the joy of replacing brakes
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,768
Likes: 26
From: Central Valley
the joy of replacing brakes well i FINALLY set out to put my new rotors and pads on today and wow what a bitch it was!!!!!!
the rotors are just duralast rotors and the pads are the duralast ceramic pads but we did run into a snag
nothin can ever be done easy on this car and it's pissed me off since the first issue i had with the car. the caliper bracket has 2 pins the compress the pad when you press the brake pedal then decompress when you let off, well the passenger side was alittle snug but we got em out and lubed it up and all is good there . . . . . .the damn driver side though the top one was more snug but eventually came out the bottom though wouldn't budge tried an impact wrench on it, sprayed solvent to try and break it up and put it in a vice and tried hittin it with a hammer to persuade it out so after tryin for acouple hours we put the new rotor on with the new pads and since that pin is siezed the rotor doesn't spin lol some bullshit and the bracket new list is $96 and my cost is $85, but my buddy is goin to the GM salvage yard in the morning and is pickin one up for $20 anyway here are the pics of the old rotors
new rotors
the rotors are just duralast rotors and the pads are the duralast ceramic pads but we did run into a snag
nothin can ever be done easy on this car and it's pissed me off since the first issue i had with the car. the caliper bracket has 2 pins the compress the pad when you press the brake pedal then decompress when you let off, well the passenger side was alittle snug but we got em out and lubed it up and all is good there . . . . . .the damn driver side though the top one was more snug but eventually came out the bottom though wouldn't budge tried an impact wrench on it, sprayed solvent to try and break it up and put it in a vice and tried hittin it with a hammer to persuade it out so after tryin for acouple hours we put the new rotor on with the new pads and since that pin is siezed the rotor doesn't spin lol some bullshit and the bracket new list is $96 and my cost is $85, but my buddy is goin to the GM salvage yard in the morning and is pickin one up for $20 anyway here are the pics of the old rotorsnew rotors
Are you using 2 wrenches? One to hold and one to turn the head? If a damn impact wrench doesn't break it loose, I'd say ratchet up the torque on that bad boy and break it out of there then go buy new hardware (ie. guide pins, boots, etc.) for all 4 brakes.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,768
Likes: 26
From: Central Valley
we tried tightening it to break some of the rust build up but that didn't work, though it actually goes in a bit now where as before it wasn't moving at all. i'm replacing all for rotors in the next year and at that point i'll get new hardware
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County, NJ
GM sells a pad replacement kit, comes with new rubber seals for the pins, new bolts, lube for the pins and new antirattle springs. The kit is only a few bucks and if you use the kit and torque the bolts to the proper spec you will not have a problem with the install or removing them later on.
Had the same problem on my buddies 2000 WS6 a couple months ago...took it over to the shop and heated the bracket up (it took quite a bit of heat) with a torch and the slide pin came right out with a few good whacks of a hammer and a pair of pliars. We cleaned up the pin and the bracket, threw a little grease in there and it works like a charm! Hope this helps..
ive done the brakes so many times on my car because of racing, its second nature. granted shes only got 24K miles, but its never hard to do. surprisingly easy, with only a few wrenches and sockets. at least now you see why its important to keep the pins greased, especially on a daily driver.
Not to be an azzhat, but I think that sometimes people forget that the newest Camaro or Firebird (obviously discounting the 2010s) is now 7 years old. Stuff likes to stick together over time...
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,768
Likes: 26
From: Central Valley
GM sells a pad replacement kit, comes with new rubber seals for the pins, new bolts, lube for the pins and new antirattle springs. The kit is only a few bucks and if you use the kit and torque the bolts to the proper spec you will not have a problem with the install or removing them later on.
Had the same problem on my buddies 2000 WS6 a couple months ago...took it over to the shop and heated the bracket up (it took quite a bit of heat) with a torch and the slide pin came right out with a few good whacks of a hammer and a pair of pliars. We cleaned up the pin and the bracket, threw a little grease in there and it works like a charm! Hope this helps..
ive done the brakes so many times on my car because of racing, its second nature. granted shes only got 24K miles, but its never hard to do. surprisingly easy, with only a few wrenches and sockets. at least now you see why its important to keep the pins greased, especially on a daily driver.
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Teching In
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
same problem i'm having the same problem and can't find a bracket any where. i've called all the local parts places and either they don't carry the part or i'll have to buy the whole caliper kit. any suggestions on salvage yards in the d.c. metro area? all i need is the bracket. i already have the pins to put in the new/used bracket.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 647
Likes: 1
From: new iberia la.
just did my fronts for the first time, took a while before i realized needed to use two wrenches, the bolt, threads into a threaded bushing that you have to hold with wrench
Last edited by metalmechanic; Jul 23, 2009 at 11:58 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,768
Likes: 26
From: Central Valley
i'm having the same problem and can't find a bracket any where. i've called all the local parts places and either they don't carry the part or i'll have to buy the whole caliper kit. any suggestions on salvage yards in the d.c. metro area? all i need is the bracket. i already have the pins to put in the new/used bracket.