question on brake pad installation...

[RedlineAccord 10+ year member]

My car's brakes are starting to squeak, so its time for some new brake pads. I have a 4 cylinder 01 Honda Accord coupe. What are some decent brake pads you guys have used or had experience with that I should look into? Might install steel brake lines while I'm down there. Already have some OE-size cross-drilled and slotted Brembo rotors on it, with just the OEM calipers. Also, how hard is it to install brake pads? Never done any work on my brakes before and figured I'd give it a try since I do most other installs on my car.

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[BlownEARdRUMS 10+ year member]

It's not too hard. Just remove the old replace with the new. Although I must warn, NEVER I REPEAT NEVER buy the cheapest pads they sell. You will friggin regret it until you change them. I did it and man they grind/squeak/squeal/make the worst nosies every heard by a human...

 

[RedlineAccord 10+ year member]

Oh hell no. I'd definitely be going with either Hawk, EBC, AEM, or Project U. Definitely not Brembo cause they are extremely expensive. All the other products i listed are around the same price.

 

[Mynameismcgyver 10+ year member]

Just look at how the old ones are installed. If you didn't know this already, you are going to have to push the piston into the caliper to allow for the larger pads to fit. If you don't have a piston squeeze, before you take the caliper off..Get a large screw driver and carefully wedge it between w/e you can and the innermost pad. Doesn't take much so be gentle.

Side note: Make sure you pump your brakes up before you head on out!!!!!!

 

[RedlineAccord 10+ year member]

Alright, thanks. I'll probably look it up some more before I do the actual installation. Just need some ideas now on what brand to get. Do you suggest changing the lines/brake fluid as well while I'm down there? I'm thinking of getting stainless steel braided lines.

 

[Mynameismcgyver 10+ year member]

How many miles are on the car? How dirty/clean is the fluid in the brake reservoir?

 

[RedlineAccord 10+ year member]

About 80k miles on it. Not sure about the fluid.

 

[BlownEARdRUMS 10+ year member]

If its dark you'd need to change it. With only 80k I don't think it would warrent a change but go by the color. If its been driven hard and the brakes have been very hot many times then maybe... Don't bother with the lines unless you got alot of $$$ to change all the lines also. A large C clamp comes in handy also. AND ONLY DO ONE SIDE AT A TIME, that way if something gets FUBARED you'll be able to look at the other side as a reference.

 

[Silver 10+ year member]

Just look at how the old ones are installed. If you didn't know this already, you are going to have to push the piston into the caliper to allow for the larger pads to fit. If you don't have a piston squeeze, before you take the caliper off..Get a large screw driver and carefully wedge it between w/e you can and the innermost pad. Doesn't take much so be gentle.
Side note: Make sure you pump your brakes up before you head on out!!!!!!

Use a friggin c-clamp.

 

[Silver 10+ year member]

About 80k miles on it. Not sure about the fluid.

Don't touch the fluid. Only time you ever need to touch the fluid is if you are bleeding brakes or replacing brake lines. If the car isn't leaking fluid don't touch the brake lines. Since you've never done brake work I wouldn't reccomend it. Do you even know what DOT brake fluid your car has?

Also check to see where your brake fluid is at in the master cylinder. If its low, chances are your brakes are worn or obviously you have a leak. Don't top the brake fluid off off though, its low because the caliper pistons are pushed farther out due to worn pads.

Also, just because they squeak doesn't mean shit.

Just because the fluid is discolored doesn't mean it needs to be changed.

If you do a brake flush your in for a headache. Plus the chance of breaking a bleeder screw.

I see you have cross drilled rotors and stuff. Don't waste your money man.

 

[RedlineAccord 10+ year member]

Don't touch the fluid. Only time you ever need to touch the fluid is if you are bleeding brakes or replacing brake lines. If the car isn't leaking fluid don't touch the brake lines. Since you've never done brake work I wouldn't reccomend it. Do you even know what DOT brake fluid your car has?
Also check to see where your brake fluid is at in the master cylinder. If its low, chances are your brakes are worn or obviously you have a leak. Don't top the brake fluid off off though, its low because the caliper pistons are pushed farther out due to worn pads.

