Doing my own brakes (97 Accord) - need some advice
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From: * on 11 Sep 2007 10:08 Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/ wrote in article <L4XEi.341$Z33.42(a)trndny08>... > On Sat, 08 Sep 2007 15:44:56 -0700, techman41973(a)yahoo.com wrote: > > > I know that servicing brakes on my own are risky, as my safety can be > > compromised > > > Wow! How so? I would humbly suggest that someone who cannot see the potential safety issues in working on brakes - even the simplest operations such as changing pads - is hardly qualified to give advice on servicing brakes. > Once you get in there and see how easy it is, you'll wonder > why you didn't so it sooner. > > Also, look at it this way: if someone with no more than a High School > education can do it, why can't you? > > (HOLD IT!!!! That was meant as a JOKE, son. Those guys are well trained > (usually) by their employers, and have to deal with EVERY SINGLE brake > system on the road. When I get stumped, guess what I do...) > Yet, YOU feel qualified to encourage an untrained individual to tackle his own brakes. > > I used to think the same way until I did my first brake job. And all wheel > dics are a snap. If it has rear drums, pay attention, make notes, or use > your digital camera. One time I put the adjuster on wrong on one side, but > corrected it before I drove the car... > > > That's the only mistake that you KNOW about. I'll bet you made a few more you DON'T know about.
From: Al G on 11 Sep 2007 13:57 <techman41973(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1189291496.188534.25890(a)19g2000hsx.googlegroups.com... >I am a handy guy (engineering background) and I do quite a bit of my > own work on my car (oil changes, electrical repairs, etc). I am > considering doing my own brake work. With the miles I put on my car > each year, I am servicing both front and rear brakes annually at a > cost of close to $800. I know that servicing brakes on my own are > risky, as my safety can be compromised. I am looking to hear from > other "amateurs" who decided to do their own brakes and the problems > they have encountered. Any tips and recommendations to quickly get up > to speed would be helpfull. I have my service manual to my 97 Accord. > Are their classes that any of you took to learn this from a > professional? I know that rotors often need to be resurfaced > professionally. Where do you guys go for that and how much does it > usually cost? Are their videos that anyone would recommend?Since this > is my only car, I am wondering if that means I need to keep spare > rotors to swap out. > Ok, here's one I can answer, having just done this on my '98 Accord. First, it is easier than any car I've owned. My dealer wanted $112 per end, plus parts. The pads(mine has disks on both ends), cost $118 and since I already had a caliper expander, that was all I spent. (Total dealer would have been $336) The front: My accord has wheels that you can reach through to check the wear on the disk. Mine had minimal wear, probably a couple thousandths, you could just barely hook a fingernail on the lip. After removing the wheel, pull the lower caliper bolt, and the assembly rotates up and out of the way. The old pads pop out rather easily. Drain about half of the brake fluid from the reservoir, so when you expand the caliper it doesn't overflow. (I used a turkey baster). Expand the caliper using c clamps or a tool, insert the new pads,(with shims and the included anti-seize compound) rotate into position and replace the lower bolt. Repeat for the other wheel. Having done this, I think I could do it in an hour, with hand tools, including the jacking the car using the little scissors jack. Why Honda thinks it is worth 2 hours each end is beyond me. If you need to get the rotors resurfaced, a shop in town will do it for around $10 per rotor. The rotors are held on with 4 bolts(I think), and have some predrilled and tapped holes that you can use to pull stuck rotors off. (you put bolts in the holes, and screw them in, forcing the rotor out). All in all, a very clean design, and easy to work on. The rear brakes are only slightly different, because of the emergency brake. I had to pull both caliper bolts, and the calipers are expanded by rotating them as opposed to just pushing on them. There is a little box type tool that does this, or you can use a very large screwdriver. Because this adjustment is in the caliper, you won't have fluid overflow issues like you do on the front. All in all, mine took a couple of hours, cost me only the official Honda pads, and I would recommend this job to any backyard mechanic. If you have problems, bring them here for a wealth of good advice. Al G
