discomfort.

What causes brakes to stick?

1. Worn or dirty brake caliper piston. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the piston mirror and the integrity of the anthers and cuffs.
2. Distorted brake pad. Check the correct installation and fit of the part.
3. Wear, contamination, corrosion of caliper guides. lubricate and change the anthers or the guides themselves.

The safety of movement by car depends on the performance of all its components and assemblies. Particular attention should be paid to the braking system, as it is it that helps to prevent most collisions. Replacing brake discs involves carrying out complex work to repair all parts of the system, as well as filling in a new fluid circulating in it.

Signs of worn discs

The brake system has its own lifespan. If for brake pads it is 20-40 thousand km., then for disks a little more than 100 thousand km. Sometimes replacement of parts may be needed much earlier. The main reasons for premature replacement of parts are:

• Poor quality brake pads.
• Hard braking and drift.
• Aggressive driving style.
• Damage caused by mechanical impact.
• Incorrect installation of parts.
• Using low quality pads.
• Unprofessional boring.

Also, brake discs are often changed during car tuning. It is believed that the disk system is more reliable than the drum system.

The most obvious indication of wear is a decrease in the thickness of the part. You can find out the thickness of the disk using a caliper. One of the main signs of wear is a change in the trajectory of movement during braking and an increase in the braking distance. Dips or sticking of the brake pedal, excessive consumption of brake fluid can also occur due to wear of the brake discs. Sometimes a damaged disc can be a source of vibration or beating in the steering column.

If you suspect a malfunction, you should contact a car service or proceed with the repair yourself.

What to look for when replacing

You need to purchase only discs that have quality certificates and meet international standards. When buying, it is important to select parts in accordance with the make and model of the car. For each machine there is different thickness disks. When purchasing parts, it is important to consider whether it is necessary to use new self-locking bolts. Since, along with the dismantling of the discs, other parts of the system are also removed, experts recommend that the brake fluid and pads be replaced at the same time.

It is necessary to change parts on the same axis at the same time, as overloading may occur. The replacement of disc brakes on the front axle is carried out much more often than on the rear, due to the increased loads on it. You should think about changing parts after the first groove, since turning a second time is unacceptable.

Rating of manufacturers of brake discs

Among the manufacturers of inexpensive spare parts for cars, it should be noted Ferodo, NiBk, Bosh. These brands have established themselves for more than one decade as manufacturers of reliable goods in the budget category. Among the manufacturers from the middle price segment deserve attention:

• Brembo.
• Lucas (TRW).
• Schneider.

Disk replacement process

All work should be carried out on a flat surface free of dust and dirt. The machine must be raised with a jack and fixed in this position with metal props. After the car has been fixed at a certain height, the brake system is dismantled and the piston is pressed in the working cylinder.

The next step in the repair work in the system is the removal of the brake pads. In the case when access to the brake disc is very difficult, the caliper should be dismantled. Usually the disc is connected to the hub with 1-2 bolts, so it is not difficult to dismantle it. The landing plane must be cleaned of dirt and dust, as a new part may not be installed correctly or not fit snugly.

The replacement process using the BMW E39 as an example (video):

The brake mechanism is supplied factory lubricated, so it does not require additional use of lubricants. It is not necessary to wipe the surface of the disk before installation, since a lack of lubrication can affect the fit of the part to the hub. Mounting brake discs requires extreme care. Overtightening the bolts can cause radial runout, as can undertorque. When installing, it is better to use a wrench with a dynamometer. Normal is in the range of 100-120 Nm. After installation, it is better to check the amount of vibration using an indicator. For each brand of car, this indicator is individual and can be found on the Internet. In the case when the indicators are out of the norm, then the bolts should be tightened again.

After installing the brake discs, their working surface must be cleaned of grease. If necessary, the caliper can also be replaced. In the case of installing an old part, it is necessary to make sure that there is no rust or other mechanical damage on the surface of the mating flange. It is better to tighten all fasteners also with a wrench with a dynamometer. Replacement of brake pads is recommended to be carried out together with the installation of other parts of the system.

Pumping and running

Bleeding is needed both when replacing the brake fluid, and when re-equipping the entire system. In the first case, it is usually possible to visit a service center, then in the second case, it is necessary to carry out this manipulation at home. In the absence of the necessary unit, you can use the old fixture, which consists of:

• syringe.
• Tubes.
• plastic container.

To bleed the brakes, you must follow a certain sequence. Right-hand drive cars require pumping in this order:

• Left rear.
• Right front.
• Right rear.
• Left rear.
• Right front.
• Left front.

It often happens that after replacing brake pads and other parts, bleeding is required, but there is no assistant nearby. In this case, you will still need a cap that is identical to the one on the car tank. The syringe must be hermetically installed in the lid and screwed onto the tank with the liquid, having previously typed the solution into a home-made device. At the outlet of the pumped circuit, it is necessary to unscrew the fitting and install a container to collect the flowing liquid. Brake fluid is injected with a syringe.