Installing new brake pads ...question...

[BradValk48237]

Have new front and rear brake pads (OEM) and was reading shoptalk, Sgt Joes tips,  and he did not say to remove any fluid before hand..... other posts, and Clymer say to remove some fluid before pushing the pistons in a bit.......
Sooooo... to remove or not remove is the question....  Prefer not to, since I just flushed and changed fluid a few weeks ago..
 
Thoughts???

B

[Joe Hummer]

Brakes and clutches are a closed loop system.  If you haven't added any fluid to the reservoir, you don't have to remove any. 

[rangernight]

If you just changed the fluid then you will probably have to remove some, I had to when I changed mine just last week as the pads where paper thin and after pushing the pistons in the fluid was going to go over the resivor-------

[hubcapsc]

If you just changed the fluid then you will probably have to remove some, I had to when I changed mine just last week as the pads where paper thin and after pushing the pistons in the fluid was going to go over the resivor-------

Also... it is going to be hard (I'll go out on a limb and claim impossible  ) to avoid mashing contamination
back into your calipers if you don't take the pistons out (ie - drain all the fluid) and clean them first.
In this picture, I cleaned the pistons without pushing them out any, and then pushed them out some - the seals
don't start right away, you can see there is contamination back there you can't get to otherwise...



-Mike

[vanagon40]

Yeah, as stated previously, if you just changed your fluid, it will likely be necessary to remove some unless you left the reservoir really low.

The other possible option (rather than remove the reservoir cap) would be to open the bleeder when compressing the piston, and allow the excess fluid to escape through the bleeder.

I just changed my brakes and did siphon off a small amount of fluid from the reservoir.  I also spent more time cleaning the calipers and pistons than any other part of the job.  No problems so far.

[MP]

If your reservoirs are almost full, when you put on new pads, you will need to compress the pistons.  This wlll/can overflow the reservoirs.  IF this gets on your paint, your brake job will cost you a paint job.  Just take the caps off, and suck up a little fluid.  Replace when done.

MP

[tlanz]

OR... simply crack open the bleeder screws prior to SLOWLY squeezing the pistons back into the caliper! (yes, put a piece of hose on the bleeder to direct the flow into a waste container)