Rotor + brake pad Swap

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P5Zac

Member
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2002 Mazda Protege5
done this one my past vehicles and i don't think ill have any issues. Gonna be swapping out my old rotors and pads beginning of next week. Just wondering if there is anything i should look out for or expect?

Plus just got my brand new set of air impact wrench and 3/8 ratchet! Pretty excited to get to bust out the new tools and do some work.

On a side note, i need to replace the drivers side rear hand brake line....the guy that owned the car before me said he had to cut the line during a move when he was towing the car behind a U-haul and the brakes locked up? not to sure how that happend and why only cutting one of the two lines solved anything but who knows. Anyways i have had the new line sitting in my trunk for about 2 months now only because ive been waiting for a chance to use a friend of a friends hydrolic lift but im starting to think its not gonna happen so what would be the best way to get my car jacked up high enough off the groun to be able to remove the center portion of the exhaust and replace the cable? Example: once i jack up the car where should i put the jack stands and stuff like that....i really wish i didnt have to get on my back to do this stuff but my friends friend is an alcoholic and a wierdo about letting ppl use his s***...one second he is kool with it and the next he is freaking out...rather just not sit around waiting for him to sober up and be kool haha.

side side note: when i installed my catback exhaust i noticed that the gasket that came with my new exhaust wasnt enough to seal where it connect to the cat pipe....what can i use to seal it up completely? some high temp silicone? what would be the best solution to fix my problem? the problem lies with the cat pipe because it is fairly rusted out so the end isnt flat and VERY rough around the edges...
 
Make sure you have a breaker bar! If my buddy didn't show up with his when I was changing mine a couple weeks ago, it would have been a pain in the ass.
 
this mazda sure isnt like the american made ford ranger i used to work on by myself all the time....im at a loss on doin this crap on my own...gonna get a quote tomorrow for a shop to do the work for me...i feel like im in over my head on this damn car lol
 
i thought the hardest part about that job was getting the wire/springy things back under the brake pads in the right position, mainly because they popped off when we took the brake pads off without really seeing how they were laying in there..but we got it figured out and the other side went twice as fast.

the caliper came off pretty easily too, just a few bolts. and then prop it up on something else to get it out of the way so you can slide off the rotor.

you should be able to do this on your own, just give yourself plenty of daylight and dont be in a rush.

did you rent a brake pad tool from the local auto parts store?
 
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The rears retract using an allen bolt in the caliper, not the traditional way. What are you having trouble with?
 
well i tried to tackle my passenger side front first...went to remove the two 17mm bolts that to me looked like the ones that held on the caliper...M*&^%$ F*&^%*$S would not budge!!! i used a wrench with an extended bar AND a 3/8 air ratchet....couldnt get nothing more than a wrench on the top bolt....after fighting the bolts for 30 min without as much as a C*nt hairs change in position i threw in the towel defeated...
 
Is there any "how-to's" available on the subject? i didnt bring any up in the search...
 
scratch that, i found the How To on brake pad and caliper removal...i was right about what bolts i needed to remove....hmm...well having the How To boosts my confidence level back up a little....i might try soaking the bolts/nuts/ in PB blaster and see if i can brake them loose...damn things are rusted tight!!!
 
Get the car high up in the air with a medium sized breaker bar get on your back and push up. If yours are like mine same ass hole tightens them so much it striped the threads
 
Ya im sure ive got a similar ass hole that did the same thing...plus i dont think they have been removed in atleast 2 years haha. Ill try to tackle everything again tomorrow...i think this time around im going to win the battle!!!! but the war is another story...
 
I think before i attempt this again....after reading the How To's again...i have a good feeling something is gonna strip out or break and i will end up needing new calipers....I have thought about replacing them anyways while changing everything else out because they are heavily rusted and original (133k miles) plus i want to paint them...

Can someone lead me in the right direction as far as what website i should go through and what part number im looking for? whenever i search i find multiple types and parts numbers....not sure which one is correct or what my options are for direct bolt on...
 
Parts and part numbers you can always try Rock Auto.

What you can use to remove the 17mm Bolts is like stated above, a medium size breaker bar. If not use your ratchet and a pipe of some kind to fit over your ratchet end to provide you with more torque to loosen the bolt. If you still cant, try a rubber mallet or a hammer on the breaker bar/ pipe extension end to help with loosening the bolt. I would always remove the caliper first from the caliper braket though to make it a lot easier and as always suspend the caliper with wire so it doesn't pull on the brake line.

The process is very simple.
 
It's simple untill you get rusted cross threaded bolts. I went through advanced auto to get a caliper and the bracket for 50 bucks. You will need to get the bracket if the threads are messed up. And as stated a BFH is always your best friend in these situations. If you plan on replacing the caliper anyways remove the line and torch it
 
I just had my driver side caliper off yesterday to do the wheel bearing, and yeah those 17MM caliper cage bolts are a b****. I used a 17MM wrench (the box end), and tapped it with a 2LB sledge (BFH) until it broke loose. I also soaked it in PB Blaster beforehand. Air/power tools don't really help with these, because you can't fit them in there.
 
OK so im on Rock Auto, i have used them before..does it matter what brand caliper i go with or is there a big difference? Im guessing there are different types of OEM? I have no clue which ones are on my car. I was thinking about going with a referb pair of Centrics for the front. to start out, seeing as how i cant afford to do all 4 calipers at once ill just wait a week or two and then do the back.
 
Why are you replacing the calipers? Unless something is wrong with them, all you need is the pads.
 
My calipers are the original set and very rusted out. Id be surprised if i can get them off without something stripping. Plus i want to paint my calipers and instead of trying to get them off without breaking, then CLEANING the living hell out of them...id rather just start fresh with all new shoes and go from there.
 
My car has a lot of rust, but fitting a closed end, six point wrench over the bolt and tapping it with a sledge has always worked for me.
 
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