Also, just because they squeak doesn't mean shit.

Just because the fluid is discolored doesn't mean it needs to be changed.

If you do a brake flush your in for a headache. Plus the chance of breaking a bleeder screw.

I see you have cross drilled rotors and stuff. Don't waste your money man.

Not hard to get a Helms (SP) manual and see what DOT brake fluid my car has, or how to change anything else in the car. Why are you saying the cross-drilled and slotted rotors are a waste of money? Ya, I might not track the car every weekend, but if I remember correctly my OEM rotors were either warped or needed to be cut, and I saw the Brembo cross-drilled/slotted rotors on sale so I picked them up over paying more money for new OEM rotors.

 

[Silver 10+ year member]

Not hard to get a Helms (SP) manual and see what DOT brake fluid my car has, or how to change anything else in the car. Why are you saying the cross-drilled and slotted rotors are a waste of money? Ya, I might not track the car every weekend, but if I remember correctly my OEM rotors were either warped or needed to be cut, and I saw the Brembo cross-drilled/slotted rotors on sale so I picked them up over paying more money for new OEM rotors.

Well in that case if they were cheaper. Thats all you man. Getting the rotors turned is cheaper than buying a set of brembos........

But don't listen to me... I just work on cars daily. Just giving you advice and the most easiest way possible to do a pad swap.

I'm tellin you 99.9% chance that a fluid change will not affect any brakin performance. Also if your rotors have a shitty surface since they are on the car already any brake pad you use the rotors will chew the pads up fast.

Never done any work on my brakes before and figured I'd give it a try since I do most other installs on my car.

Like I said, not my car. Just giving advice. Would hate to see you snap something. 80k = rust.

 

[Mynameismcgyver 10+ year member]

Don't touch the fluid. Only time you ever need to touch the fluid is if you are bleeding brakes or replacing brake lines. If the car isn't leaking fluid don't touch the brake lines. Since you've never done brake work I wouldn't reccomend it. Do you even know what DOT brake fluid your car has?
Just because the fluid is discolored doesn't mean it needs to be changed.

Unless the fluid is milky which is a common thing up north in passenger cars because of moisture getting into the system. In my late model cars we flush the system after each race. By flushing, all we do is gravity bleed the system. Not much work.

But redline you should be alright.

 

[RedlineAccord 10+ year member]

Well in that case if they were cheaper. Thats all you man. Getting the rotors turned is cheaper than buying a set of brembos........
But don't listen to me... I just work on cars daily. Just giving you advice and the most easiest way possible to do a pad swap.

I'm tellin you 99.9% chance that a fluid change will not affect any brakin performance. Also if your rotors have a shitty surface since they are on the car already any brake pad you use the rotors will chew the pads up fast.

Like I said, not my car. Just giving advice. Would hate to see you snap something. 80k = rust.

Ya you're tellin me. Rust.... that gives me flashbacks to installing my stainless steel exhaust (headers, test pipe, and cat-back, well, testpipe back lol).

 

[j3bus2k3 5,000+ posts]

Not hard to get a Helms (SP) manual and see what DOT brake fluid my car has, or how to change anything else in the car. Why are you saying the cross-drilled and slotted rotors are a waste of money? Ya, I might not track the car every weekend, but if I remember correctly my OEM rotors were either warped or needed to be cut, and I saw the Brembo cross-drilled/slotted rotors on sale so I picked them up over paying more money for new OEM rotors.

Your going to buy a manual to see what fluid you need?! Look on top of the reseviour and it'll tell you. And if you bought Brembo Cross Drilled AND slotted rotors, they're fake. I sell brembo brakes //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif Brembo does not make a cross drilled a slotted rotor. The performance of one feature alone is more effective than both on the same rotor...