Always a pleasure to watch Dr O operate. Even when it’s a seemingly simple procedure, there’s always some words of advice from his years of experience. Thanks Eric!
Well performed brake job! I would recommend you buying a pneumatic piston winder tool, i use mine everyday and i love it! makes the task easy! It also works on all parking brake systems, since it doesnt require a certain thread pitch on your tool to rewind the piston.
SATAMAN Schmidt Yes that is correct, might not be much time saved on each job but if you add them up, the tool will pay for itself pretty fast. I bought my tool 5-6 yrs ago on ebay and it has been used pretty much everyday since then, almost all european and asian cars sold on the european market have this p brake system nowdays. On some Fords and Toyotas you have to rewind the piston anti clockwise and that wont work with the threaded tool.
Brake video and coffee after letting the dogs out is a great start to the day, thank you! We are getting some snow so more salt and rust coming our way in central NY.
Based on your earlier video where you used the 3M disk around the stud. I purchased them and have used them on 4 brake jobs and they work fantastically.
It was a job you done on a Hyundai that made me tackle my own brakes on my Kia, you've gave me so much confidence around car mechanicals I've now down brakes on my BMW incl upgrading the fronts to M5 calipers, glow plug changes etc, thank you so much.
As I have mentioned before. Always picking up something from your vid's. I switched to the Perm. Extreme grease and have had amazing results. I to am in the rust and salt belt. (CT.) and used to use some graphite stuff that the shop got from our parts house. I noticed after a few thousand miles that the graphite stuff was heating up and dissipating to the point that it was gone and was starting to see pads sticking after a few thousand miles. After the switch I don't have this issue anymore. Just did a service on a car I did front brakes on last year (over 10K) and under the dirt and salt the purple stuff looked like I just did them. Thanks again for the tip brother..
Another great brake job. That brake caliper tool I welded a 3/8” nut on the shaft and then you can use a ratchet to turn in the Caliper piston. Thanks again for your great videos.
Eric o , good to see a good brake job, just for us people that do not do it every day . It good to see some common jobs that we do not do everyday it's good to see . Thank you
I bought one of those 3m kits to clean face of the hubs...works great,and last forever..I use the fluid film as well( Michigan rust)..thanks Eric o...always enjoy your videos,and live chats. Peace in2018
This brake job looked like a carbon copy of how I do them also. Right down to the coated rotors and your pads looked like the lifetimes I use from NAPA, except I've only done a hundred or so, not thousands like yourself. I'm now the proud owner of an Earthquake 20v half inch impact. Can't wait to "give' er the beans!". lol. Great video as always Eric.
Hi Eric, you are a skilled technician and true American. After watching your videos for a while, I have gained back some hope in the American worker. I have watched brake jobs at dealers and they do not do as a professional job as you do. Did you Mother and Father instill your ethics in you? Thank You Bill N
Yes I grew up in my parents shop (from 1 years old) My dad was and still is a hard worker even after battling with stage 4 cancer. No job is worth doing unless you are going to do it right!
Love brake pads & rotors job. I've noticed you don't lube the wheel bolts with copper anti-cease or open the brake fluid reservoir before you compress the caliper back in. Great job, man!
I always keep a 22mm spanner with the kit, comes in handy a lot of times to tighten the tool and also to stack it with the handle and have more leverage
G'day, Mr. O! Thumps up! Giving them a 'Little Toot' of, Fluid Film!! But, when looking at the subject of brakes, they are one of the most used parts on a vehicle. Thank you so kindly for showing how to replace the rear pads and rotors for a 2012 Mazda 6!! Great job! Cheers! :-)🌷🚘😊
Hey Eric, Under "TOOLS USED IN THIS VIDEO" you forgot to put a link for the "Metric Crescent Wrench". All of mine are SAE. I was shocked at how easy your metric crescent wrench loosened that nut. I want one! Good Stuff! LOL
Wow, all this time I’ve been doing brakes, I had no idea about those alinement pins. I always wondered why they were there and thought it was for manufacturing purposes or something like that, thanks man, I thought I knew it all, talk about eating humble pie!
Great video! Wish I watched it yesterday before investigating my rear brakes for outer pad wear. Slides pins were good, but I didn't think about the retainer clips. I had to put a lot of force to get those rear pads back in.
Good to see you working on more euro stuff. One thing i will say is when winding back that caliper i usualy just wind it back enough to fit over the pads... If you wind it back all the way pumping the brake dosent always set the adjuster and your find you have excesive handbrake travel or no handbrake at all.
(shauns) -- Why are you not ratcheting the Parking Brake out by hand at the caliper, to the new pads, before stepping on the brake,then you will have less or no adjustment needed to the Parking Brake
I am shopping around for a decent older 4x4 pickup. I want it to be easily maintainable by myself. Not a huge project just something I can work on if things go wrong. I have some experience with engines and transmissions. I was wondering in all your jobs over the years what truck do you find the easiest to maintain for the simple mechanic? It will most likely be used as a work truck. I own 3 cars now and just think it is time. I have been looking anywhere from 1990 until 2010. Love the channel.
