At the 15K servicing, I was told that my car’s front brakepads needed to be replaced as they had been worn out. Initially, I said OK but then the DIY worm crept in and I told them to let it be for now.
The OEM Optra brake pads cost around
Rs.3500 for the front wheels, so I decided to look around and see if I could get some aftermarket options like Bosch or TVS Girling etc. Talked to a few dealers and regional offices of Bosch and TVS and realized that they do not make Optra’s brake pads. Finally after searching around I found 2-3 Taiwanese replacements. After comparing the quality, material etc decided on a brand called Atrica. The cost for the front set was
Rs.750, so decided to take the gamble.
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Logic : Had checked that the pads were of the same size, tried to file them off and saw that they were not too hard, were wearing off well and would not harm the disc. The only thing that could happen was that they would wear of sooner – in which case, I could still replace it 5 times in Rs.3500.
Worst case scenario : The brake pads might turn out to be really bad and I might have to throw them away – Rs.750 loss is OK)
I had taken detailed pics of the brake pads, but am not able to find them now :( . Will edit this post and add the pics if I do find them!
Now, to the
DIY.
Tools required :
Surprisingly, this requires a very limited set of tools and
1. Car jack (to lift the car)
2. Wheel nut socket wrench (part of the jack kit) (to remove the wheel)
3. Socket wrench / ring spanner / open ended spanner – (to remove the calliper bolt (pin), usually size 12,14,16)
4. Pliers
5. Strong screw driver
6. Steering remover / calliper tool (optional – you can do this using the screw driver as well) (for pushing the brake piston back)
7. Grease (optional) – for lubricating the calliper pins
Level of complexity : Fairly easy. Pre-requisites : You should be able to lift your car using the jack and remove the wheel. That would be the toughest part in this job. (Well not entirely – pushing the piston back can be a bit tricky.. more on that later)
Time taken :
30 minutes for both wheels (but this is not a race, so do the job well – keep atleast a hour in hand)
Procedure : Old Brake Pad Removal
1. Lift the car up on the jack and remove the wheel.
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If you are not sure what this means or how this is done, it is best that you back off now itself. Having a car topple from the jack onto you (any part works) is not a very pleasant situation for either you or your car. It would be better to call in your mechanic and let him do the job while you chill out in front of the TV).
2. After the wheel is removed, lower the car slightly so that it is not raised too much. Then very very gently (start the engine and) turn the steering wheel so that the calliper turns out towards you (right for right wheel, left for left wheel). This makes the job much easier as you get easy access to all the parts.
You can see the observation slot on the callipers and the upper slit (see the highlighted sections) from where you can see the thickness of the brake pads).
The pads on one side have worn out and will soon touch the plate!
In this pic, you see the brake line bleeder outlet. Use this to bleed the brake fluid. To do so, attach a pipe to the nozzle and collect the fluid in a bottle. The brake fluid is paint unfriendly, so do not let the two meet! Use the bolt shown in the picture to bleed at a steady pace – do not remove it completely!
AGAIN –THIS IS ONLY FOR YOUR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. DO NOT DO THIS AS A PART OF A NORMAL INSTALLATION.
3. Now, see the bolt shown in the picture. This needs to be opened so as to release the calliper. Take the correct sized socket wrench / spanner and open the bolt. Unscrew the entire bolt and take it out completely.
Note that this bolt is greased, so place it in a location where it does not gather any debris.
4. Now, you need to swivel the calliper in the upward direction. Follow the photos to see how to open the calliper upwards. There is a possibility of the calliper being jammed or obstructed by the surface of the pads. You may use a flat screwdriver to slightly push the brake piston back (if this is to be done, open the brake fluid reservoir to allow the pressure to be released – shown in step ahead)
5. The brake pads are now exposed and can be easily removed. Pull the brake pads out.
This marks the end of the process till the removal of the old brake pads!