Brake Pad Replacement Using an Electric Parking Brake
- Connect a battery charger for cars.
- Join a diagnostic device.
- Parking brake pistons should be loosened.
- Push the pistons and remove the caliper.
- Change the brake pads.
- Install Caliper again.
- Expel the pistons.
- Parking brake pistons are reengaged.
In This Article...
How are rear brake pads changed?
Place wheel chocks in front of the front wheels to begin the process. (Avoid using the emergency brake; doing so makes it more difficult to take out the calipers.)
Place the jack in its proper position and elevate just enough to apply pressure to the jack. To remove the lug nuts from the wheel, use an impact or lug wrench. Spin the lug nuts off the lugs and raise the car until the wheel is raised off the ground. Then, remove the wheel.
With the parking brake engaged, can brake pads be changed?
Electric parking brake systems come in two different categories:
- Electric motor: This electric parking brake system is a feature of various GM automobiles. Similar to a conventional parking brake system, but with a motor pulling the cord instead of a person’s hand or foot. A parking brake control module is the name of the motor. Once engaged, it uses the parking brake wire to pull the parking brake shoes.
- Parking brake actuator: Vehicles with an electronic parking brake system that are not GM can have this system. Parking brake actuators are fixed to both rear brake calipers. A gear that has the ability to drive out the caliper piston is connected to each parking brake actuator. The parking brake actuator has the ability to shift that gear when engaged. The brake pads are pushed up against the rotor by the piston as a result. To put it another way, when this system is engaged, the rear brake pads can serve as the parking brake.
When an automobile is put into park, the parking brake is often activated automatically, even if the driver doesn’t press the parking brake switch. You must first turn off the electric parking brake in order to replace the brake pads on the rear brakes.
Does the electronic parking brake release on its own?
When the typical handbrake lever is pressed up, a cable is tensioned. This cable applies pressure to the braking drums or discs in the rear of the vehicle, holding it securely in place. On the back axle of some vehicles, there may be a special disc and pads.
The basic idea is the same regardless of the technology a car employs: pressing the lever locks the back wheels to prevent the car from moving when you don’t want it to.
Electronic parking brakes, often known as electronic handbrakes, operate on the same principles but employ electric motors to produce the locking effect.
The rear brakes’ motors force the brake pads against the discs when the button is pushed or pulled. The motors frequently provide a comforting humming sound as they operate.
Most electronic handbrakes release themselves when you start moving. When you press the accelerator and raise the clutch past the point of biting in a manual transmission vehicle, the clutch will release.
The amount of throttle input’ an automobile needs to release the handbrake, however, is not standardized in the industry. Some need only a light touch of the accelerator to release, while others require quite a few revs.
Driving a manual car with an electronic handbrake can be challenging as a result. The tensing of the automobile at bite can seem rather noticeable, and the release can be quite harsh.
As you become used to it, don’t worry too much if you start to stall. It quickly becomes automatic.
When changing pads, do the brakes need to be bled?
Your braking system is the most important one in terms of essential parts. You must be able to stop at any time, no matter how quickly you’re moving. Hydraulic braking systems for vehicles operate by pushing pressurized fluid. There will be less pressure, spongy-feeling brakes, and lengthier stops if there is an air bubble in the system. But that’s only the start. The car might not stop at all if left unattended.
There is a technique to avoid this in addition to fixing it. Let’s examine when and how brakes should be bled.
When to Bleed Your Brakes
First off, you aren’t truly bleeding brakes; rather, you are removing air bubbles that may have developed prior to pouring fresh brake fluid by bleeding fluid and air out of the braking system.
When should you bleed your brakes?
- when the brakes begin to feel soft.
- when pauses take longer and you start to lose confidence.
- if you discover a leak Air may also be let in through leaks in addition to fluid. Bleeding your brakes after fixing the leak is the only way to ensure that your system isn’t affected by an air bubble.