I agree with MPH. I feel the 07 Chevy 1500 CLASSIC was a perfect truck. GM had it pretty nailed down and it was easy to work on. Then in the 07 New body style they messed it all up again :( Or a 98 1500 Old Body style with the 5.7 was really solid too and easy to work on. If I had to buy one personally I would go south and finds an 07 classic (this is coming form a guy who really does not like GM too)
One day my service manager, who had not been on the tools for year, brought his daughters car in for a set of pad, so up on the ramp, wheels off, having a bit of trouble getting the old, remember; the old square pads with pins, you needed vise grips and a hammer to get them out, and also some help from the other mechanics standing round laughing at him, well he got a bit flustered, and put the pads in the wrong way round, my god that man never lived it down, what a plonker lol, cheers Eric, that video brought back some funny memories
Thank you Eric very much . Your videos been very helpful in doing my brakes on my 2012 Chevy Malibu. This video helped the recent brake kit just like yours. I recent brought. Showing how the tool works on turning back the piston on the caliper. I learned more about the pins in the brackets from you.
I like that 3M for going over the lugs to clean the hub to make it clean for the rotor. Normally I don't see that much rust in Southern Ca, but with aluminum wheels, you have to be careful. Any buildup on the hub surface can push against the rotor and you now have brake pedal pulsation! Yuck! Thanks for the link and Great Video!
There seem to be two groups of professionals who give advice on brake work. One group says that you need to open the bleeder screw every time when you squeeze the pistons back to accommodate the thicker new pads. Their theory is that if you don't, there is retrograde flow of dirty brake fluid that could cause damage at a seal in the MC or ABS. I've never seen that happen, but I do not have thousands of brake jobs under my belt. The other group don't open the bleeder screw every time because it risks the chance of breaking a bleeder screw and causing more problems, some of which may be tricky to deal with in a home garage or expensive in a pro shop. I have broken bleeder screws, they commonly seize around here, so I don't normally do it on every brake job. I have a feeling that most mechanics who work in the field are in the latter camp. In the interest of fair discussion, Eric, have you ever damaged an ABS or MC seal when you squeezed pads back without cracking bleeder screws open? Also, I noticed that you didn't take the cap off the MC before squeezing the pads back. Isn't there a small passageway for air to equalize pressure and escape the top of the MC, even with cap on?
Great questions and as you know HIGHLY debatable. Text book say ALWAYS open the bleeder. Experience says if you live in the rust belt NEVER open the bleeder, so to answer you question, I do on average over 300 brake jobs a year and have been doing this for 18 years and have never created a problem by retracting pistons with out opening a bleeder. As far as pushing fluid back to the master cylinder with out removing the cap, yes they will vent out the air (or fluid if it is to full) I do tend to do some stuff off camera such as checking the fluid level before beginning and removing fluid if it looks to full to prevent spillage. I should show the entire process sometime as folks like your self are interested in the entire process. Great question BTW!
That's what I thought, and looking at the breadth of your experience, it is very impressive evidence. Thanks for the response! I hope I don't trigger a flame war from zealots on both sides, that was not my intent.
I’ve seen it damage a master one time. Not me myself though. Also being flat rate it takes more time. But in Minnesota also I can rarely get bleeders out. So that’s another reason i choose not to.
As both a NYer and a salt water boat mechanic, I have learned to respect corrosion and to also do quality repairs/maintenance even when you know rust may be an issue. I do not touch the bleeders unless I have to, but I do believe in scheduled maintenance prior to waiting for a brake failure or rotor damage. The combination of experience and intentional service will save you money and major issues in the long run.
I live in the extreme end of the rust belt. On my last car, the line leading to the flex hose broke due to rust, necessitating bleeding the brake after repair. Upon attempting to loosen the bleeder screw on the slave cylinder, the slave cylinder broke in half due to corrosion. After replacing the slave cylinder, I pumped up the brakes and another line blew. I therefore called the wrecker to come and take it to the crusher. TLDR: while pushing brake fluid back into the ABS module and master cylinder could conceivably ruin your ABS module or slave cylinder, loosening the bleeder screw can ruin your car.
Thanks for the video, quick question, does pushing the caliper piston back with opening the bleeder screen damage the ABS sensor? I watched a different video saying to make sure to open the bleeder screw to avoid damaging the ABS sensor.
Once when walking my dog I found a new bake pad off something big, it had some deep scratches on it. I've always wondered what the story was, it's pretty hard to mess up a brake job bad enough to lose a brake pad.
I've seen that before also, few times it was worn thin pad debonded and flew out. the kicker? a bare backing plate that was ground thin and spit out, it was easy to find that car, no more than 500' away wrecked into a pole :)
Thanks for the advertising...must've been before the pocket t-shirts arrived. Great job as usual you could do in your sleep. I'm in NY right now brother-in-law was in bad shape but doing better now. Fly back home tomorrow to get away from this -15 temp and this white stuff. Got to fix my sisters car to get it thru inspection...vent valve, wipers, and as a bonus fixed her airbag light...fun stuff in the cold...Atlanta here I come HAHA
Do those pistons turn as they extend over their life? I ask because you made the point about lining up the notch in the pads with the piston, but that wouldn't stay aligned as the piston rotated outward over time...
