Changing front & rear brake pads a DIY?

[PDACPA]

Is changing out my front and rear brake pads on a 89 911 a do it yourself in teh garage job? I do not have ramps or jack stands, just the factory jack.

Thanks

[widebody911]

Don't try to use the factory jack for maintenance. Go down to your local FLAPS or Harbor Fright [sic] and get yourself a semi-proper jack and one or more jackstands.

Other than that, yes, it's one of the simpler DIY tasks. I think Waynes 101 Projects book covers it.

[juanbenae]

i would not use the factory jack, or ramps (the wheels must come off). go get a floor jack and some jack stands ($100 max), and do one at a time. take both wheels off and only take one apart at a time so the other in tact unit can be referenced. You will need to crack the master cyclinder and monitor as you open the calipors, for the level may/will rise. it may be a good time for a brake line flush too

[Joeaksa]

How about this? Detailed instructions right here...

Joe

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_brake_pads/911_brake_pads.htm

[Don Plumley]

Just so you hear it enough times: Do not use a factory jack to work on your car!

You can get a decent floor jack and jack stands at Sears, or the other places mentioned. It helps to have a jack pad (a thing that plugs into the jacking point under the cover on the rocker panel) to use with the jack, but it is not a necessity. And search the forum for advice on where to place your stands. You sound like a good candidate for Wayne's book...

It's an easy DIY job, just be methodical and check your work. After all, your brakes are critical for the safe operation of your car.

If you want to learn to bleed your brakes (is the fluid more than a year old?), I posted information on this thread.

Good Luck,

Don

[PDACPA]

Thanks for the info guys.

I knew that Sears gift card was waiting to be used for something, JACK STANDS.

[Joeaksa]

Harbor Freight has excellent 6 ton jack stands on sale now for $17 a pair. Just bought four last weekend.

These are not the flimsy stamped metal ones but welded heavy duty units and will hold most anything you own (no semi's) or would want to work on at home.

Joe

[Don Plumley]

Not sure where in Florida you live, here is a list of Harbor Freight locations in Florida.

I'm partial to Sears Stuff - in general good warranty and the like. But some of the Harbor Freight bargains are hard to pass up. I was able to get my jack stands on sale at Sears for same as HF.

Don

[Doug E]

If you happen to find your way into a Sears Hardware store you better have several gift cards because you won't be able to stop buying things!

Seriously, though, 2 jackstands will probably be the cheapest thing you buy for your garage but from a safety standpoint they are priceless.

[Superman]

I agree that the Harbor Freight 6-ton jack stands are good. That's what I use. And if you're gonna work on your own car, do yourself a favor and get a floor jack. One with plenty of lift. At any rate, pay real close attention to safety. Make sure you have real good 'crush protection.' I like to slide the wheels under the corners of the pan.

Changing brake pads is definitely a DIY. Like you've been warned, watch the level in the master cylinder when you push the pistons back. Brake fluid is really corrosive and you don't want it on your car at all. it eats paint better than paint stripper.

[old_skul]

I use my factory jack to work on my car all the time. It works so well I never had the need to use anything else. :\

Sorry. I've done all kinds of work with that thing holding the car up. Chocked, of course, and on jackstands for anything extended.

Um, changing pads is like changing socks. Yes, it's DIY.

[Emission]

Use jackstands (broken record here). My wife has a friend who lost her husband last year while doing an oil change (crushed to death when the jack tipped over). Not a pleasant way to go (especially if the engine is still hot).

You may want to spread some newspapers on the ground too. Brake dust is very fine, and will get in the grain of the concrete on your garage floor. I wear rubber gloves too!

[PDACPA]

Sears is selling a jack and jack stand combo. The problem is that the jack stands are only up to 2 1/4 tons and everyone here is recommending 6 tons.


http://www.sears.com/sr/product/summary/productsummary.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0372730819.102 3890105@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdiadcfgggflmlcehgcemgdffmdfil.0&vertical=SEARS&bidsite=&pid=00950138000

[HarryD]

Remember 2 1/4 tons is 4,500 pounds.

What does you car weight. Mine weighs about 3,500 pounds.

If it is on jack stands, each one sees 1/4 to 1/2 of the total weight as it is raised, lowered or just setting. You should be ok.

Given the choice, the stouter ones have a greater margin of safety but I use my 2 tons ones all the time and haven't had one fail yet, even with my old 69 Dodge.

You need to decide on your safety factor for yoru comfort level.

One other thing, I always levae my jack in place as well just in case a stand fail to give me a bit more security when I am under the car.

Before you crawl under the car or remove the wheels it is a good idea to push the car a bit to be sure the stands are stable.
I have watched in horror when my Spitfire fell off of a jack stand after I had removed the wheels and disks.

[Breeang]

You have to make sure that if it falls all will be OK. My baby fell off the rear jack stands just this last weekend and I ended up with the rear of the car sitting on the brake rotors on the concrete floor. Everything appears to be OK but my heart will take another day or two to slow down. Luckily I wasn't under it, in fact I had just given it a push to check it WAS solid before getting under

[RazorRacer]

I followed the recomendation of lifting under the oil sump and it bent in slightly.