What size socket do I need to loosen the caliper bolts?
XDGT03
01-10-2008, 01:28 PM
I believe they are 10mm but they could be 12mm. You should at least have a full set of metric sockets before starting this project.
I know you didn't ask but I would recommend either Bendix brand replacements or Hawk HPS. IMO they are the best replacements out there.
whitebb
01-10-2008, 02:40 PM
Advance auto cheap pads in Gold are Wagners, and seem to be really good.
digangi
01-10-2008, 03:52 PM
so it is just a metric socket. Can someone give me a walkthru on it real quick. I have done the pads on some other cars and I am familiar with the process, I just dont want anything to come up that I am not prepared for as this is the wifes van and she is not too keen on me doing it myself.
XDGT03
01-10-2008, 07:09 PM
lefty loosey, righty tighty. Nothing surprising here. The manual says "remove caliper bolts" but I believe they are 10mm. As far as I know they never used an allen or torx as some other manufacturers did. Have a c-clamp and a block of wood (or a very large set of channel locks) to compress the piston back into the caliper. Do only one side at a time because while pushing in the piston on one caliper you could push the other piston all the way out on the other.
If you are getting new rotors then get a can of brake cleaner to get the oil off of them. If you are getting them turned then just plan on what you are going to do for a couple of hours while they get spun.
I personally use a lot of brake grease on the pins, backs of the pads, and any place the metal slides on metal. Just make sure not to get it on the surface of the pads or the rotors.
hcmq
01-11-2008, 09:10 AM
Did the brakes change on these vans?
If I am not mistaken the calipers on my 2002 needed a large torx bit to get them off. Not the caliper bracket (Uses regular bolts) which will need to be removed if replacing the rotors.
Make sure you get pads with shims already installed.
Don't use so much grease as notes above because it has a tendancy to migrate. Make sure you use a good high-temp grease and get waterproof if you can find it. Yes most greases are NOT waterproof.
You will need more than one can of Brake-Clean. At minimum you will need two three is better. The best way to clean new rotors is to wash them with very hot soapy water them brake-clean.
Make you spray down the entire brake assembly prior to taking it apart because you do not want to force anything into the piston when you compress it.
Compress the piston caliper BEFORE you remove the caliper. Trust me this is the best way to make sure it goes in evenly. Pluse compress it slowly and even stop a few times so that you don't create air bubbles.
If you need to compress the piston further once removed just use the old inner pad this will insure the most even pressure.
Keep your hands clean! Don't use dirty gloves to install anything. All it takes is one little greasy finger print to ruin your day.
Clean the mating surfaces of the rim/rotor/hub very very well so that your rotor doesn't warp when you are PROPERLY torquing the lug nuts back on!
Good luck-
digangi
01-11-2008, 09:17 AM
Any idea on the size of the Torx? I thought that was what I was going to need by looking at it.
hcmq
01-11-2008, 09:25 AM
they have 3-4 piece sets at the advance/auto-zone for 7-8 bucks.
I think it is a T-40 or T-45. I just went out to my shop and looked at mine and those two sizes look used the most!
As long as you get a set with T-40, T-45, & T-47 you should be fine.
Hve fun.
I have done the brakes on my 02 tons of times front and back and it is cake. (My 02 had 200k on it when we sold it) I have only done the back on my 05 so far.
XDGT03
01-11-2008, 10:17 AM
Sorry. I don't know why they would have changed. Torx sucks
jrcastro
01-14-2008, 12:17 PM
Compress the piston caliper BEFORE you remove the caliper. Trust me this is the best way to make sure it goes in evenly. Pluse compress it slowly and even stop a few times so that you don't create air bubbles.
I don't get this part? Can you clarify?
What size C-clamp would I need to for this job?
Are the 2 torx pins the only thing that need removal in order to get the pads out?
XDGT03
01-14-2008, 02:34 PM
In the 100+ brake jobs I have done I have never compressed the piston before I removed the caliper. I don't even know how you would do this. Compressing the piston slowly is about the only way you can do it. It really can't compress fast. You cannot create air bubbles in the system by compressing it too fast. It is a sealed system. Think about how fast and hard you might press the brake pedal. Consider how much boost is made by the brake booster. Do you think you can create more with your hand and a c-clamp?
Secondly, as you may have noted, I said before, be careful not to get the brake grease on the pads or the rotor surface. It does not migrate because it IS heat tolerant meaning that it does not thin and run when it gets hot like wheel bearing grease for instance. If you don't do as I have recommended then you are likely to get binding, seizing, and/or squealing from your brakes in time.
A 6" c-clamp should work just fine. Mine does not have a caliper mounting bracket. According to alldata yours does not either. The mount is a part of the steering knuckle. So, the only thing you need to take off are the caliper bolts (torx or otherwise).
hcmq
01-14-2008, 08:15 PM
Yeah I have done well over 100+ brake jobs in over 26 years as well.
I know how hard it is to learn something new and just shut it out. That is why it is so hard to find a good mechanic these days that really knows how to work on a modern car!
Yes you can get air bubbles in the system because you can push the piston in too fast and crooked. Remember the pist is designed to be pushed the opposite way that you are pushing it so without going into a long desertation the piston seal is seated in the way the brakes are applied, you push it the opposite way (Way past it's normal operation) and all kinds of things can happen. And one last thing with modern ABS systems if you push the fluid backwards too fast you can jam the valving.
Pushing the piston in while everything is still together is very easy. you use the same c-clamp. just put the "c" part on the back of the caliper and put the screw down part on the outer pad and tighten. now you are using both pads and the rotor so you don't need to turn the c-clamp so much! Plus you are causing the pads to travel over their full seating area which will help clean it and let you know if there are any potential problems. lastly it makes everything much easier to remove because everything is now loose.
I have been doing it this way for more than 10 years on many many different vehicles and it is by far the easiest way I have found.