Is there a problem caused by forcing brake fluid back through the ABS unit. At least one video on this job suggested that the ABS module could be damaged by driving fluid backward.
My brother's wife's 2008 Fusion was the first car I saw that used the "Screw in" style rear brake, I ultimately ended up using a pair of needle nose pliers to wind it back in. That tool though looks much easier, I'll have to pick one up.
I am re-watching this video and a thought came to my mind. Can you use Muscle Grease instead of the Permatex Purple lube??? where the brake hardware and the piston itself???
The older Honda accords and also the Kia's have them as part of the rear parking brake. I have a small cube that has various combinations of pins or bars almost like a dice, It fits on a square 3/8 ratchet or extension and costs like 10 bucks. Perfect tool for any DIYer. All parts stores have them
I have a few Toyotas and they have a black rubber grommet on the internal part of one of the slides. (it was shown in this video as well). Regular brake grease may make the rubber swell and the pin will stick solid. I use a product called "Silglide" to grease those pins as this is not supposed to effect the rubber.
I've used Silglide for years but in the last few years I've been using the same purple ceramic lube as Eric is using. Was told it's better and has a higher heat tolerances. Cost is twice that of Silglide. Never had a problem with either lube though.
Mike Burton It's probably a luxury for me that Sil-Glyde is an option since I live in a relatively dry and warm climate. I would imagine a more substantial lube is more desirable in a wet, cold climate?
The purple grease is fully compatible with rubber. It is a full synthetic lube designed for brakes. I have used both and don't see a big difference between them as far as lubrication goes, but I have seen the ceramic lube stop squealing and chatter when it was used on a vehicle that I had used Silglide on before.
thanks for the responses from such a knowlegable group. Obviously, Eric O is a master and i would trust him all the way with any of my kids cars. just posted on the Silgide for others to know that if they have that rubber grommet, use pin grease compatible with rubber. The older cars did not have internal pin grommets. I learned the hard way when I could not reinsert the pins due to swollen pin grommets.
Awesome video. A huge help for those changing brakes on any kind of car or vehicle. It's been a while since I turned a wrench - amazing to see some of the handy new accessories that turn a good job into a great one. Thanks for sharing!
How do you deal with electronic parking brakes? My 2008 Citroen has one and the rear hand brake on one side was flagged up as an advisory on the recent MoT test (UK annual roadworthiness test similar to the annual inspections you have over there in certain states). I suspect that the pads and discs (that's what we call the rotors) may need replacement and being on 136,000 miles, they could be the original ones it left the factory with. I'll be bringing along my camera when I get chance to take a look at them.
parknest If your electronic parking brake are like the ones vw passats have then you have to have a scan tool to wind the motors in, there are various hack jobs you can use to wind them back if you do not have the scan tool but i would not recommend, The passat ones are notorious for the motors to crack and let water in then stop working, also the switches on them go faulty.
I should be able to find out on the Citroen forums and a few YT vids. I know you won't be familiar with PSA Group (Citroen/Peugeot) vehicles as they're not sold Stateside. I just wanted to know what your experience was in general with them. Thanks for the reply Eric.
What is that rubber piece on the end of the caliper pin (12:47) for? I had a 2002 Accord with that. Somehow it came off the caliper pin, inside the caliper bracket, and jammed the pin in place. I had one hell of a time getting that pin out. Once it was out and I saw what had happened, I just left it out and never noticed any difference without it. I'm just curious about knowing what it was.
It would be great if you ever get a chance to show how to do a Mazda with electronic parking brake. Apparently there is a way to put the parking brake motor into a service mode and the piston pushes in like in a normal caliber. If it has EPB they can be damaged if the piston is rotated. I think 2016 CX5's and later are set up this way. Would love to see you do one....
If the caliber pistons are threaded in and need to be wound back into position when servicing them, and there are raised points in the disks to align in the caliber piston face, how do they take up the wear distance threading back out again? Seems the caliber pistons would become set to the disk and then couldn't move anymore. IDK
Back in the when brake cleaner was at toxic levels A guy in shop brake cleaned the top of an engine off then he started to drill out a broken rocker arm stud , the drill bit made a spark and BOOOM ,the front timing cover swelled so bad we had to replace it for free Ah yes the good ole days
memopat1 i once had a mechanic in my shop who cleaned the exhaust manifold after an oil leak with brakecleaner while the engine was running. Almost burned down the complete engine wiring.🤣
how do you know if you screwed in the piston far enough mine kept turning but seemed like it only went in to a certain point which when I put back on over the new pads seems far enough ?
Very nice! Metric Crescent wrench... Darn it, mine are all SAE American...... another tool you Pro guys have that I don't.... ;) I have a rear brake tool, I don't know if they make it anymore, or if people still use it, but it's a cube... So each side of the cube, has the different pin pattern or what have you, so you pick the proper "side" of the cube, and then crank it in. I know you love Cadillacs... When I had my Eldorados, that was a very handy tool for rear brakes...
Another great video, as always. Can anyone tell me the purpose of the rubber O-ring 'thingy' that is on one of the slider pins on each side? (not the dust boot)..Thanks
So this should be the same thing for a Ford Escape? I already bought the caliper tool and grinder kit form your link. Easy Peazy, Pudding and Pie. I am all set for that brake job this summer. Thanks Eric. John
Do you do any sort of conditioning on the new brakes? Like drive along and do some deliberate moderate breaking a few times? Does it make a difference?
