How Do I Change The Breaks?

[III G Man III]

I'm driving a 2004 Cavalier. The breaks are still stock and beginning to squeak a little. I would like to know if any one knows how to change the breaks in this car, or can recomend a book/website/forum that will help me. Thanks so much!

[III G Man III]

Brakes*

[mike2004tct]

Originally Posted by III G Man III

Brakes*

It's a fairly simple proceedure if you're mechanically inclined. The front brake pads wear out before the rears, so here's a quick proceedure for the fronts.
Jack the car up, take wheels off, remove front calipers (2 bolts-usually a 3/8" Allen drive,newer models may be torx bit), remove brake pads,push caliper piston into caliper, insert new brake pads,reinstall caliper on housing, reinstall wheel, done.
You may have to replace the rotors if your pads wore ridges into the rotors.

Go to your local public library and look up any repair manual on
Chevy Cavaliers from 1995 to present. The brake setup is virtually the
same on all year models.

[III G Man III]

thanks man. that really helped me out

[Thor06]

Get a Haynes manual, they have helped me a lot. They are like $15 at just about any parts store.

[01Cavy]

Originally Posted by Thor06

Get a Haynes manual, they have helped me a lot. They are like $15 at just about any parts store.

Thats always a wise decision. Comes in handy for more than just your brakes!

[cdru]

Originally Posted by mike2004tct

You may have to replace the rotors if your pads wore ridges into the rotors.

Whenever replacing shoes/pads for your breaks, you should always have them turned, if not replaced. Turning them ensures that you have a smooth flat surface, parallel to the break pads. If you didn't turn them, any groves in the surface would cause groves to appear in the pads. And if the old pads were wearing unevenly into the rotor or drum, using the same surface would cause your new pads to start to wear unevenly as well.

Not all rotors or drums can be turned though. There will be a number stamped into the casting indicating minimum thickness (rotors) or maximum diameter (drums) that they can be turned to. If you go beyond the number stamped, the rotor or drum can lose integrity.

Double check the price for replacement rotors or drums as well as turning them. In some cases, it's just as cheap to buy new then to turn. In my area, the going price to turn rotors is $15 while a new one was $17.

[Thor06]

Originally Posted by cdru

Double check the price for replacement rotors or drums as well as turning them. In some cases, it's just as cheap to buy new then to turn. In my area, the going price to turn rotors is $15 while a new one was $17.

I would just get new ones. I think turning them is pointless because then you have a thin old rotor thats more at risk for getting screwed up on a hard brake.

[mike2004tct]

Originally Posted by Thor06

I would just get new ones. I think turning them is pointless because then you have a thin old rotor thats more at risk for getting screwed up on a hard brake.

I agree, but only for rotors. It's cheaper in the long run to just get new rotors. If you have them turned, they get too thin to be of any good, they'll wear out much quicker than the pads.

The rear drums on the other hand, are turnable (in my opinion), because you'll replace the front pads 3 times in the one time (on average) you need to replace the back shoes.

[Thor06]

Originally Posted by mike2004tct

The rear drums on the other hand, are turnable (in my opinion), because you'll replace the front pads 3 times in the one time (on average) you need to replace the back shoes.

Yeah, I would turn drums. They dont handle very much braking load and can stand to be a little thinner.

[cdru]

Originally Posted by mike2004tct

I agree, but only for rotors. It's cheaper in the long run to just get new rotors. If you have them turned, they get too thin to be of any good, they'll wear out much quicker than the pads.

Hence why there is a minimum thickness. I was speaking more in general then specifically for Cavaliers. On our vehicles the rotors are cheap. I had a previous car though that the rotors were like $65 a pop...for the cheaper aftermarket ones. They weren't OEM or cross drilled/slotted performance breaks. I much rather pay $15 then $65 if I can safely.

Depending on how long they were on the car or how rusty they are, many cases they can't be turned anyways so it's a non-issue. The last 3 or 4 break jobs I've done on my vehicles turning both the rotors or drums weren't options due to the minimum thickness issues.