[Chronos]

Looks like I'm changing out the brake pads on all four corners on my 996. I've got a F/R set of Mintex pads and electronic sensors on the way to my house. I'm going to stop by Sears and pick up a nice floor jack, breaker bar, awl/punch, then pick up a six pack of good suds somewhere in the village. Looks like Sunday am will be dedicated to the pad swap.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on making this process easier? I've obtained DIY from Renntech.org and I have to admit it appears to be quite easy:

Drink a beer.
Remove the wheels.
Drink a beer.
Remove the pads.
Drink another beer and snack on a cold piece of pizza (not on my low carb diet, but screw it)
Replace the pads and sensors.
Replace the wheels.
Drink another beer and fart around for an hour feeling proud.

[Jazzbass]

That's about it, except he forgot the part where you push the pistons back into the caliper to make room for the new pads. All in all, this is the trickiest part of the job, but still quite easy. I tend to use a big flat head screwdriver, a small piece of wood for leverage, another small piece of wood on the piston to protect it, and be very carefull not to damage the pistons of the seals.

[Jazzbass]

Oh yeah... almost forgot - watch the fluid level in the resivior. When you push the pistons in, it rises. If you've added fluid recently, it could overflow.

[Vicegrip]

Watch fluid intake during install. Overfilling wrench holder will produce poor results.

When you push the pistons back in order to make space for the new pads I recommend that you open one of the bleeder valves on each caliper and let the fluid out through a tube and into a container rather than backing it up into the system. The fluid in the binders is often the most contaminated in the system and it can mess up your $$$ ABS unit. This is good for any car with ABS not just P cars.
Do you have a torque wrench? It is good to torque the lugs after reinstalling wheels.

[KevinOyler]

It may be obvious (but since drinking the beer was listed) to pump the brake pedal till it comes up and is firm, and top off the fluid before heading out for the first test drive. . .

Oh, yeah, then there is the whole obscure multi-step bedding-in your pads procedure. . .

[APKhaos]

Originally Posted by Kurt Mickelwait

The fluid in the binders is often the most contaminated in the system and it can mess up your $$$ ABS unit.

So, this raises a question that has bothered me for a while.
Normal flushing & bleeding does not 'get' the fluid that lives in the ABS unit, does it? If is doesn't, what's the trick for flushing the ABS unit??

[APKhaos]

OK, who deleted the 'delete this post' button on the Edit/Delete page??????

[BillJ]

I compress the pistons with the pads still in the caliper and use a screwdrive-like tool that is bent on one end that provides the leverage against the caliper. Pretty easy.

[Chronos]

Originally Posted by KevinOyler

It may be obvious (but since drinking the beer was listed) to pump the brake pedal till it comes up and is firm, and top off the fluid before heading out for the first test drive. . .

Oh, yeah, then there is the whole obscure multi-step bedding-in your pads procedure. . .

I sort of remember a procedure I used to use on my C4 Corvette (ZR-1 brakes).

Accelerate to 60-70 then stop HARD, to the threshold of locking up. Drive away for a few moments to let the pads/rotors cool, then repeat again 2-3 more times. Supposed to break in the pad and disrtribute pad material onto the rotor.

Does this sound like a good program on the Pcar?

Thanks for all the tips. I'll pick up a fresh can of brake fluid this weekend too.

Went to Sears at Fair Oaks mall at lunch today for a floor jack- they had nada. I'll try monkey mall this weekend. I'm also planning on picking up a torque wrench then too. Isn't it amazing how tools seem to "disappear" every time one moves??? I guess tools are an unwritten form of tip for the movers. Sigh.

[BlackTalon]

Chronos wrote:

Replacing all four pads on my 996- any tips?

I recommend replacing all 8 pads 8)

Also, do you have a jack pad/ adapter that fits your car?