I'm not so sure about that whole shiny rust thing--iron oxide is always red, isn't it? 🤔 Plus I always see people restoring old rusty tools by using wire wheels to strip the rust off, no?
Great video Eric o, on the caliper guide pins why does one pin always have a rubber boot and the other is just a plain metal pin? have you ever come across that rubber boot on the pin swollen and seize the pin in the bracket?
Seen many mazda rear calipers have problems, I haven’t find what’s going on with them but hear other mechanics says caliper not retraction or parking brake not releasing or something like that.
I love your videos I'm a new subscriber. Keep up the great work you are certainly appreciated! I also watch Eric the Car Guy and scannerdanner which I'm sure you have heard of. I have been wrenching since I was 15 and I'm now the ripe old age of 47 LOL I still learn new tricks everyday from you guys keep up the great work!
Perfect timing! Just bought an f150...brakes don't bite....can't even get ABS to activate with both feet. Pedal isn't soft. Booster has 18" of vacuum coming in and isn't audibly leaking. Quick visual of wheel off pads have some meat on them still. It brakes straight just not well. Any suggestions on what to check?
South Main Auto Repair cool Mr.O thanks for the reply. Pulled everything apart today. Pins all slide easily, pads popped right out with just my hand not stuck. Rotors are all smooth and even no grooves. Since none of the wheels seem to stop better than any others seems more of a system problem. Is it possible the master cylinder is causing this, or could the booster be weak even though it's not leaking vacuum?
Hi Eric O, Another great video. I don't know how you can work on cars with that much snow and salt on them everyday. Do find when a car returns for its next service the items you worked on last time are still ok and not rusty. Is there a car underbody wash you can go to get rid of the salt?. Thanks again Mate. Cheers from Queensland Australia Mark.
The problem with washing the salt off is that it simply drives it into the body seams. Then there is the issue of below zero temperatures. About the only way to keep a vehicle rust free in NY is to buy it new, wash it and wax it, then seal it in a climate controlled room... Or do like I'm doing this spring with the wifes new toy. Pull off all the panels and trim, wash everything with steam and hot water then treat it all to a bath of heated krown or fluid film. Then cavity wax to seal it all. Even then I suspect it will only go 10 years or so before it has rot.
I've never seen or performed such a comprehensive cleaning of every component prior to installation. This is the standard that everyone should follow!
Always a pleasure to watch Dr O operate. Even when it’s a seemingly simple procedure, there’s always some words of advice from his years of experience. Thanks Eric!
Well performed brake job! I would recommend you buying a pneumatic piston winder tool, i use mine everyday and i love it! makes the task easy! It also works on all parking brake systems, since it doesnt require a certain thread pitch on your tool to rewind the piston.
TOPTUL has just introduced this tool to their line. I wondered why anybody would need one. But according to your comment they must be time savers.
SATAMAN Schmidt Yes that is correct, might not be much time saved on each job but if you add them up, the tool will pay for itself pretty fast. I bought my tool 5-6 yrs ago on ebay and it has been used pretty much everyday since then, almost all european and asian cars sold on the european market have this p brake system nowdays. On some Fords and Toyotas you have to rewind the piston anti clockwise and that wont work with the threaded tool.
Brake video and coffee after letting the dogs out is a great start to the day, thank you! We are getting some snow so more salt and rust coming our way in central NY.
Yeah we got 12" last night :(
Based on your earlier video where you used the 3M disk around the stud. I purchased them and have used them on 4 brake jobs and they work fantastically.
It was a job you done on a Hyundai that made me tackle my own brakes on my Kia, you've gave me so much confidence around car mechanicals I've now down brakes on my BMW incl upgrading the fronts to M5 calipers, glow plug changes etc, thank you so much.
good video, as always. Now...about Mrs. O's timing belt...
shhh, you know he secretly wants to buy her a new vehicle :))
honestly, the content of SMA is getting really good.
Even though I know how to do brake jobs it's interesting to watch other people do it. Love the channel.
Thanks Eric.Those metric crescent wrenches are hard to find here in Canada!!! Enjoy your vids.
As I have mentioned before. Always picking up something from your vid's. I switched to the Perm. Extreme grease and have had amazing results. I to am in the rust and salt belt. (CT.) and used to use some graphite stuff that the shop got from our parts house. I noticed after a few thousand miles that the graphite stuff was heating up and dissipating to the point that it was gone and was starting to see pads sticking after a few thousand miles. After the switch I don't have this issue anymore. Just did a service on a car I did front brakes on last year (over 10K) and under the dirt and salt the purple stuff looked like I just did them. Thanks again for the tip brother..
That has been my experience too! Honestly I have done 1000's of brake jobs and never had an issue with it like some people state they have.
That brake job was just different enough (with the screw in piston) to make the video worth while. Thanks.
Another great brake job. That brake caliper tool I welded a 3/8” nut on the shaft and then you can use a ratchet to turn in the Caliper piston. Thanks again for your great videos.
