Do It Yourself Brake Pad Change?

[robdelorenzo]

You are correct about it not being a project without having to buy some tools!
I have just about everything ready to go for doing rear rotors, pads, flush, clutch bleed.
One thing I don't see mentioned are the brake dampers.
https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/1049/POR_1049_BRKPAD_pg3.htm#item13
Apparently there are two different sizes for each piston on each caliper.
I'm replacing the hardware as well, but wasn't sure about the dampers.
I bought them and will replace them as well, so everything is new.
This doesn't look too difficult at all.
The video below was quite helpful, too.
It's just odd that the dampers don't seem to be mentioned much.
Do people reuse them or not use them at all?

[PaulE]

You can never be too rich, too thin or have too many tools!

I was talking about brake pad dampers in my earlier post, I didn't know that's what they are called. They are different on the S model front brakes, both on one sheet of something and they go deep into the caliper pistons and are glued onto the back of the pads. They look like this -

https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/1052/POR_1052_BRKPAD_pg3.htm#item13

Originally Posted by robdelorenzo

You are correct about it not being a project without having to buy some tools!
I have just about everything ready to go for doing rear rotors, pads, flush, clutch bleed.
One thing I don't see mentioned are the brake dampers.
https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/1049/POR_1049_BRKPAD_pg3.htm#item13
Apparently there are two different sizes for each piston on each caliper.
I'm replacing the hardware as well, but wasn't sure about the dampers.
I bought them and will replace them as well, so everything is new.
This doesn't look too difficult at all.
The video below was quite helpful, too.
It's just odd that the dampers don't seem to be mentioned much.
Do people reuse them or not use them at all?

[robdelorenzo]

I do have an 02 base, but I think the concept is the same.
This must be the part that is referred to as "needing a putty knife to gently remove"
that I saw in one of the posts.
I ordered them anyway and want to do the job right and completely replace all components.
For some strange reason, I am looking forward to the Aerokroil.
That stuff looks like fun!

[PaulE]

Originally Posted by robdelorenzo

I do have an 02 base, but I think the concept is the same.
This must be the part that is referred to as "needing a putty knife to gently remove"
that I saw in one of the posts.
I ordered them anyway and want to do the job right and completely replace all components.
For some strange reason, I am looking forward to the Aerokroil.
That stuff looks like fun!

Yes if you're replacing the front pads on an S you need to insert the putty knife between the backing plate of the brake pad and the thin plate holding the 2 dampers together. When I did my front brake pads, I followed the online information for non S cars and didn't know about these dampers. They were never on the old British cars with Girling or Dunlop disk brakes that I worked on as a kid, so I thought the pads would just come out after I took out the retaining pins. Since I was also changing the rotors, I removed the calipers which I had to do anyway so I could see what was going on in there.