Brake install questions

[Big House]

I did the search but did not get the results I wanted so I ask here now. Is the brake job (changing rotors and pads) on our cars pretty straight forward. I got sometime tomorrow morning and got my EBC pads and rotors in so I plan on doing this tomorrow. I have changed a many a brakes, just not on my Rauder. I will do a little recon this afternoon and check out what I have to work with. Any information, help and tips are welcome. Thanks.

[KillJoy]

Is the brake job (changing rotors and pads) on our cars pretty straight forward


Yup.... about as straight forward as one can be...

KillJoy

[Blackmobile]

I've only seen a problem getting off the rear wheels.

[magindat]

1) The back wheel may be stuck to the rotor hat from electrolysis. Some have used a dead blow hammer, some kick, others have let the car down slightly with the lugs off just enough to break the bond.

2) Stock rotors have a thin spring steel retaining washer on one of the lugs. Clip it off with a pair of dykes. Don't try to save it. You'd be wasting your time.

3) Chock the front wheels when working on the rear and don't set the parking brake or else the rotors won't come off.

4) While you have the caliper 'flipped' out of the way, simply remove and replace the rotor. Make sure you have direction and side right.

5) While the rear rotor is off, check/clean the parking brake assembly and replace parking break pads if necessary. They work as a drum brake inside the rear rotor hat. The front is cake. Same as rear, without parking brake.

6) Replace pads and grease the slides.

7) Apply a super thin coating of anti-seize to the contact face rotor-to-wheel.

8) Makes sure you 'bed in' the rotors and pads.

9) Re-torque your lugs after the bedding process.

On the ground, one wheel at a time should take you no more than about 30 minutes or so a wheel. So, give yourself 3 hours from setup to cleanup.

[Jimimac43]

Blackmbile, you have the mods I am interested in for my 03. How much of a H.P. and Torque improvement do you have. I want the cold air induction, cobra exhaust, and some sort of tune. My car is a daily driver too. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I thought I would ask directly and get better information.

[magindat]

Blackmbile, you have the mods I am interested in for my 03. How much of a H.P. and Torque improvement do you have. I want the cold air induction, cobra exhaust, and some sort of tune. My car is a daily driver too. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I thought I would ask directly and get better information.

Send him a PM.

[Jimimac43]

I just did that, thanks and excuse my dumbosis, I am still trying to learn to navigate these things.

[Blackmobile]

Blackmbile, you have the mods I am interested in for my 03. How much of a H.P. and Torque improvement do you have. I want the cold air induction, cobra exhaust, and some sort of tune. My car is a daily driver too. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I thought I would ask directly and get better information.

Well my seat of the pants dyno says I'm at 300 HP's doorstep if not slightly above. The CAI, DR cobra exhaust & tune, lets the car breath enough to produce a mass amount of HP & Torque to the tires, while the under drives let it get up into the power band faster. But I do modify my tune a bit to be on the edge most of the time. :burnout:Getting the rear rebuilt and 410's added wasn't a shabby upgrade either:burnout:.
And to think I did this to a MM with 71K miles on it.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

One thing that everyone overlooks is adjusting the rear parking brake shoes when you install new rotors. The shoes may drag on the smaller ID parking brake drum on the new rotors (mine did, slightly, until I adjusted it). I brought the adjusters out, with the wheels installed, working through the backing plate, until the shoes were touching the rotor such that I could not spin it by hand, and then backed off 10-12 clicks per side. You do not want to hot spot your shoes and heat your rear rotors up by assuming the stock adjustement will be close enough.

[1stMerc]

Well my seat of the pants dyno says I'm at 300 HP's doorstep if not slightly above. The CAI, DR cobra exhaust & tune, lets the car breath enough to produce a mass amount of HP & Torque to the tires, while the under drives let it get up into the power band faster. But I do modify my tune a bit to be on the edge most of the time. :burnout:Getting the rear rebuilt and 410's added wasn't a shabby upgrade either:burnout:.
And to think I did this to a MM with 71K miles on it.

How many miles you got on her now, since the 100k mile stone?

[Blackmobile]

How many miles you got on her now, since the 100k mile stone?

It now has 110k miles,and it in shop for a upgraded Bullet proof Tranny.