Eric o , good to see a good brake job, just for us people that do not do it every day . It good to see some common jobs that we do not do everyday it's good to see .
Thank you
I bought one of those 3m kits to clean face of the hubs...works great,and last forever..I use the fluid film as well( Michigan rust)..thanks Eric o...always enjoy your videos,and live chats. Peace in2018
This brake job looked like a carbon copy of how I do them also. Right down to the coated rotors and your pads looked like the lifetimes I use from NAPA, except I've only done a hundred or so, not thousands like yourself. I'm now the proud owner of an Earthquake 20v half inch impact. Can't wait to "give' er the beans!". lol. Great video as always Eric.
Hi Eric, you are a skilled technician and true American. After watching your videos for a while, I have gained back some hope in the American worker. I have watched brake jobs at dealers and they do not do as a professional job as you do. Did you Mother and Father instill your ethics in you? Thank You Bill N
Yes I grew up in my parents shop (from 1 years old) My dad was and still is a hard worker even after battling with stage 4 cancer. No job is worth doing unless you are going to do it right!
To see other mechanics do simple jobs that we do every day is somehow much more satisfying.😉.
Great video!
Love these early morning videos
Love brake pads & rotors job. I've noticed you don't lube the wheel bolts with copper anti-cease or open the brake fluid reservoir before you compress the caliper back in. Great job, man!
I always keep a 22mm spanner with the kit, comes in handy a lot of times to tighten the tool and also to stack it with the handle and have more leverage
Brake clean. YES ! It has been awhile since we have had a vid with the brake clean, Thanks.
G'day, Mr. O! Thumps up! Giving them a 'Little Toot' of, Fluid Film!! But, when looking at the subject of brakes, they are one of the most used parts on a vehicle. Thank you so kindly for showing how to replace the rear pads and rotors for a 2012 Mazda 6!! Great job! Cheers! :-)🌷🚘😊
Hey Eric, Under "TOOLS USED IN THIS VIDEO" you forgot to put a link for the "Metric Crescent Wrench". All of mine are SAE. I was shocked at how easy your metric crescent wrench loosened that nut. I want one! Good Stuff! LOL
Wow, all this time I’ve been doing brakes, I had no idea about those alinement pins. I always wondered why they were there and thought it was for manufacturing purposes or something like that, thanks man, I thought I knew it all, talk about eating humble pie!
D'OH!!! in a Homer Simpson voice
Brake/Suspension job videos are the best.
Great video! Wish I watched it yesterday before investigating my rear brakes for outer pad wear. Slides pins were good, but I didn't think about the retainer clips. I had to put a lot of force to get those rear pads back in.
Good to see you working on more euro stuff.
One thing i will say is when winding back that caliper i usualy just wind it back enough to fit over the pads... If you wind it back all the way pumping the brake dosent always set the adjuster and your find you have excesive handbrake travel or no handbrake at all.
(shauns) -- Why are you not ratcheting the Parking Brake out by hand
at the caliper, to the new pads, before stepping on the brake,then you
will have less or no adjustment needed to the Parking Brake
At least we got some brake clean on that one thanks. I was having withdrawals
Wish you were closer to me I would let you all my auto maintenance and repairs. Good job mr O
Yupi!!! My Mazda 6 !I can't wait for others repairs from Mazda 6!
always love a good break job video on a saturday morning. Thanks!
I am shopping around for a decent older 4x4 pickup. I want it to be easily maintainable by myself. Not a huge project just something I can work on if things go wrong. I have some experience with engines and transmissions. I was wondering in all your jobs over the years what truck do you find the easiest to maintain for the simple mechanic? It will most likely be used as a work truck. I own 3 cars now and just think it is time. I have been looking anywhere from 1990 until 2010. Love the channel.
2003-2006 Gm pickup. Find one from the south that is rust free.
I agree with MPH. I feel the 07 Chevy 1500 CLASSIC was a perfect truck. GM had it pretty nailed down and it was easy to work on. Then in the 07 New body style they messed it all up again :( Or a 98 1500 Old Body style with the 5.7 was really solid too and easy to work on. If I had to buy one personally I would go south and finds an 07 classic (this is coming form a guy who really does not like GM too)
So much easier at eye level than kneeling on the cement in your garage or driveway.
Thanks for the tips.
One day my service manager, who had not been on the tools for year, brought his daughters car in for a set of pad, so up on the ramp, wheels off, having a bit of trouble getting the old, remember; the old square pads with pins, you needed vise grips and a hammer to get them out, and also some help from the other mechanics standing round laughing at him, well he got a bit flustered, and put the pads in the wrong way round, my god that man never lived it down, what a plonker lol, cheers Eric, that video brought back some funny memories
Thank you Eric very much . Your videos been very helpful in doing my brakes on my 2012 Chevy Malibu. This video helped the recent brake kit just like yours. I recent brought. Showing how the tool works on turning back the piston on the caliper. I learned more about the pins in the brackets from you.
I like that 3M for going over the lugs to clean the hub to make it clean for the rotor. Normally I don't see that much rust in Southern Ca, but with aluminum wheels, you have to be careful. Any buildup on the hub surface can push against the rotor and you now have brake pedal pulsation! Yuck! Thanks for the link and Great Video!
