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P.S please ignore times on the pictures i forgot to take some so had to take later/reput things back together to take them.
Just a few points before I start:
Firstly I am confident and comfortable in my ability to change braking components, although it is the first time I have done it in a live environment away from college.
Secondly, please PLEASE support your car on axel stands and do not rely on a jack. I know we are all sensible however I feel it is worth a mention.
If you do undertake this task then I can take no responsibility for any injury or damage as a result of following my guide.
Sorry for the above as it is pretty boring stuff to read, but heres the guide itself with the tools i used first.
Tools required:
Car Jack
Axel Stands
Rags (for around brake fluid reservoir)
Rubber Mallet
Copper grease
Flat head screwdriver
Bungee chord (or support for the callipers)
Torque Wrench
Ratchet
6mm and 8mm allen keys
17mm and 16mm sockets
10mm Deep socket
16mm spanner
Heat gun (optional)
Dremel with wire brush attachment (optional)
Most are in the following picture:
These first few steps are kind of obvious but I have put them in anyway without pics.
Once you are confident you have all of the tools you will need, start to loosen the bolts on the rear wheels, then jack the rear of the car up and place on axel stands. I used the Diff as my jacking point, some people aren't happy with this, bus use what you are happy with. As we are dealing with the rear brakes, ensure the handbrake is released and you have chocked the front wheels.
Once supported securely on the stands proceed to remove the wheels and undo the lid on the brake fluid reservoir under the bonnet. I placed rags around it incase any fluid tried to escape whilst pushing the pistons back.
Once you have the wheel removed you will be left with the following brake disc and caliper visible (this is actually once its completed, forgot the before pic):
Next we need to remove the caliper itself to get access to the pads, disc and then the handbrake shoes. First use a flat bade to prise off the caliper clip:
Next we need to push the piston in the caliper back to enable removal of the caliper. As the old brakes will most likely have a lip on the edge, this stage is necessary or it will get stuck on the lip. For this you can use a clamp or mole grips or something similar. I gripped the brake pad and the back of the caliper to apply the force:
Now to take the caliper off, there are two 16mm bolts on the back, this is where the heat gun comes in handy if the bolts appear seized. Give them a bit of heat for a minute or two. Mine is only a cheap one but it worked a charm as there isn't much room to get big leverage tools in. I was able to use the socket on the top bolt but due to the brake line, the lower bolt had to be undone with a spanner.
This is the top bolt in roughly the middle of the picture, the view is from above the brake disc.
Once the bolts are undone you can remove the caliper, I used a bungee chord wrapped around my suspension spring to hold the caliper up. This was to ensure the weight of it didn't put any stress on the brake pipe that is connected.
You can now tap the brake pads out of the caliper, you may need your screwdriver and hammer to knock it out.
Next grab your 6mm allen key and remove the disc retaining bolt, this is between two of the wheel bolt holes. If you're disc doesn't come off easily, double check your handbrake i released and then take a rubber mallet. A few heavy whacks and your disc should loosen up and come off.
In the below picture you can see the handbrake equipment that is now exposed after removing the brake disc.
To the left just out of sight, you have the wheel adjuster (item 4 on the bmminiparts link), on top is the handbrake shoe, the spring in the middle of the shoe is to keep the shoe seated properly. On the right is the expanding lock (part 3), the bottom shoe is identicle to the top.
A spring connects each of the shoes, one on the expanding lock side and one on the wheel adjuster side.
http://www.bmminiparts.com/DiagramView.aspx?DiagramId=44609&MOSP=47635
Now to remove all of the handbrake parts, my method is as follows:
Use a flatblade screwdriver to pry off the spring at the expanding lock side.
Turn the hub to align a wheel bolt hole with the handbrake shoe retention spring, this allows you to use a 6mm allen key to turn it upto 90degrees so it pops out.
Do this to both shoes, and then you can use your hands to expand and pull the shoes, wheel adjuster and remaining spring off.
Now is a good time to give everything you can see relating to the brakes a good clean - out came the dremmel with wire brush attachment. Cleaning not only makes it easier to get new parts seated properly, but also gets rid of the crap that can cause parts to stop moving. So pull the slider off the caliper, clean this as well as the rest of caliper (especially where the pads will sit), clean all around where the handbrake assembly will be seated.
Heres a few pics of different parts with the cleaning:
Expanding lock:
Slider:
Caliper:
Once you're happy all the crap is off it's time to put in your new handbrake parts, this is pretty much a reversal of the removal but heres some pics for my method:
Set up your handbrake shoes, adjusting wheel and spring to put around the hub:
Next put on the shoe retention springs using your allen key - this can take a bit to get right so be patient:
Finally is the spring for the expanding lock side, i found it best to put it in the bottom shoe and use a flatblade to pull the top into position. it didn't seat fully in the hole so i had to get a smaller screwdriver and hammer to knock it in properly:
Now is a good time to turn the adjusting wheel to expand the shoes. If you wait until the disc is on it will take a while to get to the desired number of turns. However do not expand too much or the disc will not fit back over the shoes.
Now you can put on your brake disc and secure with the retaining screw. Put your pads into the caliper, using copper grease/slip or similar product on the back of the pads and the slider. ensure you do NOT get any on the front of the pads or the discs themselves.
Re-attach the caliper to the hub assembly and voila.....
Step back, take a pic, be happy with your achievement, and then think "b******s, I've got a lot of typing ahead of me now"
To finish the handbrake adjustment I'll direct you to this fantastic guide that has already been put on this site a few times. If you already expanded the adjustment wheel prior to putting the disc on then you will not need to re-remove the disc. just have patience.
http://redirectingat...D0%26t%3D510153
To show you what you are looking for when the disc is on, I took this pic as it gives you a good idea:
Finally lower your car, pump your brake pedal and close the brake fluid reservoir.
Hope this doesn't bore people too much and that it is of some use to you all.
Apologies that some of the part on the pics are not highlighted.
Any questions just ask
oh and if you are only changing the discs and pads, you don't need to remove the handbrake parts at all - I just did everything at once.Finally a pic for Jorge and Daz:
My arch in need of a good clean...
