Advice on first time DIY brake replacement

M

Meady

Member
Hey Everyone,

I am trying to learn more about my car and starting to attempt some of the more trivial maintenance work myself! started with a service I carried out a few months back. The service went well other than a slight mistake on part number on the oil filter which I am still unsure what went wrong :headbang: . I used Real OEM for the part number but it appears under the same part number on auto doc there were two different types of filters and the one I ordered was sightly too tall... :thumbsdown:

Sorted in the end with another and now moving onto the brakes I was hoping for a quick check on my plans from the forum if possible :D

I plan to replace discs and pads on the front brakes of my 2003 Z4 3.0i and plan to purchase the following;

Parts;
Discs - Brembo Max Line Brake Discs - £51- https://tinyurl.com/xfwpkr5r
Pads - TEXTAR epad Brake Pad Set - £58 https://tinyurl.com/4rzp5k3c

Additional Tools and Lubricants;
Brake Piston Wind back tool - £30 - https://tinyurl.com/sye8su43
Brake Cleaner - £3.50 - https://tinyurl.com/eudzm2vk
Brake Grease - £3.75 - https://tinyurl.com/4va2fb26

Questions
- Do I need to replace the sensor?
- Do I need anti-seize to put on the new disc when installing?
- Is there anything I have missed?
- Any better suggestions on discs and pads? Car is used on normal roads with the occasional fast drive in country roads

Thanks :driving:
 
You don't need new sensors unless your existing ones are broken; they just unclip from the old pads and clip into the new ones. You can use anti-seize on the the back of the new pads where they make contact with the calliper and also on the face of the disc around the bolt holes where the wheels sit. Obviously you want the main faces of the discs as clean as possible.

Biggest challenge I've found with changing the discs is getting the little hex-retainer screw to come out without burring. Depending on when your discs were last changed, you might get lucky and the screw is in good condition. If it looks dirty and rusty just make sure to use the right-size of hex, put a lot of pressure against it and try to undo it as soon as you take your wheels off - don't leave it until last/after you take off the calliper just in case you need someone to stand on the brakes to give you enough leverage for getting the screw to break loose. Worst case you can drill the screw out but you want to avoid that as much as possible. Make sure you buy discs from somewhere that includes replacement retainer screws. They are only a few quid to buy separately and they are a universal thing so easy to get, but most decent disc manufacturers will include new screws with their discs.

Good luck. Sounds more hassle than it actually is; you can have both discs done in 30 mins all going well.

ETA I just replaced all my discs and pads with ATE items, all sourced from Autodoc. I believe ATE are OEM items from other posts on here - anyway they've been fantastic in the 6 weeks or so I've had them on.
 
Always hang the caliper up to the spring with something like a bungee cord , so as not to stress the brake hose by leaving it hanging while swopping the disc. Cleaning the hub face to shiny to make sure the disc sits flush. I still put a miniscule amount of coppaslip on the hub face before fitting the new disc as it stops future corrosion and issues with run out on the disc. Cleaning the sliders on the calipers , so the pads can run free is another good one, often forgotten and the slider pins and bushes they run in need cleaning out. When I changed the pads and discs on mine, the inner pads were half the thickness to the outers and that was because of sticking slider pins.
 
Parabolica is right about the disc retaining bolts- if one thing has potential to cause you drama it’s that

If you are lucky the last bloke didn’t over tighten and they aren’t seized.

To get a good chance of getting them off I soak them 24 hrs in copious wd40. Then use a wooden bar to apply the foot brake to stop the disc from turning.

If the bolt starts to round off, consider using an impact driver

If they round off- angle grinder or drill a hole off centre and tap it out with a centre punch
 
You don't need the piston wind back tool. I just use a suitable sized G clamp and a piece of hardwood (bit of old floorboard) or suitable bit of steel plate - (thick enough not to bend)

Agree on the pressure bleeder - watch the level in the master cylinder.....
 
Spriteracer said:
You don't need the piston wind back tool. I just use a suitable sized G clamp and a piece of hardwood (bit of old floorboard) or suitable bit of steel plate - (thick enough not to bend)
Click to expand...
A wind back tool is a brilliant bit of kit. Using a G clamp is OK, but if you have painted calipers then you could risk damaging the paint. Also, using the correct tool pushes both pistons back at the same time. Having one tool rather than bits of wood and G clamps gets fiddly in adjusting etc rather than just plopping it in the slot on the caliper and turning the handle. I found on other cars that you can also exercise the pistons in and out easier and clean the surfaces of the pistons and then retract a half dozen times a lot quicker and easier. Personally I think they are worth the investment as not that expensive .
 
