Just had my base A/T 2008 Fit serviced, oil change and tire rotation at the Honda Dealership (a good dealership!).
They reported the front brake pads are getting close to replacement at 71,200 miles, they measured 3 1/2 mm.
They suggested having them changed out at the next oil change, around 78,000 miles.
Until about 4 years ago, I did all the service work on my cars. I still have all the tools and equipment required to work on cars.
I just have a hard time justifying paying the dealership $150 to put $20 worth of brake pads on my car. The rotors are fine, and do not need turning.
So, is there anything special to know about the front brake pads on a 2008 Fit?
I did do a search of the site using "Front Brake Pad Replacement", and came up with nothing useful.
Any input would be welcome.
Gregg

 

buy: brake pads, small can of brake cleaner, and a small container or tube of caliper grease.

Watch videos on youtube if you are a bit uncomfortable doing it.


Cutting out details, main steps are: get wheel off, remove one or both caliper bolts (dont let it hang by the brake line!!), pull out old pads, spray the rotor with brake cleaner, wipe with old rag, use a big C clamp to SLOWLY force piston back into caliper, install new pads, dab grease on back to keep them quiet, clean and grease the caliper bolts/pins, and put it back together.


My way of breaking in new pads on old rotors is a series of hard braking. NEVER come to a complete stop while breaking in pads, as the heat WILL warp the rotors BAD.

I usually go 60mph and brake HARD to 10-15mph. slowly accelerate up to give the pads a chance to cool, then do a moderately hard brake to 10-15mph, then accelerate at a decent rate back to 60mph, then do a nice long but consistant brake to 10mph. slowly drive up to 60mph, and maintain for a while to cool the pads.


Test teh brakes out adn see if they are still a bit squishy, or if they now bite pretty good. Some pads do retain a lot of heat, and will feel squishy even after 5-10 minutes of highway driving. Just let them cool down a bit and go test the rbakes again later.



Ive had good results this way. you initially get that heat up, then you slowly use that heat to wear down the pads to the used rotors.

On new rotors (which is recommended if you feel the slightest bit of a groove) you can jsut do a few long braking from 70mph to around 10, maybe 3-4 times, and they are usually set pretty well

EDIT if you do feel grooves on your rotors, have them cut down, Honda allows a pretty thin rotor to be in service specs. Ive cut rotors 3 times before honda considered them out of service. I personally tell people to only cut a rotor once, then if it needs to be recut later in life, to replace.

 

Buy ceramic, low dust pads and do it yourself. It's a somewhat low difficulty job but as I always say. It's what stops your car, if you are a bit nervous about it.. Pay somebody to do it for you.
If you are still inclined to complete it, PM me and I will scan or take pics of shop guide on front pad replacement and email them to you.

 

Something I picked up in trade journal... Open the bleeder screw before you push the piston back in. That way any contaminants present don't get pushed back up into the ABS system or master cylinder and cause issues. And of course, top off the brake fluid reservoir with fresh DOT 4 brake fluid.

 

Watch the level in the master cylinder as you push the piston back in the level will rise and MAY overflow. you just need to remove one caliper bolt and loosen the other and the caliper swings up allowing access to the pads. Should take all of 10 minutes per side.

 

OP, here's another related thread you might want to look over:
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...rake-pads.html

Good luck!

 

Just had the front brake pads replaced on my wife's 07 Fit Sport. Car has a little over 50,000 miles. I have always had the dealer do the work and they also turn the rotors when they replace the pads. It was about a hundred dollars per side. I have no mechanical ability or interest in repairing or servicing my cars. Let's see, "Is it righty tightey and lefty loosey?"

 

Nothing special about the brakes. If you've serviced your own cars your whole life up until recently this should be a piece of cake for you. Single piston, one bolt to remove, you said rotors are fine, so pretty much as easy as it gets.

 

Service limit is 2mm so going to 78 k is reasonable. If you've ever changed disc brake pads you'll have no trouble doing Fit's. You can use clamping type wrenches (like Channel Locks) in reverse to press the disc back into the cylionder and filing off all sharp edges on the brake backplates is good too. I'd be very sketical of pads that cost $20; they might be from China & not very good
We recommend Hawk HPS pads because experience shows them to work on interstates, mountasin passes and track days, dry or wet and last a long time.
good luck