has anyone found a DIY for changing the pads? all i can find is DIY's for is the NON-brembos? thanks!

 

it is really easy. if you have the service manual on CD, it is in there. if not...i will try to explain it to you...

1. jack up car
2. remove tire
3. looking at top of caliper you will see two silver pins running across the top of the caliper from outside to inside
4. these pins are held in place with cotter pins, so use some needle nose pliers and pull the two cotter pins up and out
5. now slide the two silver pins out of the caliper (they can only slide in one direction). also, remove the spring plate below the pins.
6. the pads will now be just sitting there inside the caliper, so lift them up and out
7. putting the new pads in is just reverse of the process. remember to pull the backing shims off the old pads to be used with the new pads (if you want them, some people don't bother)
8. you may have to push the pistons back into the caliper slightly before putting the new pads in. a standard c-clamp works well for this. just watch your brake fluid level in the reservoir, and make sure it doesn't overflow.

hope this helps.

sean

 

how do you use a c clamp without scratching the gold paint?????

 

just stick a big screwdriver between the rotor and the piston and push it back in. Usually you have to go back and forth between the two.. ie. On each side of the caliper you have an upper and a lower. If you push the lower one in, the upper will come out. So push the lower one in halfway, then the upper halfway.. then the lower, then the upper, etc etc and eventually they'll be all the way back in. Then do the other side of the caliper. It's pretty easy.

 

thanks guys! will do.

 

Isn't there a tool that will allow you to compress the pistons properly?

 

another question,
where can you get new shims. the dealer doesn't have them, only for the non-brembo. do they come new with factory pads?

I want a spare set for my track pads.

 

where are the shims? are they on the back of each pad? do i need to reuse them? anyone got a pic of them???

 

they are the thin metal pieces that go between the pad and the piston.

 

i know some people are just leaving them off. you can always peel them off of the old pads and stick them on the new pads with a little pad quiet or the like.

sean

 

yeah, but I have 2 sets of pads I switch back and forth and it would be much quicker to swap them without having to peel them off, clean them and put more pad quiet on them. Will probably just leave them off the track pads, since they squeal a little anyway.

 

that is what i plan on doing. i know people have been going with the shims on their track pads with no problem, so i dont anticipate to have any

 

Where's the best place to buy both Brembo stock pads (not the dealer) and good track pads for the Brembo's online. I'll be replacing at least my front pads very soon. Anyone buy new shims or other hardware that should be replace when changing pads.

Thanks!

 

www.splparts.com has great prices and excellent service. Not stock pads, but they have hawk and ferodo. I use HPS for the street, (low dust, fairly quiet) and HP+ for the track, (loud, dusty but really clamp down)

As I am finding out, you can't buy new shims for the brembo's from the dealer, only thing they have is a complete hardware kit (which I have in my garage, awaiting time to return) for the non-brembo brakes. The dealership 'think' the shims might come with new track pads, but doesn't have any instock, and I don't want to pay $100 for extra shims anyway.

You can use the existing hardware over no problem though.

 

oh yeah, if you go with hawks, I had to slightly grind one corner of one of the hps pads to get it to fit into the caliper, and with the hp+ had to trim 1/8" off the edge of all 4 front pads to fit them.

 

Thanks for the link, I called them, very helpful. Didn't have them in stock so I order from TireRack, but will try them in the future. Same price, but had to pay for shipping. I also need to get my brake lines (SS) and fluid changed.

 

I actually just hammered in my front two HPS pads. Just tapped them till they went down.

 

where did you have to grind exactly???? pic would help! ill be doing this install any day now! (if the right pads ever get here?!)

 

DUDES NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These pistons have to come in at the SAME time! Two clamps, equal force... bring in together... the RIGHT way.

I nearly made the same mistake you are suggesting, but thrilled Doug jumped in and stopped me.

 

so how do i clamp it WITHOUT scratching the gold paint????