GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Hello,

I've only replaced the front brakes in my '07 Vibe once...and it took me about 2 hrs to do. Is this a normal time-frame?

I know a mobile mechanic who will replace them for $70 (only need the fronts) if I supply the pads & rotors. I'm thinking I might as well save myself the time and go this route.

Also...I used Wagner brakes & rotors and I was happy with them. Has anyone had a similar experience with this brand? They are a decent price.

That's about the going rate for any garage. Depending on your know-how, they can be done in less than an hour.

Basically:
-Jack up front of car and put jack stands underneath
-Take off front tires w/21mm socket
-Caliper unbolts w/17 and 14mm sockets. 17 for the bracket and 14mm for the guide pins. You could do just the guide pin and slide the caliper off from there if only doing pads. If doing pads and rotors, just need to undo the 17mm bolts.
-Remove old pads from caliper and clean up bracket as needed to ensure new pads seat correctly
-Compress caliper using a caliper compressor/c-clamp/channel locks. Preferably using the correct tool like a caliper compressor.
-Remove old rotors. If they're stuck on, a 5 pound sledge hammer to it can help get it off. Or using an m8x1.5 bolt (same as spare tire tie down thing) into one of the threaded holes on the rotor for it works too.
-Slide new pads into place. greasing the back sides of the pads where the caliper makes contact with it. Do not grease the side of the pad that touches the rotor.
-Grease slide pins.
-Reinstall tire and torque to proper spec
-Get off the jack stands.

That's basically the summation of the job if it goes appropriately. I've replaced pads/rotors in less than an hour and just pads in ~30minutes total.

Depending on your mechanical aptitude, you may find the second time much faster.

I like doing this stuff myself because I get to see other pending issues like CV boot tears, loose suspension and steering joints, body parts coming loose.

ya...my mechanical skills depend on whatever YouTube video I can find

it appears that I take a long time...so spending a few bucks might be worth it for me lol

thanks.

oh, and if you use an S hook to secure the caliper to the coil spring while your taking off the rotor (so it's not flopping all over). Don't forget to remove the S hook when your done.....

I know, sounds like a duh moment.

But I didn't.....and took the car for a test drive, and heard this noise like a piece of metal just came apart. Took the car back home, jacked it up, looked at everything. Nothing looks loose, broken or out of place.

Then I wondered if I removed the S hook, drove back to where I heard the noise, and guess what was lying in the road???? YUP... The S hook - undamaged.

Live and Learn....at least this one didn't damage anything, or kill me.

I just replaced the pads and rotors on my 09 Vibe last Saturday. It was my first time, and ended up taking around 5 hours. But that included setting up my new floor jack, a lunch break, sending my wife to pick up a part I needed, and a test drive at the end. Now that I've done it once, I could probably do it again in under 2 hours.

Last time I paid a mechanic to install my own pads, it cost around $100-120, so $70 sounds like a bargain to me. Those pads were actually Wagner ThermoQuiets, and the name was not accurate at all. They squealed the entire 3 years I had them on the car.

EBC pads.you can buy them on the internet EBC (English Brake Company). I had them installed on my chevy lumina. I,ve had the car almost 18 years. worst stopping car I ever had in my life. These EBC pads worked better than anything else I tried in over 240.000 miles.
they do put out a lot of dust . mechanic says try the ceramic next time

I'm going to have to take my car to a mechanic for the front brakes.

Rotors were locked on. Okay - penetrating fluid, and a mallet. No budging. Nada. More penetrating fluid, put the wheels back on, drove for a while. Picked up a set of jaw pullers.

More penetrating fluid, jaw pullers, insane amounts of torque, AND a mallet. Both rubber and steel. No movement.

I don't have a blow torch, so that's out. I refuse to try using a sledgehammer because if I shatter one, I can't drive.

I'd swear that the rotors have a nut holding them on, but I know that they don't - not on the 2007. My 2003 didn't have any of these problems, even at 296,000 miles.

Not going to touch the rear brakes (which probably need it more) until I get the front rotors replaced. I've never really had stopping problems on any of my cars. I suspect it's because I bed the brakes in each time I replace pads, and I replace the rotors if they heavily groove or show warp.

Go to your local hardware store and buy two M8-1.25 bolts (about 1" long). You will find two small, threaded holes opposite each other next to the hub opening on the rotor. (should be holes on the new rotors you can test the bolts in first ) Hand tighten the bolts in the holes, then alternate one slow half turn for each bolt. You will not need more than 2-3 half turns to add enough force so you can break the rust. If you do not hear the rust 'snap' after a couple turns, try the mallet again.

Before installing the new rotors, run a thin coat of brake grease around the outside surface of the hub to prevent seizing next time. Be careful NOT to get grease on the lug studs.

Also, make sure you have a large can of brake cleaner- you don't want oil of any kind on the rotor surface!

ehoff121 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 24, 2019 8:17 am Go to your local hardware store and buy two M8-1.25 bolts (about 1" long). You will find two small, threaded holes opposite each other next to the hub opening on the rotor. (should be holes on the new rotors you can test the bolts in first ) Hand tighten the bolts in the holes, then alternate one slow half turn for each bolt. You will not need more than 2-3 half turns to add enough force so you can break the rust. If you do not hear the rust 'snap' after a couple turns, try the mallet again.

Before installing the new rotors, run a thin coat of brake grease around the outside surface of the hub to prevent seizing next time. Be careful NOT to get grease on the lug studs.

Also, make sure you have a large can of brake cleaner- you don't want oil of any kind on the rotor surface!

I have _three_ cans of brake cleaner. Not my first rodeo. Plus carb cleaner, electronics spray, mineral spirits, kerosene, acetone, and Type F transmission fluid. (Okay, some of that I use for making gun cleaner)

ehoff121 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 24, 2019 8:17 am Go to your local hardware store and buy two M8-1.25 bolts (about 1" long). You will find two small, threaded holes opposite each other next to the hub opening on the rotor. (should be holes on the new rotors you can test the bolts in first ) Hand tighten the bolts in the holes, then alternate one slow half turn for each bolt. You will not need more than 2-3 half turns to add enough force so you can break the rust. If you do not hear the rust 'snap' after a couple turns, try the mallet again.

this is the key to replacing the rotors if they haven't been off in a while.

zbyers wrote: ↑Fri Jan 25, 2019 4:31 am

ehoff121 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 24, 2019 8:17 am Go to your local hardware store and buy two M8-1.25 bolts (about 1" long). You will find two small, threaded holes opposite each other next to the hub opening on the rotor. (should be holes on the new rotors you can test the bolts in first ) Hand tighten the bolts in the holes, then alternate one slow half turn for each bolt. You will not need more than 2-3 half turns to add enough force so you can break the rust. If you do not hear the rust 'snap' after a couple turns, try the mallet again.

this is the key to replacing the rotors if they haven't been off in a while.

Pretty sure these are factory. I bought the car with 135k on it, figuring I'd get another 150k out of it easily. This weekend is hopefully a maintenance weekend - transmission, oil, battery cleaning and water level check, wash the car (it'll be in the mid 60's), and if I go pick up a new set of pads, maybe I'll try for the rotor removal again. I've never had this much trouble with replacing rotors.

Currently, there's a definitely 'lip' on the rotors from the wear from the pads. They work, I just don't want to trust them - I bought NAPA rotors.

What ended up happening with those stuck rotors?