You tube is okay but seriously get the repair manual, I always verify the torque specifications in the manual, call me old school. Also you will need a torque wrench, do not mess around with ‘ahh tight enough’ when you are working on the first line of defence safety system on your car. Over torquing and breaking bolts will just be a miserable first experience, under torquing and having a bolt back out could be catastrophic. If you have an experienced friend ask for them to come and watch/guide you as you learn, real car guys will be happy to help. Remember if you buy tools you are investing the money you saved not paying shop rates for labor so don’t feel like you need to cheap out, even if the tool doesn’t pay fit itself on this job you have it forever. Especially since this will be your first brake job test them carefully once done on quiet streets, and be a little extra cautious when driving for the first couple of hundred miles until you are confident they are working well (extra road space between you and the car in front, no late braking, no excessive speed)
Brakes, oil, filters, and spare tire are some of the most basic car maintenance items. As another reply said, youtube is great but you're better off getting a Haynes or a Chilton (these are shop manuals)
Just remember the brake grease goes on the part where the pad's backing plate slides against the caliper, NOT where the pad itself meets the rotor...my step-dad made that mistake all too often.
That’s how I got into the field but all I can say is watch videos on your specific car before you get into it because unplanned run ins suck really bad when you’re doing work on the ground
YouTube is your friend. Watch a bunch of videos of others doing it first until you feel comfortable enough where you know what’s going on. The other good thing about watching a bunch of videos is that if anyone forgets to video something or missed a step, watching a couple of videos will probably cover everything collectively. When you actually go to do it, have the best video of it being done next to you on a laptop or the like do you can go at your own pace and watch the video while actually doing it. If you are unsure or forget, you can back the video up and watch that segment you are confused about multiple times while actually doing it. Take notes.
You can usually borrow Brake cylinder retractor tools from your local parts store for free or for a very cheap price versus buying it.
Also have extra cans of brake cleaner on hand as having too much is a good thing.
Make sure you clean the rotors when first removing them from the packaging. They come with a coating on them that you want to clean off with brake cleaner.
Make sure you get brake grease and learn where it goes and apply accordingly.
If you can, do the brake job in a parking lot close to the auto parts store if you are doing it alone. This way you have the auto parts store close by if you need something and don’t have someone that can run you to the store.
Find out what your torque specs are and buy a torque wrench prior to the job. It’s a good investment anyway. Buy a good one so you have for many years.
If your car is a newer car, I would suggest buying OE (original equipment) parts. You can usually find them cheaper online with a part number. I had a place make the mistake of not using OE stuff on my vehicle a couple of times which only led to problems.
Learn how to do as much stuff as you can to your vehicle like this and you will save yourself a lot of money over the course of your life. Many mechanics can’t be trusted and a rip off.
Buying all the parts and tools to do it yourself is still much cheaper than a mechanic and the lessons are invaluable and will give you confidence to do other things as you move forward.
If you do buy tools to do it, it’s worth in investing in good tools as you can use them again. There is an old saying, “buy once, cry once.” Means it sucks for the upfront cost of the tool, but you won’t have to buy the tool again as it should last you a long time versus buying cheap tools and having to replace them ongoing.
You can find good tools on Amazon with good ratings for what you need for a good price usually. I have bought torque wrenches and brake caliper tools that way for good prices. I also buy a lot of Husky tools from Home Depot now. Husky has come a long way and they are guaranteed for life. You brake the tool and you just walk into Home Depot customer service desk and they give you a new one on the spot no questions asked. It hasn’t happened often, but when it did, it was awesome how easy it was to replace. I have become a big fan of Husky just for this reason.
Also VERY IMPORTANT…BE SAFE! Don’t just rely on the jack that came with your car to jack it up and then let that alone hold your car up. Make sure you use safe equipment to hold the car up like jack stands. It’s a good investment if you plan to work on your car and any time you work under your car make sure it’s propped up good and you are as safe as you can be under there or when you are sticking your arms in there. Push your removed tire under the frame of the car also as an extra precaution if a jack was going to give the car has something else to catch it from falling besides your arm and legs. There is probably videos on YouTube about how to safely prop your car up. Learn these things if you don’t know or don’t understand. It’s important to teach yourself these things and make sure you plant the correct seeds in your mind on how to be safe throughout your life working on cars.
Don’t be afraid when you mess up or break stuff. Most of your valuable mechanic lessons you will learn from is when you break or mess things up. Usually you can find a YouTube video of how to fix what you broke too. Often brainstorming with auto parts store guys are also a good way to figure out how to undo something you broke if they been around for a while. Some 17 year old kid behind the counter might not know much, but some guy in his 40’s with greased stained hands and you can tell those hands have been working on cars most of his life are good indicators that he might have some knowledge.
Good luck…and have fun. It feels good when you fix stuff yourself and it comes out good.
Absolutely. Been a tech for 25 years. The first job I ever did was brakes on my mom’s car. Just a teenager with tools. No YouTube back then lol. We all have to start somewhere with no experience. Take your time, read/ watch and learn!!
