Few Basic Brake Questions

[Gnnr]

I feel like a n00b for asking this, but better safe than sorry. Anyways, I did my brakes all around (rotors and pads) and want to make sure the pads are the right way, I see that some of the pads have 3 little circles and the other just one, so which pad goes on the inside and which on the outside.

Also, I'm trying to bleed the lines since I installed a new caliper...now correct me if I'm wrong, but the bleed valve is supposed to open with a 10mm correct? Because I can't get it to turn for the life of me. This is what I'm supposed to use to get the air out and not the the bolt that holds the line to the caliper, correct? :confused:

Thanks.

[louisdaboois]

they shouldnt matter which side they go. theyre the same on both sides, most of the time

also yes, it is a 10mm for the bleeder valve. If youve never done it before, its best to have another person with you pumping the brakes. You basically do it the same as you would a clutch. just open the valve, depress the brake pedal to the floor, close the valve, and slowly bring the pedal back up. continue until no bubbles appear in the brake fluid coming out. Make sure to keep the master cylinder full, cause if it runs dry, you'll have to bench bleed it and its not sweet.

They say its a good idea to start from the caliper furthest away from the master cylinder and work your way to the closest. so the pass rear, then driver rear, the front pass, then front driver.

[DeepC_Diver]

also if you cant get your bleeder valves to open just go buy a brake bleeder kit from a local auto parts store. I never bought one, so i dont know the price I'm guessing around $30 or so. With this tool you can not only do this by yourself but not need to worry about braking the valves and having to replace the caliper.

[Gnnr]

Alright thanks, I guess I need to try harder to get it loose.

[clark]

spray the bleed valve with PB blaster and tap lightly to allow the pb blaster to find its way through the grooves, one time mine was stuck and i actually broke it off.

are you referring to the rear brakes? if you're referring to the rear brakes, then the pads with the 3 circles should be on the caliper piston side, becasue there are grooves on the rear caliper piston. i'm still not exactly sure what you mean by the 3 circles tho. are they dimples or do they stick out from the surface of the pad?

[g6civcx]

so which pad goes on the inside and which on the outside.

Assuming that your pads were properly packaged by the manufacturer, for most cars, you should have 4 pads: 2 inner and 2 outer pads.

Typically, the pad with the long metal tab goes on the inside. If you compare the 2 pads of the same inner type, you'll notice that they're mirror image of each other. The tab is your low pad indicator, and will make a horrible squealing sound when your pad is low.

If you compare the two inner pads, it's pretty obvious which is which. If you're confused, do only one side at a time. If you're still confused, pull up an FSM, or go to the junkyard and pull one apart.

The outer pads are pretty much identical.


the bleed valve is supposed to open with a 10mm correct?

Most bleeder bolts are 8 or 10mm. I suggest you buy a 6-point deep well socket so you don't strip the bolt. Spray with some PB Blaster. Let it soak. Use a breaker bar and gently open the bolt with the 6point socket.

This is what I'm supposed to use to get the air out and not the the bolt that holds the line to the caliper, correct?

This is correct. The hydro line goes master-line-caliper-piston/bleeder.

The proper place to bleed is with the bleed bolt. Hence, the appropriate name.

[Gnnr]

spray the bleed valve with PB blaster and tap lightly to allow the pb blaster to find its way through the grooves, one time mine was stuck and i actually broke it off.

are you referring to the rear brakes? if you're referring to the rear brakes, then the pads with the 3 circles should be on the caliper piston side, becasue there are grooves on the rear caliper piston. i'm still not exactly sure what you mean by the 3 circles tho. are they dimples or do they stick out from the surface of the pad?

Its little bumps that are on the outside of the pad.

Assuming that your pads were properly packaged by the manufacturer, for most cars, you should have 4 pads: 2 inner and 2 outer pads.

Typically, the pad with the long metal tab goes on the inside. If you compare the 2 pads of the same inner type, you'll notice that they're mirror image of each other. The tab is your low pad indicator, and will make a horrible squealing sound when your pad is low.

Yeah, I understood that from the FSM so I did that for the fronts, but the rears have no tabs. These are Hawk HPS pads.

[g6civcx]

the rears have no tabs. These are Hawk HPS pads.

You compare the shape of the backing plate with the pads you just removed.

On most cars, there is no difference on left to right. The inner and outer ones are mirror image of each other.

[cashed240]

also if you cant get your bleeder valves to open just go buy a brake bleeder kit from a local auto parts store. I never bought one, so i dont know the price I'm guessing around $30 or so. With this tool you can not only do this by yourself but not need to worry about braking the valves and having to replace the caliper.
um you HAVE to open the bleeder to get the air out, a bleeder kit wont do squat if the bleeder valve wont open.

[Gnnr]

You compare the shape of the backing plate with the pads you just removed.

On most cars, there is no difference on left to right. The inner and outer ones are mirror image of each other.

Hmm, I threw them out already. I think they're on okay, so no biggie.

[NorCalEvo]

please remember to use a 10mm flare nut wrench, dont use a regular 10mm wrench you run the risk of stripping the nut. Other than that, GL with the brake bleed.

[Gnnr]

Ahhh :duh: Thanks! I didn't know this, I gotta pick one up from sears. Don't own one.

[2ilvia]

no you dont need the flare nut wrench for the bleeder... you use the box/closed end of the wrench