Although each element of replacing brake discs is fairly straightforward, it is a lengthy process and there is a lot which could go wrong.
Brakes are vital to the safety of both you and your passengers, so there is no point taking any unnecessary risks. If you feel at all uncomfortable with any parts of the process, stop what you are doing and get a professional to take a look for you. There is no reason to compromise your safety and the safety of others. If you are worried about the price of getting someone else to change the discs for you, then the best thing you can do is shop around for different quotes.
At Autobutler you can get up tp quotes from different garages for the replacement of your brake discs.
Get quotes for a brake repair.
Scoring
If your brake pads have worn out then this might lead to a process known as scoring. If this is the case, then not only will you need to replace all of your brake pads, you will also need to change your brake discs.
How to replace brake discs
- Loosen the nuts on the wheels of your vehicle before you jack it up off the ground. It can be quite dangerous once you have raised the car off the ground.
- Once the car is safely and securely raised using the jack, take all of the wheels off completely. You will need to do this in order to have full access to the brake discs.
- If the discs are held on by callipers then you will need to remove them from the bracket. The calliper may be bolted on, in which case you will need to take off the bolt first.
- Once you have removed the calliper, make sure to hang it out of the way so that it doesn’t obstruct your access to the discs.
- Once the calliper is removed, the next step is to take off the fixture that was holding the calliper in position. This is called the carrier. It should only be held in place by two or three bolts which make it very easy to remove. Make sure that you keep hold of the bolts though; you’ll need them when it comes to putting everything back together.
- Once the calliper and carrier are out of your way then you will have full access to the brake disc and will be able to remove the old one. You should find that there are a couple of set screws which hold it in place from the front. These have a habit of working themselves very tight, so be prepared to put in some elbow grease to get them loose. In extreme cases, where the screws have become damaged in some way, you may need to drill them out. Try very hard to avoid this if at all possible because it will only cause you more problems.
- Once you have managed to take off these (sometimes stubborn) screws then you should just be able to slide the old disc from its position. If it doesn’t shift easily straight away then it may be a good idea to give it a couple of taps with a hammer to get it moving.
- Then it is just a case of carrying out all of the previous steps in reverse! Slide the new brake disc onto the hub and screw it back on. If you are planning to use the same screws which were holding the old brake disc in place, make sure that you inspect them thoroughly. If they look even slightly worn then you should probably replace them, otherwise you could end up with far more problems.
- Bolt the calliper back into place and replace the wheel carefully.
- Repeat all of these steps for all of the discs you need to replace. It will probably only be the front two.
- Test your brakes. When it is safe to do so, drive a short distance and make sure that the brakes are working as they should be. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, take your car to a workshop straight away and have a professional check it over.
Replacing Brake Discs is Not a Minor Repair!
Most new cars will come with brake discs on the front two wheels. This is because the front wheels can provide up to 80% of the power needed to stop your car and therefore the brakes will wear faster at the front. Brake discs tend to last a lot longer than brake pads so most car manufacturers have taken to using them on the front wheels to prevent drivers from having to change them quite as often. The process of fitting new brake discs is not that difficult and doesn’t require any specialist equipment. It can be quite satisfying to know that you did the job yourself and will also save you money.
Get quotes for a brake service.
All about the Brakes
- Brakes repair and replacement
- How to paint brake calipers
- How to make your brakes last longer
- Which brake problems can you get
- How to change brake discs
- Where to Get Cheap Car Batteries
- Why a service of brake fluid and hydraulics is so important
- How to change brake fluid
- What are backing plates?
- How to diagnose your brake problems
- How to change brake pads
- How to use a Brake Bleeding Kit
- What is a Brake Bleeding Kit