- if you’re changing out worn-out brake pads, as this could lead to air getting into the master cylinder. More brake fluid is needed while braking with worn brake pads, which empties the reservoir and leaves room for air.
- if you replace your brake pads or rotors. For the purpose of safety, every brake job needs to include a brake bleed.
- As part of good preventive maintenance, once a year.
How to Bleed Your Brakes
You’ll need a screwdriver for Torx screws (detectable by the six-pointed groove on their heads), as much fresh brake fluid your car needs, and a container to catch the used fluid for all four methods of bleeding brakes.
Here are the four techniques for bleeding brakes:
- Put a container underneath the bleeder screw, turn the screw to let the old fluid fall into the container by gravity. Afterward, there will be cleanup. The liquid won’t fall in a straight line; instead, it will drip down components in the space between the container and the bleeder screw.
- By hand: Place a container beneath the bleeder screw and open it as someone gently presses and releases the brake pedal, forcing the fluid and air out of the system. Smoothly use the brakes to prevent the formation of further air bubbles that could linger and contaminate the fresh fluid. Make sure the fluid isn’t frothy, as that indicates that new air bubbles are beginning to form.
- Once more, place a container under the bleeder screw and open it to provide pressure. The fluid and air should then be forced through the system and into the container using a tank of pressurized braking fluid at the master cylinder.
- Vacuum: For this technique, when you open the bleeder screw, fasten a vacuum bleeder to it. It extracts the liquid and air into a connected container.
Regardless of the route you take, bleeding your brakes when there is a problem or as part of routine maintenance ensures that your braking system operates as effectively as possible and keeps you and your passengers safe.
NAPA Online has a comprehensive selection of brake fluid; or, visit one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare facilities for regular maintenance and repairs. Visit your neighborhood NAPA AUTO PARTS store to speak with a trained specialist for more details on bleeding your brakes.
Do I need to replace my own brake pads?
To assist you with changing your own brake pads, there is a ton of information available online on do-it-yourself auto repairs. However, unless you already have auto maintenance skills, it may be more difficult than it sounds to perform tasks like changing your own brake pads or even your own oil.
If you don’t know the parts, not only can a lot of things go wrong, but you also risk missing additional serious brake concerns if you don’t know how to identify them. When you brake, you could hear grinding noises or feel your brake pedal sink quickly, but these issues could actually be the consequence of worn brake pads, a fractured rotor, or air bubbles in the braking lines. In turn, you might discover that you require more intricate repairs or parts in addition to the pads.
It’s wise to refrain from replacing your brake pads only because they frequently lead to brake issues. Before making assumptions or troubleshooting your brake pads at home, it is preferable to have an automotive expert inspect your brake system. Free thorough brake inspections are available at Firestone Complete Auto Care.
Pro Tip: Due to the extra components and connections that the front brakes lack, changing the brake shoes on vehicles with rear drum brakes can be particularly challenging. Generally speaking, it’s better to always let a qualified service professional handle front and rear brake repair.
Is it simple to change brake pads?
You’ll be pleasantly delighted to learn that you can quickly, simply, and without specialized tools replace the brake pads in your car’s disc brake system. You will also spend much less money if you do it yourself.
How is a brake caliper reset?
One of the chores you must complete while installing new brake pads or before bleeding the braking system is resetting the pistons in your brake caliper.
To demonstrate the difference, a photo of a Shimano Deore M596 brake caliper before and after the pistons were adjusted is provided below.
Your caliper pistons can be repositioned in one of two methods. With the brake pads in place, it is the simplest method. To turn, merely insert a flat-bladed screwdriver between the brake pads. As a result, the brake pads will disengage, pushing the pistons back into their reset position.
Instead of going through the hassle of reinstalling your brake pads if you’ve already taken them out, grab a plastic tire lever and use it to push the pistons back into their housings.
Resetting the position of the pistons should never be done with sharp or metal tools as this could lead to harm.
After readjusting the caliper piston positions, you can now install your new brake pads or bleed block.