FITTING NEW REAR DISCS & PADS

[marco2002]

Hi All

Fitting new dics/pads on the back of the car tommorow. Discs look a bit scored few lines running around so thought it time to replace after 3 years.
A couple of questions for the experts on here. When i put the new discs/pads on will i still need to fit the shims/anti rattle bits to the disc pads? Looks quite a tight fit even with the caliper piston pushed right back. Also would you use a bit of sandpaper on the edges of the pads?

If the caliper piston is a bit seized whats the best way to free it off? As i don't want any damage done to the rubber seal on the piston itself in the proccess. Is it the wire brush & some emery paper to sort it?

I haven't had any bother with the caliper pistons on the back but a couple of years ago when the garage fitted new discs and pads they had to un-seize them. Noticed a bit of a squeeky noise coming from the back wheel and when you tap the footbrake the noise vanishes mysteriously and it comes and goes.

You can go for a couple of days and not hear anything. Seems to be when we get a bit of hot weather and everything is very dry on the car.

When the new discs/pads are fitted will the handbrake cable need adjusting? Obviuosly when i take the old discs off i will back off the handbrake shoes adjuster first.

Any helpful advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Marco

[mjb]

When i put the new discs/pads on will i still need to fit the shims/anti rattle bits to the disc pads?

I take it you're on about a coupe with Brembos up front? The answer's yes, otherwise you'll have an instant headache every time you press the pedal

Also would you use a bit of sandpaper on the edges of the pads?

To take the 'ears' off? I have...

If the caliper piston is a bit seized whats the best way to free it off?

Remove the calliper and give it a good clean off the car. The lazy way is to work it by pushing the pedal then pushing it back a few times

When the new discs/pads are fitted will the handbrake cable need adjusting? Obviuosly when i take the old discs off i will back off the handbrake shoes adjuster first.

Think you just answered your own question there, but yes, your new discs will probably have considerably more metal on the inside than your existing ones so the handbrake may well need setting looser

[marco2002]

Hi
When you fit the new discs is there anything you can use on the caliper piston itself to prevent it seizing again? You used to be able to use rubber grease but its hard to get hold of and quite expensive? Could you use a smear of copper grease on the caliper piston so it slides in and out nicely wondered if it could damage the rubber on the caliper piston though?

When you clean the caliper piston what can you use a small wire brush and some fine emery cloth and some brake cleaner?

Any help would be appreciated
Thanks
Marco

[jasper5]

The correct way of freeing off a siezed hydraulic piston, is to take out the piston and outer rubber seal, remove the inner rubber seal, then clean the rust from the outer edge of the piston cylinder (where the outer rubber seal fits in).

Ideally, you should replace the rubber seals as a matter of course, but if the seals were not damaged and you didn't have a leak, you can re-use them.

In the new seal kit you will get rubber grease, if you haven't got rubber grease, use any rubber lubricant that you can find.

You will obviously have to bleed up the brakes afterwards.

Personally, I would buy a full caliper repair kit, and if the pistons themselves are damaged, (pitted, not just dirty), replace them.

[marco2002]

Hi
just an update on the Discs/Pads problem. First set of discs on the car the n/s/r disc got a bit hot and in the end had a slight warp in it! Managed to get a replacement set of discs for nothing. To cut a long story short got a local french car specialist to fit up the the new discs & pads as well as cleaning everything up and checking the piston and sliders(i supplied the parts). Had the car back a couple of days and the n/s/r disc/pads have done exactly the same thing again i.e got a bit hot had smoke coming off the pads which i suspect was caused by not cleaning the disc up properly.

Car went back to garage again last thursday and they took the caliper off and cleaned it up, checked the piston re-assembled everything for no charge which makes me a bit suspiscious as garages very rarely do anything for nothing unless they've made a mistake?

Got the car back all ok for the first day. On the 2nd day i had it back the car feels like its pulling too much on the n/s/r wheel and still running a bit hot for my liking. Phoned the garage again and now they are saying as the caliper has been cleaned up as much as they can possibly do it twice then its a new caliper as thats the only thing it could be!

So far its cost about £100 in parts including the peugeot pads that the n/s/r disc nearly cooked and about £100 labour.

Now they want £100 for new caliper plus labour!

Located another caliper from local breakers for £15 which i'm picking up tommorow. Decided to do it myself. Any tips for what to do when bleeding. Is it advisable to disconnect battery when bleeding? Also when I take the caliper off is it advisable to put a clamp on the flexi-hose so i don't lose much fluid?

I haven't done this job on a 406 before so a bit of advice would be appreciated. Did a lot of bleeding on minis years ago when i did a re-build. Might have to buy a one man bleeding kit or get the missus to do the up down bit with the brake pedal.

I don't have much faith in this garage now as car has been in 3 times now and I would expect any garage worth its salt to have said it was the caliper a bit earlier on? Just seem to grab the labour charges regardless.

Anyway any help advice or thoughts on the subject would be much appreciated. 406 is off the road for the tim being and i'm now driving a battered fiat punto which was supplied by my boss.

[steve_earwig]

Maybe the caliper needs new seals, then you have a new one to try. Apparently if you turn the ignition on with air in the ABS module you'll need Pug to clear it, disconnecting the battery is just making doubly sure this can't happen. Clamp the hose or put a plastic bag under the reservoir lid and tighten it. An eeezibleeed is easiest but up and down on the pedal does the trick - remember down fast, up slow (so any bubbles aren't drawn back).