From: Hachiroku ハチロク on 12 Sep 2007 22:21 On Sun, 09 Sep 2007 21:10:10 -0700, jim beam wrote: > Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/ wrote: >> On Sat, 08 Sep 2007 15:44:56 -0700, techman41973(a)yahoo.com wrote: >> >>> I know that servicing brakes on my own are risky, as my safety can be >>> compromised >> >> >> Wow! How so? Once you get in there and see how easy it is, you'll wonder >> why you didn't so it sooner. >> >> Also, look at it this way: if someone with no more than a High School >> education can do it, why can't you? >> >> (HOLD IT!!!! That was meant as a JOKE, son. Those guys are well trained >> (usually) by their employers, and have to deal with EVERY SINGLE brake >> system on the road. When I get stumped, guess what I do...) >> >> At any rate, the only thing I don't like about Hondas is that some of >> the rotors are pressed onto the bearing, and it makes it a REAL PITA. > > but it's a great way of reducing the probability of insufficiently trained > brake jockeys causing brake judder... And it works! My '88 Accord always went to the shop! Our friend, "*" (um, who knows EVERYTHING about ALL cars) may not want to admit it, but *I* know when I'm over my head and it's time to consult a Pro... And I usually do before I take on almost any job. I used to work at a CarQuest and know EVERY mechanic and tech in town, and know who to ask about what situation. If they say, "It's easy!" I listen to their direections/instructions and decide wheter to tackle the job myself or not. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. But I alays get a better understanding (and a lot of respect for the guys who do the jobs I won't...) > > >> I think >> Honda got awa from this by '97. >> >> I used to think the same way until I did my first brake job. And all >> wheel dics are a snap. If it has rear drums, pay attention, make notes, >> or use your digital camera. One time I put the adjuster on wrong on one >> side, but corrected it before I drove the car... >> >> >>
From: * on 13 Sep 2007 09:45 Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/ wrote in article <x81Gi.6564$jn3.168(a)trndny05>... > On Sun, 09 Sep 2007 21:10:10 -0700, jim beam wrote: > > > Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/ wrote: > >> On Sat, 08 Sep 2007 15:44:56 -0700, techman41973(a)yahoo.com wrote: > >> > >>> I know that servicing brakes on my own are risky, as my safety can be > >>> compromised > >> > >> > >> Wow! How so? Once you get in there and see how easy it is, you'll wonder > >> why you didn't so it sooner. > >> > >> Also, look at it this way: if someone with no more than a High School > >> education can do it, why can't you? > >> > >> (HOLD IT!!!! That was meant as a JOKE, son. Those guys are well trained > >> (usually) by their employers, and have to deal with EVERY SINGLE brake > >> system on the road. When I get stumped, guess what I do...) > >> > >> At any rate, the only thing I don't like about Hondas is that some of > >> the rotors are pressed onto the bearing, and it makes it a REAL PITA. > > > > but it's a great way of reducing the probability of insufficiently trained > > brake jockeys causing brake judder... > > > And it works! My '88 Accord always went to the shop! > > > Our friend, "*" (um, who knows EVERYTHING about ALL cars) may not want to > admit it, but *I* know when I'm over my head and it's time to consult a > Pro... > If you know when you are over your head, why, then, do you get all flustered when I point it out? > And I usually do before I take on almost any job. I used to work at a > CarQuest and know EVERY mechanic and tech in town, and know who to ask > about what situation. If they say, "It's easy!" I listen to their > direections/instructions and decide wheter to tackle the job myself or not. > > Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. But I alays get a better understanding > (and a lot of respect for the guys who do the jobs I won't...) > > > > > > > >> I think > >> Honda got awa from this by '97. > >> > >> I used to think the same way until I did my first brake job. And all > >> wheel dics are a snap. If it has rear drums, pay attention, make notes, > >> or use your digital camera. One time I put the adjuster on wrong on one > >> side, but corrected it before I drove the car... > >> > >> > >> > >
From: * on 13 Sep 2007 10:59
Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/ wrote in article <x81Gi.6564$jn3.168(a)trndny05>... > On Sun, 09 Sep 2007 21:10:10 -0700, jim beam wrote: > > >> At any rate, the only thing I don't like about Hondas is that some of > >> the rotors are pressed onto the bearing, and it makes it a REAL PITA. > > > > but it's a great way of reducing the probability of insufficiently trained > > brake jockeys causing brake judder... > > > And it works! My '88 Accord always went to the shop! > > There you go again, letting your ego set you up for an embarassing fall. If you knew ANYTHING about the automotive service and repair industry, you would know that the manufacturers are all trying to lock up ALL aftermarket service and repair by making their vehicles serviceable ONLY by dealership shops - blocking independent shops from working on their cars. There is also an ongoing struggle by aftermarket independents to gain access to service informnation that the manufacturers are tagging as "propriatary" in order to keep it out of the aftermarket. (You, obviously, do not read ANY trade magazines in spite of your all your posturing.....) It has nothing to do with squeezing the Shade Tree Garage "technicians" out. You guys are a mere drop in the bucket in the aftermarket service and repair picture, so give your ego a rest. |