Thrustyjust said:
Spriteracer said:
You don't need the piston wind back tool. I just use a suitable sized G clamp and a piece of hardwood (bit of old floorboard) or suitable bit of steel plate - (thick enough not to bend)
Click to expand...
A wind back tool is a brilliant bit of kit. Using a G clamp is OK, but if you have painted calipers then you could risk damaging the paint. Also, using the correct tool pushes both pistons back at the same time. Having one tool rather than bits of wood and G clamps gets fiddly in adjusting etc rather than just plopping it in the slot on the caliper and turning the handle. I found on other cars that you can also exercise the pistons in and out easier and clean the surfaces of the pistons and then retract a half dozen times a lot quicker and easier. Personally I think they are worth the investment as not that expensive .
Click to expand...
There's only one piston on the floating calliper?
Tbh, if you're changing the discs and pads, and therefore not worried about causing any damage, it's just as easy to use a BF screwdriver and lever the old pad back before you remove the calliper, using the disc to push against.
 
On other cars I have found that the rewind tool is only necessary on the rear . The front ones just push back with a lever, stout screwdriver etc. I also remove the cap from the brake fluid reservoir so that the piston pushes back easier.
 
You are correct of course the wind back tool is the ideal solution in the situation you suggest. Mine was just a suggestion that might save a bit of cash for someone just starting out doing their own maintenance. Probably most calipers are not painted and assuming they are OEM are single piston. Accepted the G clamp is a bit more fiddley but it works fine if you don't have the wind back to hand.
 
I would always say unless prohibitively expensive then always use the right tool for the job. On E85 Z4 brakes you're not actually 'winding' anything back, you're simply pushing the piston back in its cylinder and in my opinion the best tool for this is a cheap caliper spreader like this Silverline one I have. Easy to use without risking damaging anythingScreenshot_20211024-181543_Amazon Shopping.jpg
A few months back I refurbished a set of 3.0i brakes I acquired from another forum member. Whilst fitting them I also fitted HEL stainless flexis and flushed/replaced the fluid with Fuchs DOT5.1 and wanted to make the job as efficient and painless an experience as possible. To this end I bought a pressure brake bleeder which is just excellent. Fill it with fluid, attach it to the reservoir, pump it up and bleed away...it's that easy. Much, much better than my old Gunson Eezibleed ! No mess and makes the process a genuine one man operation :thumbsup: 20210410_221126.jpg20210410_155346.jpg20210410_220905.jpg
For any awkward bolts/screws that don't want to be undone like the disc retaining screws then I can recommend an impact driver like this ones-l400.jpgIn conjunction with the correct hardened bit it hasn't failed me yet :thumbsup:
 
Mike6 said:
On other cars I have found that the rewind tool is only necessary on the rear . The front ones just push back with a lever, stout screwdriver etc. I also remove the cap from the brake fluid reservoir so that the piston pushes back easier.
Click to expand...
A wind back took is something slightly different. Its not something we need on zeds, as they had a drum hand brake mechanism. Its also something to keep in your tool cupboard if you have a car / cars that need them. I bought a cheap set with all the adaptors for about £20 and if you have calipers with in built hand brake mechs, then its a better way than butchering with long nose pliers or similar when winding back.
 
Thrustyjust said:
Spriteracer said:
You don't need the piston wind back tool. I just use a suitable sized G clamp and a piece of hardwood (bit of old floorboard) or suitable bit of steel plate - (thick enough not to bend)
Click to expand...
A pad retraction tool is a brilliant bit of kit. Using a G clamp is OK, but if you have painted calipers then you could risk damaging the paint. Also, using the correct tool pushes both pistons back at the same time. Having one tool rather than bits of wood and G clamps gets fiddly in adjusting etc rather than just plopping it in the slot on the caliper and turning the handle. I found on other cars that you can also exercise the pistons in and out easier and clean the surfaces of the pistons and then retract a half dozen times a lot quicker and easier. Personally I think they are worth the investment as not that expensive .
Click to expand...
 
Most wind back tools can also be used to push pistons back using the various adapters that come in the kit. For £20 or so they are well worth it.

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