Changing Your Front Brake Pads (and Rotors)

This procedure runs through changing the front brake pads and rotors on your Elan.

This material contained on this page is informational in nature only, and does not imply all knowledge needed to safely work on the braking system of your Elan! I will not warranty the contents nor will I take responsibility for your actions if you should attempt to work on your Elan's brakes based solely on these instructions. Brake pads may contain Asbestos dust which can cause cancer, and proper mask/ventilation should be followed.

Parts Needed

• Front brake pads (4 of them)
• Front rotors (2)
• Brake fluid (maybe)
• Tools Needed
• Protective gloves
• Jack and jackstands
• Wheel lug wrench
• Torque wrench (recommended and worth buying!)
• A 4mm hex wrench
• "Liquid Wrench" or other loosener of stuck bolts!
• A "pin drift", nail-set, or other small pointed tamp device
• "turkey baster" (read on!)

Removing Old Parts

1. Park car on level ground! Or, even better, put it up safely on a proper car lift.
2. Loosen all of the lug nuts a bit only before raising the car.
3. Then put the tranny in neutral and the parking brake on TIGHTLY!! (block the rear wheels)
4. Jack the two front sides of the car up and place a jackstand under each of the inner jackpoints.
5. Remove the front wheel on the side you wish to work on.  Be careful not to set it as to scrape its face.
6. Turn the front steering rack toward the side you are working on to help your access and visibility.  To do this turn the ignition key forward only enough to unlock the steering but not enough to drain the battery while you work!  The hubs can then be turned back and forth by hand as the front end is off the ground.
7. To remove the pads, simply remove the two round pins holding them in place! Be careful not to damage these pins!  The sliding action of your pads depends on them moving over these 2 pins. If in question replace the pins! Do not hit the ends of the pins too hard or you may deform them and make it difficult or impossible to remove or re-install them.
8. The pads may be withdrawn after the pins are removed. Pull them outward to remove--you may need to push the caliper in or out to help take the pressure off the pad you are removing. Some pads may have attached to them or separate spring-type devices--be sure you know if the pads you are installing have them or need them. Also note if you are removing the caliper to change the rotor, then you only need to take the pins about 25% out. This is because as you pull the caliper free from the rotor you can then slide the pads easily out!
9. Push back the caliper piston. This can be done easily (by hand) if you remove the caliper from the rotor. If you do not, then you may need some "caliper pliers" to do this properly. You could just pry it back with a screwdriver but you could bend or scratch things that way! Pushing back the caliper piston will put more brake fluid back up into the reservoir--you may need to siphon off a bit to keep it from overflowing!! (Now you understand the "real" use for a "turkey baster"!)
10. To remove the caliper you must remove the 2 securing bolts behind it.  Be sure not to let the caliper drop and pull the brake line!!!!! This could cause the line to get small tears in it which could be catastrophic!!! You can set the caliper up on the suspension temporarily if needed.
11. Clean up your caliper--get all the dust and grime off it so it will function better.
12. To remove the rotor you must take out the 4mm hex-head retaining screw. The rotor should now pull straight off.

I should mention here to check your rotor for proper:  thickness / surface condition / run-out if you are not changing it!

O.E. Front Rotor Specs:

• Thickness  24.0 mm
• Minimum regrind thickness  23.0 mm
• Minimum thickness (wear limit) 22.0 mm
• Maximum run-out (installed)  0.10 mm
• Maximum run-out (removed)  0.03 mm

Fitting New Parts

**Here I am writing this for installing new rotors (factory original or EBC grooved ones) and for EBC Greenstuff pads. As mentioned above, other pads may have retaining clips or springs that must be addressed too.

1. Place the rotor onto the hub and secure it with the 4mm hex screw. IMPORTANT: the EBC discs are "sided", meaning there is a proper "left" and "right"!! This IS marked on the box. (The grooves should spiral outward as the hub turns as in forward motion)  Stock rotors are not "sided."
2. Place the new pads onto the caliper (no they are not "sided") and over the pins that you did not fully remove. Then you can place the caliper back onto the rotor, holding the pads at the sides in their places. If the pins were removed completely then you can either partially install them and do as just mentioned or you can put the caliper in place first and then drop the pads into place. If you did not remove the caliper then you did remove the pins completely and so you can just put the new pads into their places astride the rotor.
3. Now carefully tap the 2 pad-retaining pins back into position. The first will go more easily than the second. You will most likely need to gently tap the pads a bit to adjust them to allow the pin to pass through them properly. The EBC pads do not require any springs or other parts with them.
4. Be sure the caliper bolts are properly tightened (63 - 81 lb./ft. = 85 - 100 Nm).
5. Re-mount the wheel and tighten up the lug nuts (59 - 65 lb./ft. = 80 - 88 Nm).
6. Check the brake fluid level.
7. Pump the brake pedal a few times to restore the caliper pistons to their working places; then recheck the brake fluid and add as needed.
8. Assure the brake reservoir lid is on, and all was done according to plan! Then put the car back on the floor carefully.

Getting the most from your new brakes!

This is paraphrased from my mechanic:

"I have had experience with EBC pads for the last 10 or 15 years. EBC pads work well but need to be "bedded" and "cured" properly right away to get the most out of them.  To do this you must take your car out and give the brakes a big workout! Do about 10 "full power" stops from a good speed (40-60) one after another. The goal is to get the pads bedded into the rotors and to heat up the pads to max temp.  There should be a bit of smoke coming from the pads if you do this properly!! This will allow the pads to cure properly. Then just drive regularly for a bit to allow them to cool properly."

Notes

No I am not going to write about caliper overhauling or brake line bleeding.  Either or both of these may need to be done to get your brakes working in optimum condition however!

Have fun saving money and learning about your Elan.

Let me know if I should add anything else.

Happy Elaning, Doug