The following information shows the steps to change the rear brake pads and rotors on an E36 chassis.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "The following information shows the steps to change the rear brake pads and rotors on an E36 chassis."

Amberly Greene
5 years ago
Views:

1 1 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM See More DIY Articles Bookmark Site! The following information shows the steps to change the rear brake pads and rotors on an E36 chassis. Disclaimer: The following information details the steps which I used to perform this brake job on my car. If you do similar work on your car be expected to deal with problems that may arise which are not documented in these steps. Some of these problems may require tools which are not listed here or skills that you may not possess and almost always take longer to resolve than expected. Caution must be taken to properly secure your car when working underneath it to avoid injury (or death). Because of the critical nature of the braking system, injury or death may result to yourself or others if the brakes are not properly installed. If you are not comfortable performing these steps, seek help from a qualified person to assist you. Preparation Before starting the work shown here I measured the thickness of the rotors in advance and determined that they were very close to the minimum thickness and purchased replacement rotors in advance with the new pads. The minimum thickness for E36 rear rotors are as follows: Solid: 8.4mm Vented: 17.4mm M3 Vented: 18.4mm The rear rotors on our 328i Cabrio measured in at 17.44mm or.04mm left. Not that much and I figured that it was worthwhile replacing the rotors while I was in there replacing the pads.

2 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM A) 2 new brake rotors B) 2 new rotor mounting bolts C) set of 4 brake pads D) Wire coat hanger E) Anti-squeal brake lubricant F) Small sledge hammer G) Hex sockets (6mm and

2 2 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM A) 2 new brake rotors B) 2 new rotor mounting bolts C) set of 4 brake pads D) Wire coat hanger E) Anti-squeal brake lubricant F) Small sledge hammer G) Hex sockets (6mm and 7mm) H) Slotted pipe wrench I) Socket set J) Gloves K) Torque wrenches (should span 16 Nm to 110 Nm) L) Trouble light M) Brake cleaner Not shown: Degreasing product (I use Simple Green), rags, anti-seize compound, wire brush Safety notice: Before changing the rear brakes, you must be prepared to jack up the rear of the car and place both sides of the car on jack stands as both wheels must be removed at the same time. In order for this to be done safely, you must be able to put blocks on the two front tires to prevent it from rolling as you must release the parking brake as well for this job. The process of changing the brake pads or rotors exposes the brake materials which will release brake dust into the air. Brake dust is harmful and should not be inhaled. Work in a well ventilated area and take the necessary precautions to avoid inhaling brake dust. Step 1: Block both front wheels securely.

Step 6: Remove the plastic covers from the caliper guide bolts.

3 3 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM Step 2: Jack up the rear of the car and put both sides on jack stands. Step 3: Remove both wheels. Step 4: Release the parking brake. Step 5: Starting on the passenger side, remove the brake pad wear sensor cable from the retaining clip. Step 6: Remove the plastic covers from the caliper guide bolts. Step 7: Using the 7mm hex socket, loosen the upper and lower caliper guide bolts as far as they will go. On the rear brakes, the shock will make it difficult to access the caliper guide bolts so you must use a relatively slim ratchet.

4 4 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM Step 8: Using a flat screwdriver, carefully push the caliper bolts through the rubber bushing so that it can be pulled out from behind.

5 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM Step 9: As you will be installing brake pads that are likely much thicker than the ones in place, you will need to push the caliper piston

5 5 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM Step 9: As you will be installing brake pads that are likely much thicker than the ones in place, you will need to push the caliper piston back into the caliper so that the new pads will make it over the rotor. An easy way to do this is to use the wooden handle levered against the shock pulled towards you.

6 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM Caution: If your brake fluid reservoir (in the engine compartment) is full close to the top, pushing the piston back into the caliper as stated above may overflow the

6 6 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM Caution: If your brake fluid reservoir (in the engine compartment) is full close to the top, pushing the piston back into the caliper as stated above may overflow the reservoir. As such, you may need to remove some of the brake fluid from the reservoir if it gets close to the top. If this technique doesn't push the piston far enough into the caliper, you can use the adjustable pipe wrench - placing a rag over top of the piston so that the rubber piston gasket is not damaged. Step 10: Using a screwdriver, pop out the anti-rattle clip.

7 7 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM Step 11: Bend the hanger over one of the spring coils. Step 12: Pull the caliper assembly out from the rotor. Hang the caliper on the other end of the wire hanger so that it does not hang free and strain the brake fluid hose.

8 8 of 20 1/18/2010 9:15 PM Step 13: Carefully disconnect the wear sensor cable clip from the inner brake pad. A small metal clip attached to the end of the sensor cable may fly out when you remove the sensor - don't lose this as you will need it when the sensor is reinstalled. Step 14: Remove both the inner and outer brake pads. Step 15: Using a 16mm socket, remove the two brake pad carrier mounting bolts then remove the carrier. These two bolts are torqued on quite tight so you may have to use a long breaker bar to remove them.

minimum allowable level, remove brake fluid to the midway point before proceeding.

minimum allowable level, remove brake fluid to the midway point before proceeding. 1 of 6 12/7/2011 6:45 PM aution: Refer to Brake Dust Caution in Service Precautions. Caution: Refer to Brake Fluid Irritant Caution in Service Precautions. Removal Procedure 1. Inspect the fluid level