Finally got a mazda to work on. The backs are easy. Another good video.
There seem to be two groups of professionals who give advice on brake work. One group says that you need to open the bleeder screw every time when you squeeze the pistons back to accommodate the thicker new pads. Their theory is that if you don't, there is retrograde flow of dirty brake fluid that could cause damage at a seal in the MC or ABS. I've never seen that happen, but I do not have thousands of brake jobs under my belt. The other group don't open the bleeder screw every time because it risks the chance of breaking a bleeder screw and causing more problems, some of which may be tricky to deal with in a home garage or expensive in a pro shop. I have broken bleeder screws, they commonly seize around here, so I don't normally do it on every brake job. I have a feeling that most mechanics who work in the field are in the latter camp. In the interest of fair discussion, Eric, have you ever damaged an ABS or MC seal when you squeezed pads back without cracking bleeder screws open? Also, I noticed that you didn't take the cap off the MC before squeezing the pads back. Isn't there a small passageway for air to equalize pressure and escape the top of the MC, even with cap on?
Great questions and as you know HIGHLY debatable. Text book say ALWAYS open the bleeder. Experience says if you live in the rust belt NEVER open the bleeder, so to answer you question, I do on average over 300 brake jobs a year and have been doing this for 18 years and have never created a problem by retracting pistons with out opening a bleeder. As far as pushing fluid back to the master cylinder with out removing the cap, yes they will vent out the air (or fluid if it is to full) I do tend to do some stuff off camera such as checking the fluid level before beginning and removing fluid if it looks to full to prevent spillage. I should show the entire process sometime as folks like your self are interested in the entire process. Great question BTW!
That's what I thought, and looking at the breadth of your experience, it is very impressive evidence. Thanks for the response! I hope I don't trigger a flame war from zealots on both sides, that was not my intent.
I’ve seen it damage a master one time. Not me myself though. Also being flat rate it takes more time. But in Minnesota also I can rarely get bleeders out. So that’s another reason i choose not to.
As both a NYer and a salt water boat mechanic, I have learned to respect corrosion and to also do quality repairs/maintenance even when you know rust may be an issue. I do not touch the bleeders unless I have to, but I do believe in scheduled maintenance prior to waiting for a brake failure or rotor damage. The combination of experience and intentional service will save you money and major issues in the long run.
I live in the extreme end of the rust belt. On my last car, the line leading to the flex hose broke due to rust, necessitating bleeding the brake after repair. Upon attempting to loosen the bleeder screw on the slave cylinder, the slave cylinder broke in half due to corrosion. After replacing the slave cylinder, I pumped up the brakes and another line blew. I therefore called the wrecker to come and take it to the crusher.
TLDR: while pushing brake fluid back into the ABS module and master cylinder could conceivably ruin your ABS module or slave cylinder, loosening the bleeder screw can ruin your car.
I need one of those "metric crescent wrenches", mine is imperial so never fits exactly.
Very important to have both in the shop!
Is it a thumb detecting nutfucker? You have to get the right brand you know. Accept no substitutes.
Only when I use the hammer mode.
"If I could do it, you could do it." Words from a wise man.... Amazing video!!!
Thanks for the video, quick question, does pushing the caliper piston back with opening the bleeder screen damage the ABS sensor?
I watched a different video saying to make sure to open the bleeder screw to avoid damaging the ABS sensor.
ppl ask what is the most greatest invention in the history the automobile service industry:
The answer is : Brake cleaner
Good video eric!!
Great vid of a quality rear brake job Eric! Love that purple ceramic grease, been using it for years on my brake jobs.
Once when walking my dog I found a new bake pad off something big, it had some deep scratches on it. I've always wondered what the story was, it's pretty hard to mess up a brake job bad enough to lose a brake pad.
I love finding stuff like that along the road, always makes me wonder too!
I've seen that before also, few times it was worn thin pad debonded and flew out. the kicker? a bare backing plate that was ground thin and spit out, it was easy to find that car, no more than 500' away wrecked into a pole :)
You live just west of Cleveland?? I think I found their other pad!!
Thanks for the advertising...must've been before the pocket t-shirts arrived. Great job as usual you could do in your sleep. I'm in NY right now brother-in-law was in bad shape but doing better now. Fly back home tomorrow to get away from this -15 temp and this white stuff. Got to fix my sisters car to get it thru inspection...vent valve, wipers, and as a bonus fixed her airbag light...fun stuff in the cold...Atlanta here I come HAHA
Hey Eric, any chance you can do a break job that involves an electronic parking break?.
You don't show releasing the bleeder valve, is it safe not to on mazda 6?
Do those pistons turn as they extend over their life? I ask because you made the point about lining up the notch in the pads with the piston, but that wouldn't stay aligned as the piston rotated outward over time...
Saludos y gracias por compartir sus vídeos desde México bendiciones Master
Good vid but please may I ask why didnt you bleed the brake fluid at all so you can wind back the piston?
Nice job as always I'm always learning little tips thanks
Wait... caliper bracket AND caliper bolts the same size? What a concept.
I know right!
