Hi! I’d like to learn how to replace my brake pads. I’m signed off on the auto lift and I’ve watched a video on how to do it, but I’m not sure where all the tools are located in the automotive area and what tools would help make it more efficient. Would someone be able to teach me? I can pay for your time.
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Year make and model of your car/vehicle helps!
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2010 Honda CR V (5DR 4WD LX)
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Your CRV will be easy - even the rear pads are!
Are you only replacing the pads or are you also replacing the rotors (discs) as well?
In either case - be sure to check the boots on axles, rack, and misc suspension nearby for obvious wear. Prevention is the key.
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As long as you’re doing pads (and possibly rotors) spend an extra $10 and flush the brake fluid clean, too. Fluid death takes out master cylinders, caliper cylinders, lines and proportioning valves; but it’s so preventable. All you need is a catcher jar and a leg with endurance.
BTW, you won’t need a lift to do your brakes, just a floor jack and jack stands.
You can make or find the catcher bottle in Automotive.
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Good advice many of us don’t follow. Flushing should be done every other year at a minimum, but a good start is to simply open the bleeder whilst compressing the calipers; this will let the trash that’s accumulated at the endpoint and a fair amount of the old fluid out. Finishing the job up by pumping the pedal until the fluid flows clear is great. Either step will make use of the shown apparatus to contain the discharged fluid and allow visual confirmation of fluid homogeneity (no foam, no bubbles, no discoloration, etc.).
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Yep! Folks shouldn’t be daunted by this…it’s a very straight-forward, “recipe” process like changing one’s engine oil. While there are certainly many write-ups out there, here’s the link I booked marked way back when and put into the reminder that pops up for me once a year:
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Indeed. Flush/bleeding after putting in new pads will also ensure skipping the OH CRAP first press when backing out because you forgot to take up the slack before engaging reverse…
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Thank you all for your advice! Big thanks to @sixshot357 who taught me how to do the job from beginning to end! He is an incredible teacher who was also so patient throughout the whole thing. I learned so much about how my car works, how to problem solve around some automotive issues, how to use different tools, and many other things! Learning from him was so empowering! He gave me the knowledge and tools to overcome what I thought were my limitations. Now I’m excited about doing my next car maintenance task! Words cannot express how grateful I am! Thanks again, Sam!
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