Front/Probably Rear Brakes This Weekend

[Brentbba]

Hearing the telltale sqeaking that it's time.

I've done the fronts before - no problems. Actually have a FSM now as well. Went thru the front writeup a while back and recall something about using some lube? At work so don't have it in front of me. Lube between the shims or something.

Can someone take a quick look and advise?

Rears - never done them - disk, not drum. Will read FSM completely b4 starting. Did the search thang with no real good results. Any good tips/techniques to pass along to a rookie on this part of the job?

FYI - using OEM 80 series pads front and rear from the man.

This is after golf of course. (for the benefit of Dan). hehehe

 

[cruiserdan]

After the 18th or after the 19th hole?


The rear is not too bad, follow the FSM procedure.

 

[Brentbba]

18th - only soup after the round. Chef at our club has great soups in the men's lounge Saturday mornings.

You recall what the FSM says about the lube in the front pad replacement section? Was a little unclear as I recall.

Last time I just slapped in the new pads and shims.

 

[Eric_FJ40]

I think it is meant to keep the pads quiet. You can find products in a tube, or arasol can that you apply to the back of the pads to keep them from squealing - I think they act to dampen the vibrations of the pads.

Eric

 

[Brentbba]

Ok stupid question - back of pads - the side that the shims are on correct? You'd never put that on the pad itself.

What kind of lube? I have a tiny squeak at the first applicaiton of brake pressure. Been there ever since the rotors were changed 42K ago. Dealer never could figure it out after three trys. Brakes had always been quiet as a mouse until the rotors were changed up front.

 

[Junk]

Get some Stop Squeel and avoid the other crap. It's much better.

Rear brakes take like 2 minutes longer each side, but pretty straight forward.

If you can put a tee in the dirt, then you can do your brakes.

 

[Eric_FJ40]

right - you don't apply it to the surface of the pad that contacts the rotor. I don't have the manual with me now so what I say here is just a guide.

When I replaced the pads on an '88 4-Runner I got this stuff in an aerosol can and sprayed the backs of the pads (shim side?) - it went on thick and tacky - I gave it a few coats.

The pads that came out of that 'Runner looked like the PO had smeared red RTV on them - I imagine it has the same effect.

 

[RavenTai]

Never put Anything on the friction surface side (compound side that contacts the rotor) try to keep this side free of grease & oil,

Optionally you can put anti-squeal compound (thick sticky stuff) on the back of the pad (steel part where the shims go and the caliper pistons contact the pad) but do not get any on the pins or edges where the pad rubs in the caliper housing as it travels in and out

Optionally special high temp silicone grease just for this purpose can be put on the pins and where the pad edge contacts the caliper housing to lube the pads as they travel in and out

It is probably best to put the grease where it goes and leave out the anti-squeal until it is needed, the shims are suppose to take care of squeal if they are working right

If you look at the assembly drawing of the brakes there are arrows where the grease goes

 

[Junk]

Never put Anything on the friction surface side (compound side that contacts the rotor)

Wrong. Stop Squeal goes on the friction side.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Some of this stuff will give a slightly spongy feel to the brakes. It's simply an energy absorbing film and it is slightly springy as well as tacky. Avoided by separating and meticulously cleaning the anti squeal shims before reinstalling with fresh calipers. Dirt on the shims hinders their effectiveness.

DougM

 

[Brentbba]

Some of this stuff will give a slightly spongy feel to the brakes. It's simply an energy absorbing film and it is slightly springy as well as tacky. Avoided by separating and meticulously cleaning the anti squeal shims before reinstalling with fresh calipers. Dirt on the shims hinders their effectiveness.

DougM

....and my shims were filthy.

 

[Scamper]

C-biscut sells new ones...

 

[Junk]

Brentbba,
Those shims are cheap and are a good idea to replace every few times you do the brakes. Not too important if you clean them up good, but it's not a bad idea to replace them every few years.

 

[RavenTai]

Wrong. Stop Squeal goes on the friction side.

 

[Junk]

 

[Brentbba]

Well...finished both fronts and rear Sunday afternoon. Fronts were down to just under 3mm so they were the ones squeaking. Fronts went all of 13K this go around. Some of the excess wear had to have occured on trip home from summer camp with trailer after I'd severed the trailer connection and had no trailer brakes. LC had to do all the braking down the Grapevine and in the stop and go traffic of Los Angeles on a Sunday afternoon. Rears were at 3mm also, but changed them anyway because I was in there and it's cheap insurance (I know minimum spec is 1mm on the rears). All four rotors were well within spec.

Done the fronts before, so they were a piece of cake. Did take some brake cleaner to the shims and cleaned them up good, applied some lube and replaced. Funny little squeak I've had on initial brake pedal application since the front rotors were changed at 90K is now gone! Wonder if shims were ever lubed by dealer? I know I didn't the last time I changed the front pads. Didn't have the fsm telling me to do so.

Rears were quite another story. Dealer must have employed an 800 pound gorilla to tighten the slide pins the last time the rears were changed. I'm no weight lifter, but not an 80 lb weakling either. Damn, took more time to loosen those things than to change out the brake pads. Very proud of myself for not spewing forth a lot of while removing these pins. When reinstalling torqued to 65 lbs per fsm. We'll see if it's any easier next time around. Found it harder to compress the caliper piston far enough on the rears compared to the fronts. Did have a little fun lining up the little rubber boots to get the slide pins back in.

I'd removed a little brake fluid as usual before starting this process. Question tho - Is it normal (due to the pistons being further compressed with the new pads) to not replace as much brake fluid as I took out. Would seem to make sense, but asking anyway.

Very proud of the $$$ saved on this little job so went down to the golf club and bought some new golf shirts. hehehe

 

[Dino]

I recently went to a ceramic front brake pad. My truck seams to stop much faster but the true benifit is there is minimal brake dust. Seamed like I was always cleaning the crap off my rims.

 

[Beowulf]

>> to not replace as much brake fluid as I took out. <<

Normal. Congrats on doing this yourself. You're getting to the point where you'll be able to teach the Scouts the Auto Mechanic merit badge. None of the other "girlie ASMs" in your troop can do that. Now the Golfing MB is another story...

-B-

 

[Brentbba]

>> to not replace as much brake fluid as I took out. <<

Normal. Congrats on doing this yourself. You're getting to the point where you'll be able to teach the Scouts the Auto Mechanic merit badge. None of the other "girlie ASMs" in your troop can do that. Now the Golfing MB is another story...

-B-

Thanks B. And look at the $$$ I saved. I think dealer would have gotten somewhere around $500 for both front and rear brakes. I solved the squeak they couldn't by following FSM instructions and I fed Dan's dogs a little to boot!

Golfing MB is an easy one. Requirement to have a USGA handicap (20 rounds of golf) is a little over the top tho. Purpose is to introduce the kids to some of this, not to ensure they are experts ready to join the PGA tour.

Never have looked at the Auto one. One of our dad's runs a Kragen Auto Parts and he is a MB counselor for it. I think I'm just a liiiiitlllllle old to earn that one. Damn! I stopped at 22 mb's. Son has 32 already!

 

[Rookie2]

I stopped at 22 mb's. Son has 32 already!

Dang.. why don't you take some of the $$$ you saved on the brake job and buy some more. They're only like a dollar a piece


Rookie2