Is there a problem caused by forcing brake fluid back through the ABS unit. At least one video on this job suggested that the ABS module could be damaged by driving fluid backward.
My brother's wife's 2008 Fusion was the first car I saw that used the "Screw in" style rear brake, I ultimately ended up using a pair of needle nose pliers to wind it back in. That tool though looks much easier, I'll have to pick one up.
What are the factory torque specs thats the only thing i need and cant find anywhere
Wow thanks for showing that tool. I’ll have to get myself one of those 3m brushes.
Link is in the description box if you are looking!
Can the emergency brake adjustment stop the piston from returning all the way? I can’t get it in far enough to allow it to slide over the pads.
That push back tool seems like so much work and fiddling. The Lisle brake cube is so much faster and easier.
Good video eric o. I've used that lube for a while. Never had any problems with it good stuff
I am re-watching this video and a thought came to my mind. Can you use Muscle Grease instead of the Permatex Purple lube??? where the brake hardware and the piston itself???
Great video, did yours not have the 2 Phillips screws in the caliper?
Never ran into them twist in piston before. Great video good tips thanks Eric.
I have on an early 90s GM car. It wasn't bad but you do need the correct tool.
I'm diy only, so very limited sampling of cars for me.
The older Honda accords and also the Kia's have them as part of the rear parking brake. I have a small cube that has various combinations of pins or bars almost like a dice, It fits on a square 3/8 ratchet or extension and costs like 10 bucks. Perfect tool for any DIYer. All parts stores have them
I have a few Toyotas and they have a black rubber grommet on the internal part of one of the slides. (it was shown in this video as well). Regular brake grease may make the rubber swell and the pin will stick solid. I use a product called "Silglide" to grease those pins as this is not supposed to effect the rubber.
Mike B That's what I use, too.
I've used Silglide for years but in the last few years I've been using the same purple ceramic lube as Eric is using. Was told it's better and has a higher heat tolerances. Cost is twice that of Silglide. Never had a problem with either lube though.
Mike Burton It's probably a luxury for me that Sil-Glyde is an option since I live in a relatively dry and warm climate. I would imagine a more substantial lube is more desirable in a wet, cold climate?
The purple grease is fully compatible with rubber. It is a full synthetic lube designed for brakes. I have used both and don't see a big difference between them as far as lubrication goes, but I have seen the ceramic lube stop squealing and chatter when it was used on a vehicle that I had used Silglide on before.
thanks for the responses from such a knowlegable group. Obviously, Eric O is a master and i would trust him all the way with any of my kids cars. just posted on the Silgide for others to know that if they have that rubber grommet, use pin grease compatible with rubber. The older cars did not have internal pin grommets. I learned the hard way when I could not reinsert the pins due to swollen pin grommets.
Awesome video. A huge help for those changing brakes on any kind of car or vehicle. It's been a while since I turned a wrench - amazing to see some of the handy new accessories that turn a good job into a great one. Thanks for sharing!
Mate a lot of useful bits of info here, tricks of the trade I'd say, thanks.
How do you deal with electronic parking brakes? My 2008 Citroen has one and the rear hand brake on one side was flagged up as an advisory on the recent MoT test (UK annual roadworthiness test similar to the annual inspections you have over there in certain states). I suspect that the pads and discs (that's what we call the rotors) may need replacement and being on 136,000 miles, they could be the original ones it left the factory with. I'll be bringing along my camera when I get chance to take a look at them.
Some electric e brakes need to be "released" or "retracted" with a scan tool prior to replacing the pads. Depends on the style parking brake though.
parknest If your electronic parking brake are like the ones vw passats have then you have to have a scan tool to wind the motors in, there are various hack jobs you can use to wind them back if you do not have the scan tool but i would not recommend, The passat ones are notorious for the motors to crack and let water in then stop working, also the switches on them go faulty.
I should be able to find out on the Citroen forums and a few YT vids. I know you won't be familiar with PSA Group (Citroen/Peugeot) vehicles as they're not sold Stateside. I just wanted to know what your experience was in general with them. Thanks for the reply Eric.
Great way to start the day. Always enjoy a good brake job :)
What is that rubber piece on the end of the caliper pin (12:47) for? I had a 2002 Accord with that. Somehow it came off the caliper pin, inside the caliper bracket, and jammed the pin in place. I had one hell of a time getting that pin out. Once it was out and I saw what had happened, I just left it out and never noticed any difference without it. I'm just curious about knowing what it was.
It would be great if you ever get a chance to show how to do a Mazda with electronic parking brake. Apparently there is a way to put the parking brake motor into a service mode and the piston pushes in like in a normal caliber. If it has EPB they can be damaged if the piston is rotated. I think 2016 CX5's and later are set up this way.
Would love to see you do one....
If the caliber pistons are threaded in and need to be wound back into position when servicing them, and there are raised points in the disks to align in the caliber piston face, how do they take up the wear distance threading back out again? Seems the caliber pistons would become set to the disk and then couldn't move anymore. IDK
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing!
Great video once again and I learned something from it! Thanks Eric O.
