Changed my discs/pads over the weekend - SI owners beware!

J

jamiez

Senior member
 SW London
...actually 1st attempt was last weekend, got all the parts (from GSF) and had one corner stripped down ready to fit the disc - but it was too small. I was scratching my head - i definitly ordered the 2.5si component...

Mystery solved - GSF computer system is out of wack and doesnt understand that the 2.5si has the 3.0 brake setup - hence the discs are slightly larger...

hope nobody else gets caught out like me!!!

Other than that, its a straight forward job!
 
Def worth ordering such parts by disc diameter and thickness. So many motor factors don't correctly catalogue an of course people retrofit different parts.

It's always a pain to go back, reorder, etc. but glad you sorted it.
 
Hi
Do you need any special tools, caliper tools, piston compressor etc. Or does G clamp do the job?!
Did you do front, back oir both and did you upgrade to grooved, drilled?
Finally what was the damage?
Cheers
Russ
 
Just use a screwdriver to push the piston back, slot it in the top between the disc/pad and push the pad back against the disc... as long as you don't want to keep the old pads as it can damage them.

Just remove the reservoir cap for the fluid too, as it will often overflow!

Just a few pointers Russ :)

Dave
 
Adding to what Mr Whippy said you'll need a torx set (or is it allen keys - can never remember until I pul the caps...lol) to get the caliper pins undone and sockets/spanner for the carriers. In order of merit to compress the pistons is a screwdriver or lever, next decent G clamp and best a wind back tool.

The rears are way harder as you have to loosen the rear handbrake off that's inside the top hat. Then once back on adjust it up thouggh one of the wheel bolts. A cr*p design that takes ages to get it right
 
I did the fronts only, but will do the backs at some point but they are not that low yet (MOT said they were getting low)

You only need allen keys and spanners/sockets as per jeeper - cant remember all the sizes now.
The irish screwdriver also come in handy taking the discs off - (lump hammer!)

Clamp would defo help and it was hard to push them back. One thing we did do was to undo the bleed nipple as my mate insisted on this before pushing the caplier back. That made is messy and i wasnt 100% we needed to do it - but trusted my mate

...was that really necessary? As you said Whippy - just open the resv cap and fluid should/would build back up.

I did this on my old e46 without issue
 
jamiez said:
I did the fronts only, but will do the backs at some point but they are not that low yet (MOT said they were getting low)

You only need allen keys and spanners/sockets as per jeeper - cant remember all the sizes now.
The irish screwdriver also come in handy taking the discs off - (lump hammer!)

Clamp would defo help and it was hard to push them back. One thing we did do was to undo the bleed nipple as my mate insisted on this before pushing the caplier back. That made is messy and i wasnt 100% we needed to do it - but trusted my mate

...was that really necessary? As you said Whippy - just open the resv cap and fluid should/would build back up.

I did this on my old e46 without issue
Click to expand...

Your mate is wrong. It's not necessary, messy as you know and can easily lead to contamination on the new discs and pads and of course let air back into the brake system. In fact if you don't top up the brake reservoir above the min level between pad changes, then the pushing back of the pads will take it to the max mark. That's how it's designed.
 
Not sure why anyone would top up the brake fluid as it is a p.i.t.a. when changing pads. Dealers do it though, and when I replaced the pads from a fellow forum member I had to drain fluid first as it was on max (after a service).
 
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