Changing Your Own Brake Pads And Using The Right Tools
Have you ever taken your car to an auto shop for what you thought would be a minor fix and were shocked when the mechanic quoted you a huge repair price? For those of us who aren’t mechanically inclined, taking our car to the repair shop is always an anxious situation on two counts: we usually haven’t the foggiest idea what’s wrong and, therefore, we don’t have a clue how about much we can expect to pay. Becoming one’s own mechanic would certainly save worry and money, but for the mechanically disinclined, this seems wholly out of the question. Yet, you might be surprised at how easy and non-greasy some automotive repairs can be, such as changing worn out break pads.
While we’ve all heard about the expense of replacing such auto parts as transmissions and radiators, the reality is that these components usually last a car’s lifetime. Replacing brakes, on the other hand, is a maintenance related repair that occurs multiple times during a car’s life span. If you take your car to the repair shop to have its breaks changed, you’ll likely end up paying for the equivalent of a rebuilt transmission. On average, repair shops charge between $150.00 and $225.00 to change break pads that retail for around $50. Multiply that repair price by four, the average number of times that you can expect to change your front brakes while driving 100,000 miles in city driving conditions, and you’re looking at a savings of around $500.00.
So, exactly how easy is it to change your front brake pads? First, you’ll need a few simple tools: a lug wrench, a c-clamp, an open end or adjustable wrench, a hammer, a jack stand and a car jack (which is usually already in the trunk of your car). When purchasing these tools, you can save money by shopping discount tools and reconditioned tools online, which are tools that have been returned to the manufacturer is “as new” condition as a result of minor imperfections that don’t affect their functionality.
With the tools in hand, first make sure that your car is parked on a flat surface to prevent it from rolling. Then use the lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts to the point that you can remove them with your fingers. Place the jack beneath the reinforced metal lip near your front wheel well and jack it up until the tire no longer touches the ground. Place the jack stand beneath the reinforced metal lip and slowly release the jack until the car’s weight rests on the jack stand. Then remove the loosened lug nuts and remove the tire.
The next step is to use the lug wrench to remove the brake caliper in order to slide the old break pads out. The caliper sits in the 12 o’clock position just above the lug bolts and rides atop the shiny brake disc. Using an adjustable wrench, remove the two hex bolts on the back of the caliper and pull it forward. If the caliper won’t come off, give it a few taps with the hammer. With the caliper off, unclip the old brake pads and clip the new pads in their place. On the inside of the caliper, you’ll see a round piston that has adjusted to the wear level of your old breaks. Place the end of the c-clamp with the screw on it against the piston with the other end of the clamp at the back of the caliper assembly. Tighten the clamp until the piston is compressed enough for the caliper assembly to fit over the new brake pads.
After replacing the caliper bolts, put your wheel back on and tighten the lug nuts. Then jack up your car and remove the jack stand. After you’ve applied this process to the other side of your car, you’ve officially changed your brakes and saved money in the process.
Auto repairs can be extremely costly, and a good way to minimize the cost of auto repairs is to do the repairs on your own. Some repairs require trained expertise, but other repairs, such as changing old break pads, are easy to learn and require few tools. Shopping for refurbished tools and reconditioned tools is way to save even more money while changing your own brakes. Visit toolsnow.com
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