Man really thinking about doing it on my own now lol after reading this:
http://www.cockeyed.com/lessons/brak...eshoes06.shtml

Maybe I will do it next time. :D

 

if you have jack stands, just jack the car up from the cross member under front bumper and do both front wheels at a time

or jack the car up in the middle on each side and do one side at a time

 

I might do it when the car gets older (2005). But for future reference I got some questions:

1) The higher performance rotors and brake pads, can they be installed just as easily? For example are the Brembo Big Brakes easy to install or require more work?

2) Is replacing the rotor just more of taken apart everything in the wheel well?

3) I know there are no electrical parts of car brakes but if someone were to mess up, what are the common things they mess up on?

4) How long does the typical person take to replace 1 axel of brakes considering they can only lift one corner of the car at a time?

Thanks

 

1. i would just do regular brakes and rotors maybe slotted rotors if you want. a BBK is A LOT more work

2. replacing rotors is just as simple as doing just pads only extra thing you do is take the bracket for the caliper off.

3. only electric parts is the abs sensor which you dont have to touch. if you were to mess up it would be breaking a bolt, which isnt that common, you cant really screw up a brake job.

4. when i do brakes i kinda take my time it takes me maybe 30-40 min per corner if i go real slow. average is 20 min a corner.

you can do it, i have faith in you, its the same difficulty as doing an oil change lol

 

Don't get a BBK. Its such a waste unless you hardcore track your car to spend thousands on brakes. The two FRONT, just the front, Brembo BBK's cost $2595 from Dezod. Or you can get the OEM replacement rotors with Stoptech pads for $252... I'd say spending 3 digits on brakes that work fine > spending four digits on ridiculously overkill brakes.
My .02¢. (although a BBK has an awesome cool factor )

 

unless you get a BBK for 3 digits

 

I'm not even gonna ask. lol

 

If you have an iphone4 we can facetime and ill show you how to do it live. I still want a case of miller.

 

It's 19F today. Even if I was a professional mechanic, I doubt I would do it myself lol. I don't have iPhone though. Still thinking about getting one. I'd ship you some good old IC Light straight from Pittsburgh haha. I still haven't received my confirmation call from Monro. I find it funny how they write on their site after you do the online appointment registration: "Your appointment is not final until we call you". Yet they never do. Then they call me during appointment time asking where I am. Midas does the same thing.

If I opened a car shop, it'd be called Pit Stop because my crew would work like maniacs during a Nascar race and get through customers like crazy.

 

do your own breaks! Just watch videos on line and look at pictures. Pretty much how i taught my self everything.

 

It takes me longer to jack the car up and take off the wheels than it does to replace the brakes on the tC. Super simple. Unless you have to bleed them you don't need any help at all.

 

I'd do it if it was warmer. I still need to buy a jack anyways. No way I'm using that POS that comes with the car. I've seen those fail in person and it ain't a pretty sight lol. I think I could get to the step where I'm at the pads themselves. Not sure if I would break the fastners off though. I am not sure how to do the grease either. I understand the thing about moving the piston back. I know you can't just squeeze it quick because of the pressure of the line. So I would need to buy a C clamp and slowly squeeze it in. My biggest complaint is taking the tires off with a solid jack. If there was a way to do it without removing the tires, then I'd definitely do it. You are talking to a guy that took out the entire interior just to add fatmat for the sound system hehe.

Anyways, still waiting for this stupid call:

"We will call you to confirm your appointment. If you need to
reschedule, please contact the service location. Thank you for
choosing Monro - America's largest company owned and operated
auto service center!"

MNRO - Monro Stock - Market Cap $972 million... I wonder how everyday lol

 

haha i changed my tcs springs on that POS stock jack. Funny sight. I also used a pipe as a breaker bar. Ghetto work for the win!!!

 

Try it

 

Heh I put my coils in with a shovel and used zip ties as spring compressors

 

Haha.

I still don't get some stuff from the DIY on this site:

1. Do the pads just slip out and it is the caliper that holds them in place with that 14" nut?

2. Does the grease go on the side where you clip the metal piece? I don't think you would grease the side that touches the rotor.

3. After you press the piston back in, do you take off the C-clamp then? I'm not sure if the piston will push back out or what. I don't see how you can put the pieces together and the piston behind the rotor with the clamp still on the piston.

4. As far as brake fluid, I assume it is all under pressure. Your foot presses something that forces the fluid at a high pressure to hit the piston and the piston connects to the the pads. Is the brake fluid pressurized and if so, how come it is not refilled more often? I often remember the MacGyver episode where he cut open coolant reservoir on the car that didn't have brakes and was going down the road and he poured that into the brake reservoir. Classic episode.

5. Are all pads the same? Or do others offer better performance? I don't see how a pad can be better if they use the same material and they have to fit a certain shape and size for the tc.

6. What I hate is how the rotor rusts completely except for the part that gets rubbed by the pads. Why can't they create a rotor that doesn't rust? It makes that part of the car look bad and it makes working on it suck. Especially if the bolts are rusted too.

I'm learning a lot. Thanks!

 

Answered to the best of my knowledge (not racing, just repair and maintenance)

 

Thanks a ton! SL is the best forum of information IMO. I guess somewhere down the line I will look into buying rust-free rotors. It is just aggravating to see it so shiny on the face and then look like rusted crap everywhere else hehe.

 

All i wanted was a free case of miller lite.

 

Man so typical. Monro Brake & Muffler never called to confirm. So I tried calling them at 3pm to confirm the confirmation. I heard a click after 3 rings and then I started talking to myself - literally. It would echo. That places is mad shady. I remember I tried to get an oil change one time and left the car over 90 minutes while I walked to eat, went through Wal-Mart, and walked around the block and came back and car didn't move. I went back and grabbed my keys and said I have no time for this. The guy was surprised. Bunch of idiots. I must have been stupid to try them again!

I set an appointment instead with Midas since they did the brakes the first time. However, if I don't receive a call back from them in the next 24 hours, I think it is the Scion Gods telling me to do it myself. I already have the jack I want to get, the stands, and the tire holders on my wish list on Amazon lol. I believe I can change the brakes if I can change the spark plugs. The more I think about this, the more I just want to go out in the parking lot now and rip the tires off the car!

If Midas doesn't work, I will invest $100 (probably would spend more on labor alone) on the materials, go buy some decent pads on dezod, and get it done this weekend! Yeahhhh budday! I will take pictures for everyone's entertainment too haha.

Let's hope Midas calls me back though. I probably have to go to Lowe's to get a 6" C-ring and latex gloves too. Oh well.