From: bense@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Ron Bense)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: front disc brake question
Date: 10 Sep 92 12:53:13 GMT
Reply-To: bense@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Ronald Bense)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

In rec.autos, dlou@KRUSHER.UCSD.EDU (Dennis Lou) writes:

>Try doing a first generation Honda Accord (76-81)!

>After that traumatic experience, I vowed I was only going to keep the car
>until I graduate, then buy a new one.  It is now two years later and
>40,000 miles later, I decide to continue on to grad school which starts
>next week.  My pad backing just decided to grind itself into the rotor again.

>AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I understand that one. But if it was only last week, and you haven't
driven them much, and you obviously don't intend on keeping the car
more than about 2 years, why don't you just quickly replace pads? Turning
rotors isn't always necessary, and depending on how badly you've gouged
them, they may or may not need it. As an aside, After 40,000 miles,
you should expect this. Generally brakes need servicing (at least on
every car I've owned, 6) around 25-30k miles. There is no such thing
as lifetime pads. These are wear items, and if you don't follow the
manufacturer's recommended servicing, your car might last a hell of
a lot longer than the manufacturer said. Yes, that's right, *DON'T*
follow the moronic servicing guidelines they give you. Oil breaks down
around 3k miles depending on your engine and driving style, not the
7.5k they tell you. And those funky large air filters really don't seem
to last more than 20k effectively, not the 30k+ they say. Oil is probably
the most important fluid in your car, to make them last a long time.
I've driven 2 to 150+K, and both engines were fine. One suffered severe
frame trauma, and died, the other was rusting in unimportant places
like under the driver's seat, and had the aspects that diesels are famous
for, so it too, died as far as I was concerned.:)

>Doing the drums on the back seem like child's play compared to replacing
>front rotors.

I've never seen them, so I couldn't comment. I know that the first time
I did mine, with the spring system and clips they have in there, I was
bemoaning fate worse than death also. Then I figured out  how all those
things go together, and now can pretty much do them in no time. BTW,
I have to remove the wheels to inspect my pads, too. The wheel is in
the way, otherwise.As for removing the rotor from the hub, try tapping
the hub portion of the rotor with a hammer while attempting to wiggle
it, and use some penetrant. It's how I got mine off, but your's might
be an interference fit, I don't know. MIne rely on the lug nuts to hold
them against the hub.

>The moral of the story: it isn't always easier servicing disk brakes.

I've not worked on yours, but so far I've done the following cars with
discs - 74 Maverick, 79 Corolla, 78,79 Celica GT, 85 Fuego, 82 Volvo,
and an 88 Celica Alltrac. I also think I managed a Pinto and a Sunbird
in there, as well as an Escort, but those weren't mine. Oops, and a
Nissan Pulsar, the pocket rocket in some manager's dream. They were
all easier than the drum brakes that were on some, and the drums on
a 72 buick whatever it was.

Ron

Potassium Benzoate included as a preserver.
Newsgroups: rec.autos