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How To: Brembo Brake Pad change

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158K views 253 replies 113 participants last post by  TheNEWB 
#1 ·
How To: Brembo Brake Pad change.

Parts Required:
- new brake pads, we decided to go with HAWK HP+ for DD and occasional track events.

- PN Front: HB453N.585 Disc Brake Pad; HP Plus w/0.585
- PN Rear: HB615N.535 Disc Brake Pad; HP Plus w/0.535


or something a touch more streetable,

- PN Front: HB453F.585 Disc Brake Pad; HPS Performance Street w/0.585
-PN Rear: HB615F.535 Disc Brake Pad; HPS Performance Street w/0.535


can be obtained via forum sponsors like FREDBEANSPARTS :+1:

Tools Required:
- 800 grit sand paper (not required if you will bed the pads slowly)
- shop rag
- brake cleaner
- brake lube
- center punch
- hammer
- vice grips or pliers
- jack stands and car jack

Recommended Number of People:
- 1 person

Difficulty
- 1.5, hard part is getting the metal pins out of the caliper without scratching it. I taped off the end of the center punch with electrical tape to facilitate an extra safety measure.

Time to complete
- 15 minutes per wheel taking your time.

Step by Step Instructions

1) Jack up the car, and remove the wheel your going to be working on and open up the brake fluid reservoir.



2) VERY Lightly hammer the retainer pins until they hide into the caliper body.



3) Using a set of vice grips or pliers pull on the retainer pins while pushing on the spring loaded clip, start with the top one first.



4) Once the top pin is out, slide out the spring loaded retention clip and remove the lower retainer pin.




5) Slide out the outboard side pad first and remove the metal backing, you will reuse the backing once you clean it, also clean the spring loaded retention clip and pins.




5) Slightly burnish the new pads with 800 grit sand paper (NOT REQUIRED if you will bed the pads in slowly)



6) Place the backing on your new pad and apply brake caliper grease to the round circle areas, to the top and bottom of pad edge and to the front small indent.



7) Push back the outboard pistons with pliers if you don't have a fancy caliper spreader. Also slightly grease your retention pins.



8) Repeat the above procedure for the inboard side pad, then replace the lower retainer pin and spring loaded retention clip.



9) Putting pressure on the spring loaded retention clip slide in the upper retention pin back in.



10) Hammer the retention spring into place until the back is flush with the caliper body. I used a piece of plastic to prevent the hammer from scratching the caliper paint.



11) Thats it you are done...........one wheel :D LOL



12) Repeat for the other three wheels, close the fluid reservoir and then tidy up your work space.





13) Slowly test your brakes and follow manufacturers bedding in procedure and ENJOY your new stopping power :godance:

PHOTO BY PHOTO SLIDE SHOW
 
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#36 ·
is there a need to resurface the rotor after brake pad replacement? i'm on my stockers going 10k...i should be done with these within 7k miles, so I want to do as much homework as I can....

i've always been taught that a proper brake job includes changing the pads, lubricate all applicable parts, and resurface or replace rotor....but it seems like not many people talk about resurfacing here....anybody care to enlighten me :)
 
#37 · (Edited)
What's the best way to gauge brake pad life? I know you can see the pad thickness with the wheel off. How thin is too thin?
Pad thickness is the industry standard where less than 3mm is time to replace. Heat will transfer faster with a thinner pad (from the rotor friction surface to the caliper piston/brake fluid).

is there a need to resurface the rotor after brake pad replacement? i'm on my stockers going 10k...i should be done with these within 7k miles, so I want to do as much homework as I can....

i've always been taught that a proper brake job includes changing the pads, lubricate all applicable parts, and resurface or replace rotor....but it seems like not many people talk about resurfacing here....anybody care to enlighten me
True, ideally new pads should have a new smooth surface to run against. However whether the rotors need to be turned depends on their condition: warpage amount, depth of grooves, lip, hot spots, etc.

Unfortunately the stock rotors don't leave much for clean-up machining - there is a max of 1mm that can be taken off - including wear. So if the surfaces will clean up with 0.020" taken off each side (including wear), then you're good to go. otherwise it's time for new rotors also.

While the worn rotor may be OK (not ideal, but usable) to keep on going, it will probably be too thin after machining.

And since it's not a fifty dollar rotor...
 
#52 ·
Pad thickness is the industry standard where less than 3mm is time to replace. Heat will transfer faster with a thinner pad (from the rotor friction surface to the caliper piston/brake fluid).

True, ideally new pads should have a new smooth surface to run against. However whether the rotors need to be turned depends on their condition: warpage amount, depth of grooves, lip, hot spots, etc.

Unfortunately the stock rotors don't leave much for clean-up machining - there is a max of 1mm that can be taken off - including wear. So if the surfaces will clean up with 0.020" taken off each side (including wear), then you're good to go. otherwise it's time for new rotors also.

While the worn rotor may be OK (not ideal, but usable) to keep on going, it will probably be too thin after machining.

And since it's not a fifty dollar rotor...
I found $50 rotors for the X. Wish me luck!
 
#39 ·
yeah i am having rotor issues since putting in some new pads.. either that or its the pads.. Pads have created a generous lip on top and bottom, and i only changed them at 15k... wishing i had just saved up and done a factory pad
 
#44 ·
Nope. Hawk makes pads for the Evo X so no rear pad adapters.
 
#46 ·
I know this might be a dumb question, but can i jack up one corner at a time and change the brake pads? Thanks
 
#57 · (Edited)
thanks much for this write-up.
swapped out my fronts today with the Hawk Ceramics and this definitely made it easier, and made the work more confident.
one thing that happened (or had already happened, can't really remember now), is the following:



the retention clip is shearing off, not quite broken through yet and still holds everything, but is definitely not as tight as the other ones due to this "crack".
has anyone else come across this?
any suggestions on a good place to get a replacement? i'm sure i could get one from the dealer, but can't imagine they'll give me a good deal.
any help would be great.
thanks,
Ryan


also a pretty good picture:





definitely scary thin! glad i got around to it when i did.
 
#60 ·
Wow horrible thin pad. Glad the how-to helped.
 
#61 ·
20K on the pads.

an interesting note is that the inboard pad was much beefier than the outboard pad. is that usual as well?
i also know both of my back pads have quite a bit of beef left (which is usual, i know).
i knew they were thin from the dealership telling me when i got a routine check-up, but didn't notice any side effects from braking. every once in a while going hard around some of the pass switchbacks, it's felt a little unsure - but no squealing or anything wobbly. after seeing how crazy thin they were, i'm pretty surprised.

let me know if you remember which pads supply the retainer clip - it might the cheapest option for a fix.
 
#66 ·
Excuse my alarmist thinking, but you need to take that damper spring plate out immediately. Just live with the rattling of the pads until you get a new one.

When it finally cracks all the way through - it's already 90% there - the pieces will quickly jamb between the caliper and inside of the wheel. And it won't be pretty.

The good news is that it will not affect braking ability.

Just sayin'
 
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