2004 corsa brake pads

[jime17]

Hi, just a quick q.

My corsa has just had 2 year service (1.2 engine 16000 miles)
the brake pads are worn 80% according to dealership so I said i'd buy the parts and give it a whirl myself.

I'm not a complete novice and understand how these things work and am not bad machanically, but i lack a bit of confidence with things ive never tried before. (all together now--- ahhhhh)

Anyone with any experience of this particular vehicle and any tips/knowledge of how long i can expect to take and whether this is a can of worms I'm going to regret opening?

thanks for any help forthcoming,

jim

 

[Steve]

my dad has changed the brakes on most of his cars - theres not much to it. get yourself a haynes for your car, and all the details should be in that.

do make sure you do everything right though - brakes are not something you want to cock up.

And it helps to have an able assistant to draw off excess brake fluid while you press the piston in at the brakes. Old, dry water bottle with sports cap is good for this (squeeze bottle, submerge cap in fluid and release bottle, and it will suck up the fluid)

Drum brakes are a little trickier to change, but i expect the haynes will cover that. (1.2 corsa i would expect to have rear drum brakes, front disc brakes)

when you have jacked the car up, put a few bricks under the car so it wont fall down no matter how much hammering you do!

 

[mdni]

yeah easy enough on the front and back if you have the right tools.
either a 7mm alen key or 12mm socket for front and a 17mm socket to remove the rear hub nut.

 

[naebothernoo]

brake pads are a doddle first push back the pads a little off the disc, this pushes the piston back into the caliper. then undo two allen screws which hold the caliper to the mounting. then the whole caliper should lift off the mounting, leaving the pads fitted to the disc, just lift them off, but make sure you have a good look to put them back on the same side. I would recomend vauxhalls own pads as you get all the anti squeal shimms (small chrome clips) and a small packet of brake grease in the kit. just push the piston all the way back into the caliper and rebuild. You should pump up your brakes before driving. I have found that my corsa used to take a day or so before the brakes were fully efficient

 

[jime17]

thanks for the advice all. I didnt think it was too hard so i'll give it a bash in the week. only trouble is that its too new a car for a haynes manual. they dont do one as yet.

How about torque settings for the caliper bolts? anythoughts?

 

[Steve]

2 year old corsa? no haynes?

 

[jime17]

i checked haynes website. it only goes up to 2003.

 

[naebothernoo]

had both, brakes seem the same on earlier and later corsas

 

[jime17]

ok i'll try that one. thanks again for all your input

 

[cjbigboy]

Don't forget to pump the pedal up after the new pads are in. I used to work at a Ford dealership where the entrance to the service bays was on a steep slope.

One mechanic once changed the pads on a fiesta, didn't pump the pedal, reversed out of the bay at great speed couldn't stop and went through the showroom window.

We did laugh!

Seriously though, front corsa pads are a doddle, make sure you put either supplied grease or copper grease on the back of the pads, seen that done loads of times

CJ

 

[jime17]

will do. all I need now is some advice as to how to get myself a few spare hours to do it! well what with spurs nearly being in europe, the fa cup final and the world cup looming i just cant seem ti find any time!

 

[keyplayer]

Call me a tight wad if you like, but as they're only 80% worn, I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. Start to really worry when you hear metal on metal!

 

[darkarius]

spoken like a true pro, key. lol

 

[jime17]

just done it! piece of pi... cake.

the old pads probably had another 5 thousand miles in them, but once i'd got round to doing it I thought i'd might as well carry on.

thanks for all your help.