How to: install new brake calipers/big brake kit

[Jbcustom420]

Tools required:
Hydraulic Jack (2 ton floor jack preferred)
Jack stand
Wheel stops
21mm lug nut wrench
Socket wrench with (8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm)
Flat head screwdriver
Collecting reservoir
Paper towels (lots of them for cleaning up the brake fluid)

Step 1:
Begin loosening up the lug nuts

Step 2:
Raise your car with the jack at a point along the frame, raise it high enough to allow a jack stand to rest underneath. See picture

Step 3:
Remove your wheel(s)

Step 4:
You'll probably need to get down on the ground, get your head into the wheel well and towards the rear of the car. Locate the parking brake line. There will be a clip holding the brake line in place. This can be removed just by applying some reasonable pressure and pushing it towards the center of the vehicle. Once the clip is removed the brake line will easily be removed. I've accentuated the area you need to locate in red. See the attached picture. Afterwards it will look like:

Step 5:
Remove the plastic cover on the top of the caliper. With a 12mm socket, begin undoing the bolt, and then slide the bolt out of the caliper. This will allow the brake pads to be accessed and the caliper to pivot on the floating pin. In this picture, the top arrow, is the bolt that will allow you to pivot the caliper.

 

[Jbcustom420]

How to: install new brake calipers/big brakes.

Step 6:
Push the caliper away from the discs. You only have two bolts to undo, both call for a 14mm socket. The bottom bolt is pictured in the previous post as the last picture. It can also be seen in this next thumbnail. The top bolt can be accessed from the top of the disc.

Step 7:
The caliper will only be suspended by the hydraulic brake line, hold the caliper in your hand while you take a 10mm socket to the nut holding in the brake line.

Step 8:
You'll have a lot of brake fluid starting to spill out, try and hold the line as vertical as possible and take a paper towel to the tip to prevent particles from getting into the brake fluid.

Step 9:
Grab your new caliper and as quickly as possible place the brake line nut and the vaccuum tube (I'm pretty sure thats what it is) on to the new caliper and drive it in with a new 10mm bolt and make sure to stagger the brake line piece with two new washers on either side. Unfortunately I dont have a picture of this piece, but you'll know what I'm talking about when you take it apart.

Step 10:
After tightening down the brake line bolt. Line up the caliper assembly and finger tighten the two 14mm bolts that anchor the assembly. You can tighten them down with a wrench later it just makes it easier.

Step 11:
Place the new pads and shoes into the new caliper. "Shut" the caliper and put in the 12mm pin. Make sure the rubber boot is seated correctly, otherwise the bolt will never go through.

Step 12:
Tighten the bolts down. Before putting the wheel back on, bleed your brakes a bit to get rid of the air pockets.

Step 13:
Put your wheel on. Lower your car. Take it for a spin and follow your brake manufacturer's recommendations on how to properly situate your new pads.
I take my car up to 20-30 mph a few times and give it a quick stop. Then take it up to 50 and bring it to a stop. Lastly I put the car into reverse go 15-20mph and give it a hard stop.