brake repair

[GRN_Bimmer]

I am thinking of replacing disks and pads soon. I was told that it is nasty to get the old disk off. Any tools I should buy beforehand or any instructions will be appreciated. I have a repair manual by the way, in which it seems easy to do anything. But, I am looking more for hands-on experience, especially your experience.
Thanks.

[SHAHAB323IS]

my recommendation would be to buy a breaker bar or something along those lines

because the caliper guide bolts are torqued to like 81 ft/lbs and also some parts can be seized on, that is what gave me the most headache when i did my brakes, also buy a c-clamp to compress the piston in the caliper so you can get the pads and everything back in properly, although that might be necessary because i did the brakes on my friends e46 and i didn't need to use the c-clamp but i did on my car, also you'll need a good ratchet with 7mm and 6mm hex bits

6mm for the rotor retaining screw

7mm for the caliper guide bolts and i forget what the size was on the pad carrier bolts

but you can use a regular wrench for that

i'm just going on memory here, but your manual should say all the specifics

also you should probably buy some anti seize lubricant or something along those lines and coat the contact points of the caliper with it as you reinstall everything so as to prevent squealing from the brakes

and finally if your rotor is seized on which it most likely will be if you haven't worked on the brakes before

get a hammer or something you can bang on it with to unseize it, also some penetrating lubricant to spray around the hub and everything to try to unseize it

if you have any issues just let us know, we're here to help

good luck,
-shahab

[Hamfisted]

Do you have a set of good metric tools? Like Craftsman (made in the USA...) 6-point wrench and socket set? You'll also need a metric allen wrench set (for the disc retaining screw....). A mallet for beating the crap out of frozen parts. You can find all the tools you'll need at Sears. Don't buy that Taiwan crap from Home Cheapo or any of those discount autopart stores. A discbrake pad spreader is handy, but you may be able to get away with using a large C-clamp. At least one can of CRC brake cleaner (the red can...). You'll need to thoroughly degrease the new brake rotors before installing the new pads or you'll pollute them with grease and ruin them. Use jackstands to support the car safely while you work on it. Use a torque wrench to retorque the lug nuts when you put the wheel back on.
Is your brake warning light ON ? If so you'll need new wear sensors on the front left and rear right calipers. What brake pads and rotors are you using?






Mike

[bitcore]

+PB Blaster (penitrating lube) if you happen to run across it. WD-40 is NOT a penitrating lubricant, it is a degreaser that happens to be all slippery.
+Brake cleaner (spray on the rotors [both sides] after you put them on the car and wipe off the cleaner with a clean paper towel. Gets any oils or greases that you can't see off of the rotor so your brakes actually do something the first time you use them)
+Anti Squeal paste\spray (for the back of the brake pads, be liberal with this shit [only needed where the pad contacts the caliper])
+Anti-seize spray (spray it where the rotor contacts the hub, NOT on bolts and such, just where the rotor is placed on the hub so it dosn't corrode to it in a few years and make you take a sledge to it next time)
+Breaker bar is handy, or a thick pipe that fits over the wrench\socketwrench well - This is 1000x better than beating a wrench with a big hammer, plus you don't bang on the suspension parts
+The correct size wrenches or sockets and hex bit (for retaining bolt)
+a beefy flathead screwdriver and maybe some needle nose plyers to help get the caliper\pads off.

The rotor retaining bolt needs a hex bit, so don't get a socket to take it out, and you *don't* need to torque that one on ultra-hard, that bolt simply holds the rotor onto the hub when the wheel lug nuts arn't holding it.
Also, keep note on which way a bolt turns to come out, and which way it turns to go in. I know I know, you know that and everyone says DUH, but... I admit, I noticed I was doing it wrong after about 15 minutes with a socket wrench and a hammer one time too... I wasn't facing the bolt, I was behind it so I got all confused... this is also before I learned that a breakerbar is your friend.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...Brake_Pads.htm
That will tell you how to change the pads. The rotors are just another bolt and you also take the brake pad carier off.

[GRN_Bimmer]

Thank you all, Shahab, Mike and Bitcore.
I will try to collect things this week and get on it this weekend.
Of course, I have to order pads and rotors.
I will post some pictures of troubles and when done.

[SHAHAB323IS]

jeez guys between the three of us we should write a repair manual article about brakes lol