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Showing content with the highest reputation on 06/28/2020 in Posts

  1. I changed my brakes on all four wheels. A year ago when state inspected was told rear brakes were low and I got them to pass it. There was uneven wear on one side so one lining was getting thin but the rotors were pretty bad. I thought it was due to the hybrid braking but looking at videos on the Ford Focus, the deterioration looks similar. I decided to do the fronts too so I did not have to deal with the mechanics not passing something. I probably could have gotten by with just one rotor in the front. Linings were like 60%. I am glad I did it if just for the fact of becoming aware of the stuck on wheel in the front (see #1) (55,500 miles, 2013 C-max, parked outside) Thoughts for people that are considering doing brakes themselves. 1. One of the front wheels was rusted on. (WD40 did not help enough.) I ended up needing to use the new style brake piston compressor as a spreader in aiding to break it off. I pushed off the spokes of the wheel as close as I could get to the center. I am now leaving the essential parts of the piston compressor in the car in case I need to change tire and can't get it off. ( I have a spare.) I did put some silicon grease on the wheel that might help and sanded the rusty areas. ( I did some thinking and some research afterwards. One youtube video showed hitting the rim and tire with a rubber coated sledgehammer. And then mentioned if that doesn't work, with loosened lugs nuts drive in a circle. I like that idea if the spreader didn't work. What usually works for me is kicking the tire. With spreader the kick worked.) 2. Used a brick to break the rotor off. A hammer just wasn't heavy enough. 3. I bought rotors and pads for both wheels off ebay for around $100. 4. I am getting older and I used a written rear brake change plan to make sure I didn't miss something. I probably should have done that for the fronts. (Forgot to put on a clip, needed to take wheel off again. It took me about twice as long as I thought it would. 5. A torque socket T45 is needed. The rest is pretty standard metric sockets, small extension, breaker bar. 6. I used some silicon grease and anti cease to lubricate bolts and pads. It may have been better to get brake lube. I actually did not lub all the pads right. I should have looked at where the pads rub and lubed after that. I did use that rubbery quiet stuff on the rear pads and some of the front ones. (another thing I forgot) 7. I looked at videos on youtube for ford focus to do the rears. 8. I bought a brake piston compressor kit that also turns which was needed for the rear brakes. (around $20) Picture order (front, rear, front wheel that was rusted/corroded stuck) (Note the rust on the front rotor was because I left it out in the rain after I took it off.)
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