I'm driving a 2004 Cavalier. The breaks are still stock and beginning to squeak a little. I would like to know if any one knows how to change the breaks in this car, or can recomend a book/website/forum that will help me. Thanks so much!
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^CAVRIDER^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Okay sense we arent physcic, are you doing the front or rear brakes.
Pads are pretty easy and about the same for every passanger car. No offense but if you dont know how to do it, dont mess with it. I wouldnt want your brakes to fail when your behind me.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
haha. you need to learn somehow. i dont want to spend 100 bucks for some1 else to change them. i think they are my front breaks which need some replacement work. any info will do good.
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^CAVRIDER^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Borsty wrote:brakes are cake.
?????
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^CAVRIDER^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
cake......... like easy.
no their a @!#$ frosted baked good. ice cream cakes stop your car better cause they cool down faster.
-Borsty
Sal Medina wrote:haha. you need to learn somehow. i dont want to spend 100 bucks for some1 else to change them. i think they are my front breaks which need some replacement work. any info will do good.
Do you want an upgrade, or just a stock Replacement?
However here are the Directions, Real simple.
1) Buy Rotors and pads for your cavilier, as well as a little bit of High temp grease. Gloves are needed too, if you want them, because brake dust is bad for you. Also some wire, so you wont damage your brake lines. C-clap also very useful if you have one, if not there are brake pad installer thingies for about $9 at most auto part stores.
2) Jack up the front of the car. Place jack stands where needed if you want to do both sides one after the other.
3) Remove lugs from Rim, and put tire to side. Dont lose those lugs.
4) Look right behind the caliper, There are 2 Hex bolts in the back.
5) Remove those bolts, and put to the side.
6) Lift off caliper, And USE wire to hang it from your strut, so you dont put weight onto the brake lines.
7) Pull clip on the old pads, Then pull out the old pads.
8) To put new pads in, same way you took old ones out, you need to push the piston back into the caliper. Use The C-clamp. Just put little pad section on the middle of caliper piston, and tighten clamp, which pushes the piston back in. Real simple.
9) Remove clamp, and piston will stay put.
10) Install new pads.
11) Now to remove the rotor. If its not loose already, tap the back of it with a hammer, and it will loosen up real quick. Then just pull off.
12) Put new rotor on, by just sliding it into place. No need for hammer this time.
13) Now untie wire, and put caliper back on. MAKE SURE that those 2 hex bolts are first cleaned and greased, before you put them back in. Now tighten them up.
*14) Now your done with one side, either put tire back on same way as described in #3, just in reverse. The same instructions work for both front brakes. Have fun.
http://members.rankmyride.com/djtorello
Opps, i forgot, you wont have to bleed your brakes because you didnt open any brake lines. However have a rag around your brake fluid resevior when your done with both sides. Because when you first pump your brakes, fluid will overflow from the resevior. THIS IS NORMAL. Top off if Neccasary.
http://members.rankmyride.com/djtorello
just to add i clean off the areas where there are rust. The bolts, on the caliper where the pads sit, brackets, Axle where the rotor sits up against, etc. I also use anti seize in spots. Also remember clean your new rotors.
Also a good idea to test them before you go driveing some place.
Find an empty road and test you breaks. Also at a slow speed, test them with you hands off the stearing wheal to insure that your breaks are not "pulling" to one side or the other.
LMR ( the unstable ) wrote:
8) To put new pads in, same way you took old ones out, you need to push the piston back into the caliper. Use The C-clamp. Just put little pad section on the middle of caliper piston, and tighten clamp, which pushes the piston back in. Real simple.
that is bad for ABS units your supposed to open the line and press it in. (even thou i never have done so on an ABS car) im just saying what is supposed to be done.
new ABS units range from 700 to 1100$
-Borsty
You will need a torque wrench to reinstall all the fasteners. Torque specs can be found in any Haynes/Chiltons/GM service manual, or here:
http://autozone.com/repair_info.htm
After installation, follow the heat-cycle proceedure that comes with your new rotor/pad instructions. Also, be aware that new brakes will NOT work as well as your old ones until they are broken in. Rotor surface can be ruined if not heat cycled properly as well (ruined as in they will have shorter lifespan).
