Front disc pads - inspection, removal and refitting
Note: Refer to Warning 2 in Section 1 before starting work.
Warning: Always support the vehicle on axle stands before removing the roadwheel to service brake assemblies.
Inspection
1 At the intervals specified in “Routine Maintenance”, place a mirror between the roadwheel and the caliper and check the thickness of the friction material of the disc pads. If the material has worn down to 1.5 mm or less, the pads must be renewed as an axle set (four pads).
Removal
2 Slacken the roadwheel bolts, raise the front of the vehicle, support with safety stands (see “Jacking and vehicle support”) and remove the roadwheel(s).
3 Using a screwdriver as shown, prise free the retaining clip from the caliper.
Prise free the retaining clip
4 Using a 7 mm Allen key, unscrew the bolts until they can be withdrawn from the caliper anchor brackets.
Undo the caliper anchor bracket bolts
5 Withdraw the piston housing and tie it up with a length of wire to prevent strain on the flexible hose.
Remove the caliper piston housing
6 Withdraw the inboard pad from the piston housing: the pad being secured to the piston by means of a spider-type spring clip.
7 Withdraw the outer pad which is secured in position by a piece of double-sided adhesive tape.
Refitting
8 Clean away all residual dust or dirt, taking care not to inhale the dust, as being asbestos based it is injurious to health.
9 Using a piece of flat wood, a tyre lever or similar, push the piston squarely into its bore. This is necessary in order to accommodate the new thicker pads when they are fitted.
10 Depressing the piston will cause the fluid level in the master cylinder reservoir to rise, so anticipate this by syphoning out some fluid using an old hydrometer or poultry baster. Take care not to drip hydraulic fluid onto the paintwork, it acts as an effective paint stripper.
11 Commence reassembly by fitting the inboard pad into the piston housing. Make sure that the spring clip on the back of the pad fits into the piston.
Inboard pad assembly to piston
12 Peel back the protective paper covering from the adhesive surface of the new outboard pad and locate it in the jaws of the caliper anchor bracket.
13 Locate the caliper piston housing and screw in the Allen bolts to the specified torque.
14 Fit the retaining clip.
Retaining clip refitted
15 Repeat the operations on the opposite brake.
16 Apply the footbrake hard several times to position the pads against the disc and then check and top-up the fluid in the master cylinder reservoir.
17 Fit the roadwheel(s) and lower the vehicle.
18 Avoid heavy braking (if possible) for the first hundred miles or so when new pads have been fitted. This is to allow them to bed in and reach full efficiency.