He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

[defeated]

Hi, everyone, I put off asking a stupid question for as long as I could, but now I'm just at a standstill. I'm undertaking my first evah brake job, and I'm stuck trying to get the caliper back on the rotor. I can get it to fit so one bolt lines up, either at the top or the bottom, but it won't slide all the way on the other end so both bolts line up. Is this something that needs to be muscled into place? Is it okay to tap carefully with a rubber mallet?

The bolts I'm referring to here are the allen bolts on the back of the caliper.

I was smart enough to take a before picture of the assembly before I started taking things apart, it's just getting the caliper loaded with new brake pads to slide on a new rotor that's stalled me out.

Ooh, also, since I'm asking dumb questions, is it all right to spray the whole works with brake cleaner after I get it all assembled, before I put the wheel back on? (thinking positive here that I'll get that far) I thought you were supposed to, but my rotors came lightly greased, and I'm not sure if that's how they ought to be in the end, or not.

Thanks for any input or ideas about what I might be doing wrong

[Archer]

Re: He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

spray your rotors and get that oil off BEFORE you put calipers back on. wipe it off with a clean paper towel.

as far as putting the caliper back on, you need to make sure the caliper piston is pushed in before you install the pads. (make sure your reservoir cap is off too and place an old rag under it). install the pads and put caliper on. your rotor is catching on the pads... there should be a pretty good gap between the pads and the rotor when you first install it. then pump your breaks and get it tight again.
and if you are able to slide the caliper down, then tap it down till the holes align. then install your bolts
archer

[defeated]

Re: He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

Thanks for the quick reply! Back in the hole I go :)

[defeated]

Re: He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

update - Thanks, again, Archer, that was spot on. I'd already compressed the caliper, but apparently I needed to do it one more time with feeling :) After that it slid in nice and easy.

[cam98aro]

Re: He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

update - Thanks, again, Archer, that was spot on. I'd already compressed the caliper, but apparently I needed to do it one more time with feeling :) After that it slid in nice and easy.

next time, just keep pushing it in until it stops

[Archer]

Re: He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

next time, just keep pushing it in until it stops

Thats what she said..

[kylerobison]

Re: He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

thats what she said..

lol awesome!!!!

[a-master]

Re: He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

off topic, i was giving my buddy a hand with his brake job on an old accord with rear drum brakes. we couldn't get wither drum off the back and it took us a day to figure out that the hand brake was still on.... we almost died laughing at the amount of stupidity involved

['96bird]

Re: He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

off topic, i was giving my buddy a hand with his brake job on an old accord with rear drum brakes. we couldn't get wither drum off the back and it took us a day to figure out that the hand brake was still on.... we almost died laughing at the amount of stupidity involved

you dont admit things like that haha:D

[Archer]

Re: He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

you dont admit things like that haha:D

yeah she said that too:(

[tomham]

Re: He'p Me! Newbie Brake Job

haha i dont know how many times in class and helping friends that they forgot to take the brake off and i just walk over release it and pull it off and they always have a dumb look on their face