Here's a generic resource for brake info:
http://www.advanceautoparts.com/english/youcan/subcategories.asp?cid=c01&scid=sc07
- Ken
'99 Z24, Manual
thanks ppl. all the info really helped
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^CAVRIDER^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
If ya need help. Let me know.
AOL Im: ziplokepsantsout
My Car
Don't forget some brake cleaner to remove the oil on the new rotors prior to installation. As far as cracking the bleeder when forcing the piston back into the caliper, I've done many ABS equipped vehicles and never opened the system. Didn't do any harm to the ABS unit....
Yes the service manual says to compress the calipers. It does not hurt the ABS at all, at least not on GM cars.
And you don't need to buy new rotors unless yours are warped (pulsating when braking)
Also you don't need a torque wrench, just get those bolts nice and tight (don't over tighten and strip the threads though)
Also you will not have fluid squirting out of the master cylinder resevoir like said above. I don't know if that person has never changed brakes or what the deal is. I've changed brakes at least a hundred times in my life and i've never seen fluid squirt anywhere.
lol
Why are you guys suggesting new rotors? It'd be easier to just change the pads and it's not like he needs rotors unless his are warped badly. Save money, time, and effort and just do the pads.
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1992 Chevrolet Camaro RS 3.1L V6 A4- Metallic Green
1995 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 M6- Patriot Red
1995 Chevrolet Cavalier A4- Winter beater/purple
for 12$ a rotor why the hell not, knock off rotors take 4 seconds to replace and your already down there with everything apart.
-Borsty
Brake fluid will come out the top of the Master if it was filled while the pads were low. The excess fluid need to go somewhere now thats there's less volume. Also the area around the master cyl should be cleaned with brake cleaner to wash away the excess brake fluid(if there is any that spilled out of the resevoir). Reason being this can start a fire when the fluid is in contact with the exhaust manifold.
Also a little note, if your doing this a home with stands. You might want to loosen(NOT REMOVE) the lug nuts before you jack the car up. It will make taking the wheels off a lot easier
Ahhh, if they are only 12 bucks, sure. I just replaced mine on my 92 Camaro though and they were a little bit more than that
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1992 Chevrolet Camaro RS 3.1L V6 A4- Metallic Green
1995 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 M6- Patriot Red
1995 Chevrolet Cavalier A4- Winter beater/purple
Borsty wrote:for 12$ a rotor why the hell not, knock off rotors take 4 seconds to replace and your already down there with everything apart.
If you get those $12 ones you'll be replacing them again next year. Get the $30 ones
EdgeZ24 wrote:Brake fluid will come out the top of the Master if it was filled while the pads were low. The excess fluid need to go somewhere now thats there's less volume. Also the area around the master cyl should be cleaned with brake cleaner to wash away the excess brake fluid(if there is any that spilled out of the resevoir). Reason being this can start a fire when the fluid is in contact with the exhaust manifold.
Also a little note, if your doing this a home with stands. You might want to loosen(NOT REMOVE) the lug nuts before you jack the car up. It will make taking the wheels off a lot easier
You don't top off brake fluid.
My Car
Sunfires rule! (Tom) wrote:EdgeZ24 wrote:Brake fluid will come out the top of the Master if it was filled while the pads were low. The excess fluid need to go somewhere now thats there's less volume. Also the area around the master cyl should be cleaned with brake cleaner to wash away the excess brake fluid(if there is any that spilled out of the resevoir). Reason being this can start a fire when the fluid is in contact with the exhaust manifold.
Also a little note, if your doing this a home with stands. You might want to loosen(NOT REMOVE) the lug nuts before you jack the car up. It will make taking the wheels off a lot easier
You don't top off brake fluid.
So then why don't you go around the world and tell clients to stop...hehe...if you want to quote me on something, quote me on something I said. Not for explaing why a situation happens. Ne-waz have a nice day