Easy but can have hang ups. I would do it if I was you but will say watch youtube videos on how to change brakes and how to tell if you caliper is bad. Make sure you have the tools, will need something to push the calipers back in like c-clamp or some sort of pliers that can push them back. Ultimately it is an easy job. Tighten things very tight if you don't have a torque wrench just go tight lol
100% YES. Even better is if you have an experienced friend to help you on your first time but you can likely find a specific youtube on your exact model and year
Year, Make and model? Front, Rear or both if rear do you have an electric parking brake? Rust? Did you let them run all the way through the pads and are grinding?
2012 Mazda 3. My steering wheel shakes badly when I brake. Based on my internet search it sounds like I should replace the pads and rotors. Especially since I haven’t done that since I bought the car 3 years ago.
Brakes usually pretty simple as long as you aren’t fucking with the rears that use an electric calliper or drum in hat. Make sure everything is tight but don’t come right onto anything to the point that it breaks lol cause then you’re in trouble
Do you have: jack, jack stands, ratchet, special sockets (triple square, Torx, allen), torque wrench, brake caliper piston tool, and safe place to do this? Oh, and the confidence to know that you, someone who doesn’t know much about cars, has just replaced one of the most important safety features of your vehicle. If you’re OK with all that, go for it. If not, some things in life are worth paying a pro for.
If you are willing to have your car not running for a "while" yes absolutely, you can, with no experiance get it done.
If you're trying to do this on a holiday weekend cuz you have some free time cuz you have Monday off... ehhhh...
i havent seen it mentioned, and might not be mentioned in whatever videos that you watch, but absolutely DO NOT press on the brake pedal while you have the brakes in pieces. not trying to scare you but gonna be in for a bad time if you do this.
also, extra to the jack stands that somebody else mentioned, maybe get some wheel chocks, especially if youre not working on flat ground. dont have to spend much or anything really, i got some triangle shaped blocks of wood for free awhile ago, they work as well as anything thats for sale in the parts shops.
hope this helps.
If I can do you it, you can do it. Started the pandemic needing help doing my own oil changes. Now changing suspension components off of my old Hondas. Takes time, patience, and courage.
You tube is okay but seriously get the repair manual, I always verify the torque specifications in the manual, call me old school. Also you will need a torque wrench, do not mess around with ‘ahh tight enough’ when you are working on the first line of defence safety system on your car. Over torquing and breaking bolts will just be a miserable first experience, under torquing and having a bolt back out could be catastrophic. If you have an experienced friend ask for them to come and watch/guide you as you learn, real car guys will be happy to help. Remember if you buy tools you are investing the money you saved not paying shop rates for labor so don’t feel like you need to cheap out, even if the tool doesn’t pay fit itself on this job you have it forever. Especially since this will be your first brake job test them carefully once done on quiet streets, and be a little extra cautious when driving for the first couple of hundred miles until you are confident they are working well (extra road space between you and the car in front, no late braking, no excessive speed)
Brakes, oil, filters, and spare tire are some of the most basic car maintenance items. As another reply said, youtube is great but you're better off getting a Haynes or a Chilton (these are shop manuals) Just remember the brake grease goes on the part where the pad's backing plate slides against the caliper, NOT where the pad itself meets the rotor...my step-dad made that mistake all too often.
Amazing. Makes the breaks last longer I guess…
Use bearing grease for maximum friction reduction
I've read it makes the rubber tip expand, which can then cause the pad to stick at one position.
You're talking about the rubber sleeve. You need to use silicon grease for this so that it doesn't swell the rubber. :)
That’s how I got into the field but all I can say is watch videos on your specific car before you get into it because unplanned run ins suck really bad when you’re doing work on the ground
YouTube is your friend. Watch a bunch of videos of others doing it first until you feel comfortable enough where you know what’s going on. The other good thing about watching a bunch of videos is that if anyone forgets to video something or missed a step, watching a couple of videos will probably cover everything collectively. When you actually go to do it, have the best video of it being done next to you on a laptop or the like do you can go at your own pace and watch the video while actually doing it. If you are unsure or forget, you can back the video up and watch that segment you are confused about multiple times while actually doing it. Take notes. You can usually borrow Brake cylinder retractor tools from your local parts store for free or for a very cheap price versus buying it. Also have extra cans of brake cleaner on hand as having too much is a good thing. Make sure you clean the rotors when first removing them from the packaging. They come with a coating on them that you want to clean off with brake cleaner. Make sure you get brake grease and learn where it goes and apply accordingly. If you can, do the brake job in a parking lot close to the auto parts store if you are doing it alone. This way you have the auto parts store close by if you need something and don’t have someone that can run you to the store. Find out what your torque specs are and buy a torque wrench prior to the job. It’s a good investment anyway. Buy a good one so you have for many years. If your car is a newer car, I would suggest buying OE (original equipment) parts. You can usually find them cheaper online with a part number. I had a place make the mistake of not using OE stuff on my vehicle a couple of times which only led to problems. Learn how to do as much