Front Brake Replacement

[jdubya]

hey all, so I just had my truck at the dealer and it looks like I will need front rotors and pads. Since I am not working at the moment and I consider myself a fairly handy person, I am contemplating on tackling this project myself to save some cash. I have replaced pads before, and have researched this site, youtube and others for the procedure on how to do this and it seems pretty straight forward.

 

My question is that some of the info I have found discusses bleeding off some of the brake fluid in order to open the pistons all the way in to get the caliper off of the rotor while some show that it can be done with out bleeding fluid off. I would prefer to not get involved with bleeding off the break lines if possible so to those that have tackled this project can you tell me if you had to do this or not?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Beer Belly]

In my experience, if the Brake Resivour has never been topped off, then you should be able to do the job without any worries of overflow....

[jdubya]

ok, so the reason the breaks were bled on the info I found was so that when you force open the piston the reservoir does not overflow?

[Carder09]

Like he said, if you didn't add fluid when the level droped down, then just remove the res cap, compress the pistons and swap the components you need to swap.

[Sly]

In my experience, if the Brake Resivour has never been topped off, then you should be able to do the job without any worries of overflow....

 

just get a turkey baster and suck some of the old fluid out. after you finish the brake job suck the rest of the fluid out and then add fresh fluid. Bleeding the brakes would be the best way to flush out all the old fluid and get new fluid in.

[txab]

One of the reasons for cracking the bleed screw when compressing the piston is so crap doesn't get pushed back towards the ABS or MC

[Black02Silverado]

One of the reasons for cracking the bleed screw when compressing the piston is so crap doesn't get pushed back towards the ABS or MC

 

 

Exactly, it is always a good idea that when you push the piston back to bleed the fluid off the bleed screw and not push the nasty old fluid that is in the caliper back up through the ABS.

[jdubya]

ok so I guess this is a must afterall. what do you do with the old oil, can it be disposed like old motor oil?

[Black02Silverado]

ok so I guess this is a must afterall. what do you do with the old oil, can it be disposed like old motor oil?

 

 

Yes, Advance Auto, Auto Zone, Pep Boys around here will take it, just dump it in with your used motor oil.