Back in the when brake cleaner was at toxic levels
A guy in shop brake cleaned the top of an engine off then he started to drill out a broken rocker arm stud , the drill bit made a spark and BOOOM ,the front timing cover swelled so bad we had to replace it for free
Ah yes the good ole days
memopat1 i once had a mechanic in my shop who cleaned the exhaust manifold after an oil leak with brakecleaner while the engine was running.
Almost burned down the complete engine wiring.🤣
Do you have to put those little screws on the rotors back in
Did you hook yourself up to the air line? You went in to hyper drive when you pulled the trigger!! Excellent video yet again!
how do you know if you screwed in the piston far enough mine kept turning but seemed like it only went in to a certain point which when I put back on over the new pads seems far enough ?
Does it hurt the power tool when you arm torque it like that he man?
Just like watching myself LOL - exactly how I would do it - even have the same MAC ratchet - love it!! Great video!
Eric, do you have a method of breaking in the shoes during the test drive period?
I do actually, maybe I can cover that in the next brake video!
I only know what I was taught back in high school. I want to make sure it aligns with what you do?
why break them in, when you can send the customer off with spongy soft brakes and get a body repair job.... joking obviously :))
Great job....thank you for making these vids...helps me save money..
Very nice!
Metric Crescent wrench... Darn it, mine are all SAE American...... another tool you Pro guys have that I don't.... ;)
I have a rear brake tool, I don't know if they make it anymore, or if people still use it, but it's a cube... So each side of the cube, has the different pin pattern or what have you, so you pick the proper "side" of the cube, and then crank it in. I know you love Cadillacs... When I had my Eldorados, that was a very handy tool for rear brakes...
Yep that is a handy tool you are talking about! This one here amzn.to/2D9TTFV
Another great video, as always. Can anyone tell me the purpose of the rubber O-ring 'thingy' that is on one of the slider pins on each side? (not the dust boot)..Thanks
So this should be the same thing for a Ford Escape? I already bought the caliper tool and grinder kit form your link. Easy Peazy, Pudding and Pie. I am all set for that brake job this summer. Thanks Eric. John
What year Escape John?
Do you do any sort of conditioning on the new brakes? Like drive along and do some deliberate moderate breaking a few times? Does it make a difference?
eric o what would happen if you use a c clamp on the screw in pistons ?
I'm not so sure about that whole shiny rust thing--iron oxide is always red, isn't it? 🤔 Plus I always see people restoring old rusty tools by using wire wheels to strip the rust off, no?
Love that time lapse
Great video Eric o, on the caliper guide pins why does one pin always have a rubber boot and the other is just a plain metal pin? have you ever come across that rubber boot on the pin swollen and seize the pin in the bracket?
Seen many mazda rear calipers have problems, I haven’t find what’s going on with them but hear other mechanics says caliper not retraction or parking brake not releasing or something like that.
I live in australia, is it the salt that they put on the road that makes new york cars rusty???
How many cans/cases of the good stuff do you go through a week?
a few....
thanks have same type car,, no lube on pad edge to break shims? u left them dry
What is the “good stuff” you sprayed in the brake boot?
I love your videos I'm a new subscriber. Keep up the great work you are certainly appreciated! I also watch Eric the Car Guy and scannerdanner which I'm sure you have heard of. I have been wrenching since I was 15 and I'm now the ripe old age of 47 LOL I still learn new tricks everyday from you guys keep up the great work!
Also check out Schrodingers Box, Pine Hollow Auto Diag, New Level Auto, Briansmobile1 !
And if you deal with VW at all, check out Humble Mechanic.
Perfect timing! Just bought an f150...brakes don't bite....can't even get ABS to activate with both feet. Pedal isn't soft. Booster has 18" of vacuum coming in and isn't audibly leaking. Quick visual of wheel off pads have some meat on them still. It brakes straight just not well. Any suggestions on what to check?
Well lots of things can cause this actually. First thing I would be checking is to see if anything is seized. Pads in bracket, pins, etc...
South Main Auto Repair cool Mr.O thanks for the reply. Pulled everything apart today. Pins all slide easily, pads popped right out with just my hand not stuck. Rotors are all smooth and even no grooves. Since none of the wheels seem to stop better than any others seems more of a system problem. Is it possible the master cylinder is causing this, or could the booster be weak even though it's not leaking vacuum?
Do you know if the Hondas (Specifically 2013 Accord) require a special tool on the caliper also?
Great video Eric! Thanks for sharing! You're the greatest of all time!
What type of media do you use in your blast cabinet?
Black Magic
Love doing break jobs very relaxing
Hi Eric O, Another great video. I don't know how you can work on cars with that much snow and salt on them everyday. Do find when a car returns for its next service the items you worked on last time are still ok and not rusty. Is there a car underbody wash you can go to get rid of the salt?.
Thanks again Mate. Cheers from Queensland Australia Mark.
The problem with washing the salt off is that it simply drives it into the body seams. Then there is the issue of below zero temperatures. About the only way to keep a vehicle rust free in NY is to buy it new, wash it and wax it, then seal it in a climate controlled room... Or do like I'm doing this spring with the wifes new toy. Pull off all the panels and trim, wash everything with steam and hot water then treat it all to a bath of heated krown or fluid film. Then cavity wax to seal it all. Even then I suspect it will only go 10 years or so before it has rot.