jeremy1

i have an event coming up this wknd and am gonna need to swap break pads at least a couple times but i have never done it. is it easy? can i do it? is there a good write up online?
anything will help.

jeremy

iTrader: (1)

get a haynes.

darkwaveboi

yes it is fairly easy, a beginner should be able to do it. Just make sure you torque everything down right so you dont have any problems further down the road

Samps

If you have 4 piston front brakes then you can change pads in about 3 minutes. They have a nice window that you can swap the pads through.

And what sort of event could you be running in (that would require midrace pad swaps) without the knowledge of how to change brake pads?

jeremy1

ITS MY FIRST EVENT
I AM DOIN AN OPEN TRACK DAY WITH NCRC
I THOT THAT I SHOULD GET SOME NEW PADS SINCE I KEEP BEING WARNED ABOUT AHVIN GOOD BRAKES AT SEARS POINT.
THANKS GUYS!

Evil Aviator

I think that's a bad idea for a nubie. Don't you have any friends who are experienced mechanics who can crew for you?

Anyway, in addition to the regular tools and equipment, you are going to need some gloves to keep from getting burned on the hot brake parts.

Also note that you can't use your parking brake when the brakes are hot, otherwise you will weld your rear brake pads to the rotors and/or warp the rear rotors due to uneven cooling. Chocks generally require additional hands, so you will need a pit crew of some type.

There is a write-up on changing brakes in the Factory Service Manual. See How-To's/Manual:
http://fc3s.org/

Evil Aviator

Oh, you are changing your brakes BEFORE the event? In that case, just see the FSM link for instructions. You are going to need some serious brakes for Sears Point. You should remove your current pads and rotors. Be sure to mark them, or keep them in a set somehow so you know where they belong when you convert back to street brakes. Then, get new rotors and Hawk Blue brakes, and follow the Hawk instructions for seating the brakes. Also change your brake fluid. Castrol LMA may work, but something like Castrol SRF would be better. Note that the Hawk Blue pads are very abrasive when cold, so you shouldn't use them on the street. When you convert back to the street brakes, be sure to keep the race brakes in sets for the next race.

Barwick

do NOT change the pads on the track yourself unless you know EVERYTHING (and I mean EVERYTHING) about what is going to happen when you do that.

You can get into some SERIOUS trouble changing pads in the middle of a track day.

Ever hear of Green Fade? Well if not, don't even think about it. Get those new pads on right NOW and break them in properly (including a high-temp burnoff of excess resin as directed by a proper racing pad break-in)

jeremy1

gotcha thanx so much for the advice guys.
i got some race pads coming from pr motorpsorts. and i will have about 1-2 days to break them in. sounds like a job for me. thanx agen!
jeremy
i'll have pics when i get back