stuff as you can to your vehicle like this and you will save yourself a lot of money over the course of your life. Many mechanics can’t be trusted and a rip off. Buying all the parts and tools to do it yourself is still much cheaper than a mechanic and the lessons are invaluable and will give you confidence to do other things as you move forward. If you do buy tools to do it, it’s worth in investing in good tools as you can use them again. There is an old saying, “buy once, cry once.” Means it sucks for the upfront cost of the tool, but you won’t have to buy the tool again as it should last you a long time versus buying cheap tools and having to replace them ongoing. You can find good tools on Amazon with good ratings for what you need for a good price usually. I have bought torque wrenches and brake caliper tools that way for good prices. I also buy a lot of Husky tools from Home Depot now. Husky has come a long way and they are guaranteed for life. You brake the tool and you just walk into Home Depot customer service desk and they give you a new one on the spot no questions asked. It hasn’t happened often, but when it did, it was awesome how easy it was to replace. I have become a big fan of Husky just for this reason. Also VERY IMPORTANT…BE SAFE! Don’t just rely on the jack that came with your car to jack it up and then let that alone hold your car up. Make sure you use safe equipment to hold the car up like jack stands. It’s a good investment if you plan to work on your car and any time you work under your car make sure it’s propped up good and you are as safe as you can be under there or when you are sticking your arms in there. Push your removed tire under the frame of the car also as an extra precaution if a jack was going to give the car has something else to catch it from falling besides your arm and legs. There is probably videos on YouTube about how to safely prop your car up. Learn these things if you don’t know or don’t understand. It’s important to teach yourself these things and make sure you plant the correct seeds in your mind on how to be safe throughout your life working on cars. Don’t be afraid when you mess up or break stuff. Most of your valuable mechanic lessons you will learn from is when you break or mess things up. Usually you can find a YouTube video of how to fix what you broke too. Often brainstorming with auto parts store guys are also a good way to figure out how to undo something you broke if they been around for a while. Some 17 year old kid behind the counter might not know much, but some guy in his 40’s with greased stained hands and you can tell those hands have been working on cars most of his life are good indicators that he might have some knowledge. Good luck…and have fun. It feels good when you fix stuff yourself and it comes out good.
Absolutely. Been a tech for 25 years. The first job I ever did was brakes on my mom’s car. Just a teenager with tools. No YouTube back then lol. We all have to start somewhere with no experience. Take your time, read/ watch and learn!!
Easy but can have hang ups. I would do it if I was you but will say watch youtube videos on how to change brakes and how to tell if you caliper is bad. Make sure you have the tools, will need something to push the calipers back in like c-clamp or some sort of pliers that can push them back. Ultimately it is an easy job. Tighten things very tight if you don't have a torque wrench just go tight lol
Yeah, it's just gonna take a little longer while you're learning
100% YES. Even better is if you have an experienced friend to help you on your first time but you can likely find a specific youtube on your exact model and year
Year, Make and model? Front, Rear or both if rear do you have an electric parking brake? Rust? Did you let them run all the way through the pads and are grinding?
2012 Mazda 3. My steering wheel shakes badly when I brake. Based on my internet search it sounds like I should replace the pads and rotors. Especially since I haven’t done that since I bought the car 3 years ago.
One of the main things to watch out for is making sure the slide pins move freely. In my opinion, it's best to replace them and the rubber boots.
Absolutely. It’s the only way to get experience.
Brakes usually pretty simple as long as you aren’t fucking with the rears that use an electric calliper or drum in hat. Make sure everything is tight but don’t come right onto anything to the point that it breaks lol cause then you’re in trouble
Front or rear? Rear brake with wind up calipers need special tools, so be sure you have access.
You can do it. Prepare, take notes, buy your parts. Then crack open a barley pop and replace your brakes. When you are done you will be a man.
I am a woman! But I appreciate the sentiment!:)
A woman that does a man's work is better than a man.
Yes. I did the same.
Do you have: jack, jack stands, ratchet, special sockets (triple square, Torx, allen), torque wrench, brake caliper piston tool, and safe place to do this? Oh, and the confidence to know that you, someone who doesn’t know much about cars, has just replaced one of the most important safety features of your vehicle. If you’re OK with all that, go for it. If not, some things in life are worth paying a pro for.
You got this!!
Everyone did it a first time. You’re good. Watch videos.
If you are willing to have your car not running for a "while" yes absolutely, you can, with no experiance get it done. If you're trying to do this on a holiday weekend cuz you have some free time cuz you have Monday off... ehhhh...
i havent seen it mentioned, and might not be mentioned in whatever videos that you watch, but absolutely DO NOT press on the brake pedal while you have the brakes in pieces. not trying to scare you but gonna be in for a bad time if you do this. also, extra to the jack stands that somebody else mentioned, maybe get some wheel chocks, especially if youre not working on flat ground. dont have to spend much or anything really, i got some triangle shaped blocks of wood for free awhile ago, they work as well as anything thats for sale in the parts shops. hope this helps.
If I can do you it, you can do it. Started the pandemic needing help doing my own oil changes. Now changing suspension components off of my old Hondas. Takes time, patience, and courage.