DIY front and rear brake pad replacement Help!

[cstorm10]

I had my tires replaced at my local Honda dealer and they told my that i would need new front and rear brake pads. I told them that i would replace them myself. The mechanic kinda got snooty with me since i was going to do them myself. I told me that if i didn't do it right that i would have to come back and have the calipers rebuilt, because you can't compress the pistons like in a car. I have the service manuals and it does not say anything about this. Is there any truth to this and if so what is the proper procedure to replace the brake pads?

Thanks,
John

 

[tlartist]

You can push the pistons back to make room for new brake pads. Clean them off first before doing so you don't push crud back in. Easy job. If you have the manual just follow that.

 

[drrod]

Very easy to replace the pads. I use a large flat blade screwdriver and slowly and gently use it to pry the pads back. Push with the "sharp" end of the screwdriver against the old pad so that you don't mark up the disc. Just remember to go slowly and the pistons will retract back easily. Takes a fair bit of pressure but not as much as you would think. Make sure you have enough room in your brake reservoir to accommodate the fluid that will be forced backwards in the system. It is a good to clean the pistons before you push them back as well. Take your time and you will find that 5-10 mins/caliper is all that it takes. After replacing the pads, pump the brake levers a few times to bring the new pads back into contact with the disc. As for not being able to compress the pistons like a car......I think he was trying to scare you into letting them do it. They compress the same way as in a car. At least any car I have done.
Rod

 

[st1300r]

You can push em by hand LOL. :nuts1:

Clean the pistons with brake fluid (not brake cleaner) then push them back in.
You may have to hold one while pushing the other for the sets. Block of wood or the old pads work as a spacer.

Silicone grease on the slides and hanger pin.
They're easy to do.

After trying the oem's and ebc's I've settled on the oems.
Seem a little more grippy in the rain. ymmv

 

[Shadowfax-ST]

DIY!!! And I'm no mechanic!!!

Knowledge is power

As posted by the guys above.

All of the pads are easily replaced with the callipers in situ. But, particularly to clean around the forward piston of the rear calliper (which I found is most likley to sieze over time) I find it best to loosen the calliper from the wheel spindle/ axel and locking bolt to get a MK1 eyeball and toothbrush in there properly. (You can clean the locking bolt thread with a wire brush and use medium strength thread lock rather than replacing the bolt.)

The rear wheel nut (23mm with 81lbs/ft torque) and spindle needs some thought but isn't difficult with the right tools - and you only need to lift the exhausts (just 4 x bolts), not take them off, rotate them, or anything. Check the Articles section. Its mostly in there.

Use brake fluid to clean around the pistons but dont get any on the disk (why I now loosen the callipers as this reduces the contact / drip risk). Brake cleaner is good for the disk, but not the rubber seals around the pistons, which it likes to eat, I understand.

Rocket Science

Some of this was rocket science to me a couple of years ago but now I do loads of stuff myself with the help of a PDF workshop manual, confidence, and the good people in here. Again, check the Articles / brake threads for related tasks and you can piece together what you need to know.

STealer

As for your STealer - now you know what a bunch of :censored lying, cheating, thieving good-for-nothing-blaggards they can be when they want to take food off your table and put in onto their own. I suggest a darn good one-way phone call to put them right on this point so they won't be so eager to fleece you in the future when you really do need their time.

Other advantages

If you master the rear / front wheel removal in full you can save more $$$$ taking wheels in for new tyres. You can also better clean the ST's nether regions and get at those dirty exhausts / forks better.

Doing your own pads is satisfying and enables you to time pad changes to when they're needed rather than when a service is due.

Loosening the callipers assures you can check the torque of their bolts more frequently than perhaps the STealer might.

Removing the rear wheel gives an opportunity to dig out and replace old Molly grease with new.

You get calloused hands, which attracts new partners so effectively you need to fight them off with that torque wrench.

​

I'm happy to help more if you can't dig out the info. Just ask. Im sure (hoping, actually) further great hints will follow yet, too...?

 

[st1300r]

iirc the rear is 27mm aka 1 1/16" not 23mm.

 

[Tom Mac 04a]

The hardest part of a pad change is ;

1) if the small metal clip at the inside of the pad placement falls out ( very common, but you may wonder how it goes back... there are pics on the site )
2) the hex retaining bolt for the pads, if someone used the wrong locktight it can be hard to remove.

After these two, peice of cake, just take yr time

 

[Shadowfax-ST]

iirc the rear is 27mm aka 1 1/16" not 23mm.

See? The job's really easy. It's the maths that'll grab you!! (Thanks, Carl).

 

[Mellow]

The hardest part of a pad change is ;

1) if the small metal clip at the inside of the pad placement falls out ( very common, but you may wonder how it goes back... there are pics on the site )
2) the hex retaining bolt for the pads, if someone used the wrong locktight it can be hard to remove.

After these two, peice of cake, just take yr time

This article is how to clean the rear brakes but the pics should help as the brakes are basically very similar. Pad changes are not bad at all.
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?101206-ST1300-Rear-Brake-Piston-Cleaning

 

[cstorm10]

Thanks for all the great advice. I thought there wouldn't be a problem and that they were just trying to get some more cash.