How To: Change Rear Brake Discs

[nrgizerbunny]

Right well along the lines of sanj's haynes manual and general screw ups. Here's my latest guide to changing the rear brake discs. This was done on my Corolla but the brake system on most UK built toyota's is the same. Made by TRW with rear discs and a handbrake system in a drum inside the rear disc.

Things you will need:

1. 21mm Socket for the wheels

2. 14mm socket for the carrier bolts

3. 12mm socket for the guide pin bolts

4. flat bladed screwdriver

5. a G Clamp

1. right the first thing to do is to loosen the wheel nuts and then jack the car up. I can't emphasise enough how important it is to make sure the car is supported properly, as it places way more stress on the body than you'll ever get in normal use. I use the wheel jacking point with my jack underneath and then i put an axle stand as close as i can get to the wheel changing point with only LIGHT pressure on it. Here's my dad with my 2ft long breaker bar!

Make sure you put some bricks under the front wheels and leave it in gear, as you'll have to take the handbrake off

2. Once you've got the wheel off, you should have something that looks like this.

3. Next job is to spray some penetrating fluid. WD-40 or something similar and leave it to work for 10 minutes. I would personally go for a rampant spray on every bolt on the brake assembly as invariably it will be caked up.

4. Once you've left that for 10 minutes to penetrate, its time to remove the guide pin bolts. These aren't particularly tight so you can get them off with a spanner.

If you can get a 6pt spanner or socket on it, then do it. these bolts are easy to round.

There are two of these, and here's the other one, take them both out

5. Take the caliper off, tie it with a bit of string or rope to the suspension or leave it on the trailing arm (which is what i did) just make sure the hose isn't under tension. Once you've done that. take the pads out.

6. Now its time to take the carrier off. these are 14mm (IIRC). again use a 6pt spanner and undo these, there are two of these. You will need something that is at least 30cmlong to get them undone unless you've got a ramp!

here's the other one. I'm using a 60cm breaker bar and it was tight!

[nrgizerbunny]

7. Now take the carrier off

8. If your disc pulls off, then skip this step. If it doesn't then its likely the shoes have ground into the disc drum bit, so you have to retract the shoes. Spin the disc round so the black dust plug is towards the bottom and then remove the black dust plug. have a look through (you might need a torch) and see if you can see a toothed wheel. Spin this upwards and the shoes will retract. I have taken a photograph here of the disc removed to show the position of the wheel and what it looks like.

If the disc still doesn't come off with the shoes retracted or your disc has seized on, then you need to get 2x8mm bolts and drive these into the jacking holes provided.

If it sticks, and mine did, you'll end up with 2 halves of a brake disc! I think mine was damaged beforehand but can't be totally certain.

9. Once the brake disc is off, you'll have something that looks like this. Make sure you give the hub a good clean, I used a wire brush and then some fine wet and dry to get the corrosion off. Then grease the hub with copper grease and its time to put the new disc on.

I went for dinner and came back, hence the change in lighting!

10. Now put the disc on (clean with meths) and then flick the adjuster wheel out, so it grabs the disc lightly. Use a flathead screwdriver

Once you've done that, back the adjuster wheel off 6 notches. Although not shown, you can use the wheel nuts to hold the disc on securely. and then reinstall the rubber shield.

[nrgizerbunny]

11. Install the carrier and bolts, torque up to 107Nm, at this stage make sure you check the guide pin bolts move freely.

12. Put the new pads in, grease the back (i forgot and had to do them again) and then install 1 of the guide pin bolts. I suggest you do the one nearest the front of the car.

13. Then have alook in the bonnet at the brake fluid resevoir, if its on the verge of overflowing syringe some out,ot put a arag round it. Get a G clamp and push the piston back. Only a few mm is required as the rear pads don't usually wear much

14. Reinstall the other guide pin bolt and tighten to 32Nm.

15. Grease the hub, to stop it sticking!

16. Reinstall the wheel and torque up to 110Nm (IIRC)

Right thats it, Hope it helps someone out.

Sanj

[nrgizerbunny]

Can someone make this a sticky and NOT move it to the workshop forum because nobody looks in there!

oh and bring the other guides back as well!

[ae102]

clean the hub first - i find a small draper wirebrush attachment on a drill perfect. coppergrease isnt recommended anymore with so many electrical sensors nearby. Toyota supply a white grease - i still use coppergrease with no problems tho.

