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Get comfy, here goes...
First off, he's crazy. Unless you run into anything out of the ordinary, you shouldn't have to replace your calipers. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
If your car is fairly rust free, that's a big plus. Go to a car wash and blast out each wheel real good before you start.
I recommend removing fluid from the reservoir so the amount left is on MIN line. There won't be a ton pushed back into the reservoir, but enough that you should remove some. I still surround the reservoir completely with an old towel. If it overflows, you're fine.
Discard the old fluid. Top off the reservoir when you're through.
You do not have to bleed the brakes.
Jack the front of the car up. Put her on Jackstands. Remove wheels. Start on drivers side. Turn steering wheel to the right for best access to caliper.
Follow your Bentley directions
You need something to punch out the old pins. An old, small screwdriver works. Once they're tapped out they come right out. The spring clips pull right out with a needlenose plier. The old pads and shims literally fall out. Make a mental note- or one on paper-as to how they look.
Use a can of Brakleen to clean the inner surface of the caliper, a soft cotton towel to wipe down the piston. Inspect the rubber boots for cracks or fluid leaks. After 17 years they might be funky. This is the only point where if you see fluid leaking around the piston rubber boots or see the rubber is so fragile it looks like it could blow away-- that you would worry. If so, you need to consider buying a remanufactured caliper. If you're sure it's bad, stop here, and check the other side the same way. If you must order a reman-caliper, leave everything as is till they arrive, or you'll be doing everything again if you put the pads, shims, pins back on.
OK, Calipers are good. You're sure you need new rotors because - you have bad front brake pulsing, or there is a major groove between the pads and the old rotor material and you've heard metallic grinding.
So unbolt the two big bolts in the back of the caliper, but don't remove them yet. Have a piece of webbing or rope handy. Three feet worth. Feed the rope through the caliper and tie it to the coil spring so that when you remove the rotor, the caliper doesn't drop. Remove the 10mm bolt from the rotor face. Now remove the 2 caliper bolts. Here's the little dance: you'll need to have enough wiggle room with the caliper not hanging tight and the loose rotor...pull the caliper back towards the rear of car, giggling rotor a bit...pull rotor off while holding caliper. The brake lines will flex a bit, that;s fine. Now tie caliper back on. Wipe the hub off. Wiggle the new rotor on while caliper is untied. Do the dance, wiggle-jiggle. GOT IT> tie the caliper again. Put 10mm bolt in rotor, bolt on calipers.
Assuming all is well, take one of the old shims or pads and place it up where it was against the piston (you'll see the circle marks). One side at a time, use a pair of channel locks to slowly squeeze the piston back into the caliper. You'll need to squeeze it enough where the circular metal piston receeds SLIGHTL into the now bulging rubber boot. This will be evident at you do it. I squeeze the piston with the caliper with my channel lock/old pad method till it's even, then with my bare fingers, squeeze it a little bit more past that boot. Then do the same for the other piston. You'll need the room for the new pads.
Follow Bentley directions. Use plenty of brake grease between pad and shim, pads and where they touch metal, the pins, clips, just NOT on the side that touches the rotor. Obviously.
When you put the new (or old) pins back in, notice the tiny hole in it. Face it out toward the back of the car so the retaining clip is easy to install in the hole. The + looking clip is goofy to get in. Notice the way it rests when you take it off. You have to muscle it in a bit. Use your needlenose plier and some other screwdriver to pry it on. Once it's on you'll see it's fine.
Repeat on pass side, turning your wheel to the left now.
Take your time. Have all your tools, sprays, etc laid out around you for easy access.
Lastly, before test driving, make sure to pump the brake pedal a few times to build up pressure again.
Good luck. You'll be laughing with delight at how easy it becomes.
--
89 245 'loaded' with a Great Pyrenees
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