Replacing breaks and rotors, all round...

Veik

Member
Anything special I should plan for when replacing all rotors and pads?

Do I need the brake hardware kit or can the old one be reused?

Also, someone told me that parking brake might need replacement as well, is that true?
 
Why is my first question?

I can understand upgrading to new pads. But are your rotors warped? Are you moving to drilled/slotted? If your rotors are not warped then just get them turned and your fine. The brake hardware kit can be reused but you will need to do some other things. I don't know your level of mechanical knowledge so I will just cover everything.

You will need parts cleaner, and preferably a bottle of brake cleaner. If your going to reuse the hardware then you will also need a brass wire brush. As you replace each pad you will need to clean the clips back to like new. You will also need to regrease the floating caliper pins. So go ahead and get brake caliper grease too. You will need to inspect all the rubber components, bushings, and protectors to any tears or damage. Be very careful with these they keep brake dust out of caliper pins and keep them from seizing up.

To remove the brake rotors on some cars requires an impact wrench for taking off two screws. Also some rear break calipers need to be rotated as they are pushed back in and require special tools.

Once you have the caliper completely cleaned and greased and the brake clips/shims looking like new you will need to inspect the piston on the caliper. Look for any damage or tears. If it looks great then clean it very gently with a q-tip. Just enough to look decent not perfect. The brake clips do however need to be perfect. Then push the caliper down all the way on the fronts, I dont know about your car but some vehicles require special tools to do the rear brakes. None the less once you have the piston pushed all the way in to the caliper then install the new brake pads. Do the same for the rears but make sure you find out if you need tools to turn the piston as its depressed. If not you will press to no avail.

What needs to be replaced is really up to you doing your checks first. If the rotors are not damaged or warped unless your upgrading have them turned. If the parking brake shoes are not damaged or worn very much leave them alone.

It is good though to every 6 months or every year take your calipers apart and regrease them. This allows you to check for stuck pistons.

Also you will need to bleed the system. Its a great chance to bleed out old fluid and any air thats in the system. If your brakes aren't painted this is your chance with the system taken apart. You can use parts cleaner and about 1 can of brake cleaner per caliper to clean them really really well and paint them.

Make sure no brake fluid or brake cleaner touches the paint on the car!!!

Again I don't know your level of mechanical awareness so if some of this you know im sorry.
 
^what he said, except i have a few things to add.

*The rear brakes on the P5 are push in, MSP's have the screw in style.
*You dont need to bleed the brakes. There is no point, unless the systems been open, theres no reason to bleed it
 
Thanks for the details guys.

I ended up doing front rotors/pads (they were the originals rotors)
The most frustrating thing was to get the two bolts that hold the caliper assembly apart, without air tools its pretty damn hard.
But once they are off, rest is pretty easy.

One thing that takes some time is to get the anti-rattle hardware in place...
 
You cannot push the rear caliper piston in. It is moved in by removing a plug and turning a manual
adjustment screw.

Clifton
 
Lila....neither the map or the p5 are twist in.....there is an adjustment screw you loosen and then push in the piston
 
well for everyones information. My rear calipers i had to push the piston back and my front piston was a allen screw to retract it back.
 
Why would there be a need to position the front caliper piston with a screw? The screw is in the rear because it's used for the parking brakes. Maybe your car is different than mine and my factory shop manual.

From the 2002 Mazda Protege, Protege 5 workshop manual.

Disc pad (front) replacement: page 04-11-19. The removal and replacement table has 6 items to remove.
Item 5 Disc pad (See note 04-11-18 Disc Pad Installation Note.)
Note reads: 1. Push the piston fully inward using the SST 2. Install the disc pad.

Disc pad (Rear) Replacement: page 04-11-23.
Step 4 in the table. Disc pad (See 04-11-22 Disc Pad Installation note)
Note reads: 1. Turn the manual adjustment gear counterclockwise with an Allen
wrench to pull the brake caliper piston inward. (Turn until it stops.)
2. Install the disc pads.
3. Turn the manual adjustment gear clockwise until the brake pads just touch
the disc plate. Turn the manual adjustment gear back 1/3 turn.

I did my brake pad replacement last year and that is how it's done on
my 02, exactly as stated in the manual.

Clifton
 
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If anyone needs pads or rotors, I just replaced my ES set w/ and MSP set + SS brake lines. I've got front and rear Hawk HPS pads, blank rotors, calipers, stock rubber brake lines. Let me know!
 
Shootz,

Replaced rears w/ Stoptech Street Performance. Stopping is absolutely great, but dusting is certainly much worse than OEM.

Gotta do fronts yet.

How is stopping and dusting w/ the Hawks?
 
Stopping is great. Dusting, I didn't really pay attention... hard to know when it rains ALL the time here!
 

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