I have a 2002 Cavalier. I am replacing my front brake pads for the first time and have a few questions.

First, I have a set of sockets used to remove the calipers. What size should I use for my car? They are not the star shaped ones. They are shaped like allen wrenches.

Second, is there anything special I have to do to clip the outward and inward brake pads in place. I know they have clips, are they easy to snap into place. Any tricks I should know while doing it?

Third, is it hard to take off the old pads? Do they just slide off?

Fourth, I am using jack stands to hold the car up. Where is a safe place to put the stands under the car. Is there something that will hold all that weight.

Any help would be great.
Thanks

1st .. there suppose to be alens not torx so get one that fits or try until you find one im not sure of the size off the top of my head

2nd n 3rd clips should come off no problem if you have any problem just tap them off with a hammer

4th under ur fender/door u will see a lip running along the bottom of the car u can jack it anywhere there or any other secure spot you see

be sure to spray the backs of the new pads with brake quiet b4 u put them on

also u need some kind of c clamp or big pliers to compress the caliper so u can put the new pads on. It will fell like its not moving it moves very slow back in make sure you dont rip the boot or damage it if your using pliers

What I've found is using a c-clamp and leaving the old inner pad in works well to compress the piston.

That way you can position the clamp without having to screw it down quite so far... Not like you're going to reuse the old pad anyway

Where you located at?

I'll do it for $25, this Saturday anytime all day is fine.

I have done countless brake jobs by the way.


- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new

haha trying to make a quick buck.. let the dude learn and do it for himself
hey the old pad is a good idea i never thought of that ill have to do it next time

I just did pads and rotors yesterday on mine. I always leave the old pad on the inside and use it to put the c-clamp on. I had to get a new caliper mount bolt cuz it was sticking and stripped. I put some lube on the caliper bolts (took them out and then greased them and put them back in) and on the backs of the pads.

The socket size needed for mine is a 3/8" allen. On the new bolt I got its a 5/16" which is the next size down. On an '02 I don't know what size but probably 3/8"


Scott
2002 Audi S4, black
1996 Z24 auto, red

my 98 cav is a 3/8 from what i remember, i believe most of the smaller gm's are.

i use a flat head to pop the old pads off, just pry the clip up and slide it down.

i never thought of the old pad and c-clamp trick when i did mine, i just used the c-clamp carefully against the piston.

i position my jack stands under the front suspension (control arms) when i do mine, keeps the weight up great.

make sure you get some anti seaze, have a wire brush (i got one for the end of my drill) and some brake cleaner.

soak the new rotors( if you are using new ones) in brake cleaner as they are oiled at the factory to prevent rusting. if you dont, the pads will soak up the oil and you will loos alot of braking power.

*note* use a coat hanger or something to hold up your brake calipers, dont want to bust the brake lines. bend the coat hanger to hold one end of the caliper, and i usually hook the other on my spring.

get the old pads off the vehicle, use the one to recompress the calpier piston back in. c-clamp works great, or you can buy a tool to do this at just about any auto parts store.

take the wire brush (i used a wire wheel on the end of a drill) and clean up the surfaces that the "guides" of the brake pad will slide up and down on the caliper. put some anti seeze on the part u just cleaned.

reasemble everything as you took it apart, pretty simple.

do one side at a time, so if you loose your place, you still have a reference to follow. go slow and ake your time!

im sure there are a few guides on here on how to do them, but i just gave u a rough overview.

any other qustions, just post up.






Injection is nice but id rather be BLOWN!