[Hogie]

Yea sticky please, that a handy guide. Seeing as the car goes through disc quickly. Save some member a bit of money

[nickw]

This is brilliant. I need to change my rear discs too. Where exactly have you placed your trolley jack and axle stand. I am a bit worried about where to place them as is it is not clear in the book and the car jack point does not look man enough for a trolley jack or axle stand Or any one else. Where do i put them ?.. cheers...........

[Jock Fran]

Just FYI for anyone doing this.

The torque settings above are incorrect. They should be:

Carrier Bolts - 46.6 Nm

Slider Pin Bolts - 27 Nm

Wheel Nuts - 103 Nm

[nrgizerbunny]

Looking through my australian corolla manual it says carrier bolts 87Nm. Are you sure its 46.6Nm? that seems ridicioulsy low to me.

[Jock Fran]

Yeah, I guess you've got the same manual as me. Sounds like you're looking at the wrong section. I'll post the pic............

That manual is a right pain to navigate around!

[scarydeath]

I joined this forum primarily to say many many MANY thanks to that guy who made this! YOU ARE A GOD! This saved me many hours of frustration.

Thanks!

[davidg]

thank you

thank you

thank you

[Armand]

Thank you for this kind of forum post! I now got to see what are the procedures in changing a Brake Disc, particularly with the rear part. I definitely learned a lot on this topic. Hope you keep it up!

[Mitar_Bgd]

I would like to thank you too. This is a great post. Thanks again.

[BusDriver]

Hi,

Can I add my thanks for this too. This actually answers a question that I had posted in the Verso section of the forum.

Cheers,

Martin

[aarghJimlad]

help!

The disc will not come off i forced bolts into the holes but when i saw the disc bending i backed off. The parking break adjustment hole was not quite at the bottom, but i managed to turn the adjustment cog a few notches upwards, but all i've managed to do it tighten the break, my adjustment cog looked different to the picture above it's a lot thinner.

I can't spin the wheel to align the hole with the adjustment cog unless both wheels are off the ground i guess.

So i put it all back together thinking i'll drive forward to get the hole at the bottom, the wheel doesn't turn

any advice appreciated, the cog needs to spin down or up to loosen the break?

[aarghJimlad]

help!

The disc will not come off i forced bolts into the holes but when i saw the disc bending i backed off. The parking break adjustment hole was not quite at the bottom, but i managed to turn the adjustment cog a few notches upwards, but all i've managed to do it tighten the break, my adjustment cog looked different to the picture above it's a lot thinner.

I can't spin the wheel to align the hole with the adjustment cog unless both wheels are off the ground i guess.

So i put it all back together thinking i'll drive forward to get the hole at the bottom, the wheel doesn't turn

any advice appreciated, the cog needs to spin down or up to loosen the break?

I managed to fiddle the cog back down eventually, it is really hard when the hole isn't lined up, you can't see whats inside, the cog is a lot thinner see picture below (down is the loosen direction for the cog on my avensis) I would advise anyone to line up the adjustment hole with the cog before you do anything, once you have tried to use bolts to push the disc out it will be jammed and can no longer be turned to line up, i did this on the other side where it was also nessesary to slacken the hand break pads first.

[tutinet]

EBC redstuff for street ????

Not bad but good are for street ??

[Jamesbelfast]

As nice post but just a couple of comments.

No need to be so heavy handed with the copper grease (anti-seize compound) a light smear is quite sufficient as there is a risk of it contaminating the shoes. In fact brake manufacturers do NOT recommend its use within a mile of brakes.

Also it is essential on cars with ABS the bleed screw be opened when retracting the piston otherwise there is a risk of damaging the ABS control valves. I use one of the old discs as a spacer between the piston and G-clamp. THe fibre side to the pistons reduces the risk of damage.

Alos when fitting new rear brakes or pads it is advisable to release the handbrake cable adjustment - then re-adjust if necessary after adjusting the shoes.

[eDrive]

Brilliant article. I managed to do mine in just over an hour following this piece. Thanks a mill. Can anyone tell me please, is the little wheel underneath the black dust cap for tightening your handbrake? Mine is a little loose and I have to pull probably 9 or 10 clisk before it holds the car, but it wouldn't hold the car on a steep hill. Is all I need to do is to tighten that little wheel under the dust cap? Thanks

[Owen1]

Thanks! that was fun to read