If you drive and brake aggressive I can see why your rotor can warp. I see it all the time at the tracks lol... but for normal driving seems like 15k is a little toooo soon. I got my brakes and rotors replaced at 30k. Now I think my pads are going out. Trying out these babies on http://www.more-japan.com/home.php?cat=1462 ... lots of my friends who tracks and do canyon runs have these brakes. Worth a try I guess... but not like I go canyon with the fit -_-

 

So I ordered some rotors and pads and would like to tackle this myself....

I have looked up a few videos on youtube to help me but I have some questions for those of you that have done this:


1) When pushing the pistions in the caliper back do I need to open the reservoir? I am worried about getting air in there or spilling fluid

2) Any unusual tricks specific to the Fit?

3) besides removing the caliper, are there any tricks to removing the rotor?


Overall difficulty level?

 

1. Get a Disc Brake Pad Spreader tool:

http://www.toolsource.com/prod_medium/67834.jpg

Yes open the Master Cylinder and place rags to catch any brake fluid because the brake fluid will eat your paint. Air will only get in to the MC if the fluid level drops below the minimum line.

2. Use anti squeal compound on back of the brake pads.

3. Get a impact screw driver to remove the rotor screws. Make sure to use a bit that has a real tight fit in the phillips rotor screws. If the bit does not fit real tight, you will chew up the phillips rotor screw. You will need a hammer to strike the impact screw driver.

Link:

http://www.thud.us/cartech/impact-screwdriver.jpg

 

I go to gmr like everyother day lol I go hiking around there at potato mtn and sunset ridge lol plus the switchbacks r fun on mt Baldy rd I'm at 20k and still about half left so idk how ur driving lol

 

Not sure about the Fit's brakes but... My previous Hondas (integras, Civic, Prelude) required that the pistons be "screwed" back into the caliper housing. There's a cheap tool that fits on the end of a socket wrench (cube shaped thing that universally fits most every car). This allows you to screw the Piston back into the housing. If the fit has this type of caliper, a C-Clamp wont work to compress the Piston.

As for the Rotors, I use a socket wrench and a #3 Phillips bit. Find the correct socket size for the back of a Philips "interchangeable" screwdriver bit and insert the bit into the socket wrench, then keep good constant pressure on the screw/bit while undoing the screws. Occasionally I need to hammer in the bit before using the socket wrench. this keeps the bit in nice and tight but this was only for a car with over 70K miles without a rotor being removed. On the Fit, the screws should come off easily.

~SB

 

No, no, no. The front calipers do not need the tool to screw in the piston. The front pistons need to be pushed in. It is the rear disc brake calipers that need the special tool to screw in the piston on other Honda/Acuras. But the Fit is rear drums so there is no screw in pistons.

The best way to get the screws off the rotors is with a hammer and impact screwdriver.

Buy these tools:

Bobstools - Lisle Impact Driver Set - Hand - 3/8"

Bobstools - Lisle Brake Pad Spreader - Disc

 

Yes, yes yes. Some Calipers require a special tool (or a pair of needle nose pliers) and since this car is not only sold in the US and it does come elsewhere with Rear Disc, this may apply. As it has been 4 years since I have done my brakes and I do not remember whether my fronts or rears were screw-type on my Integras or Prelude. I do remember at least one set was so I will say that you may be right that the front brakes on the fit are compression only.

There is no need to buy tools. If you have a hammer, socket wrench, and a screwdriver bit (almost eveyone has all three) you can get it out with no problems. especially on a newer car. I did all of my rotors on the Integra with just these tools at 7 years and 80K Miles of NJ/PA/VT Winters.

Welcome to the forum.

~SB

 

I have done hundreds of brake jobs on Honda / Acura. If you take my advice, you will have less agony. If you listen to idots, then you will learn through pain.

Buy the right tools and your life is a lot easier. Don't listen to people who have not done a brake job in 4 years.

 

- Back in the mid 90's Packard Bell Made Millions of computers and was the number one seller of PC's... ... they never made a good one!
- Jiffy lube employees have done thousands of oil changes each... most still don't know squat about cars.

Having the "BEST" tools is always a benefit but not a requirement. The job can be done just as well with some basic tools that everyone has and might take just a little bit longer than with the "right" tools. It can save people money.

And just because someone hasn't done brakes in 4 years doesn't mean they haven't done a LARGE number of brake and rotor replacements. It means they might... just might... have a 3 1/2 year old at home that takes priority of what they do now.

oh yeah... did I mention... welcome to the forum?

~SB

 

Well I think ur both smart and right lol welcome

 

If you want to do things the hard way, you can easily damage the 2 soft metal rotor screws and then you will wish you had bought the proper tools. Once you destroy the phillips slots on the rotor screws you will have to use a drill and drill in to the rotor screw, then you will have to use a screw extractor with a T-handle and back it out. Use half ass tools and half ass techniques and YOU WILL BE IN A WORLD OF PAIN.

Link to screw extractor:

Screw or Bolt Extractor - How to Remove a Broken Screw

 

Sheesh, a lot of ego flying around here.
Anyways, screwing the pistons back in is only required for rear discs because of the parking brake mechanism. It is not required for front disc or rear drum brakes.

The rotor screws are there mainly to hold the rotor on as the car moves down the assembly line at the factory. Having them might make resembling everything a little easier, but they are not critical. On my own cars if the rotor will stay in place on its own while I put the wheel back on I just leave the screws off.
If you futz them up or can't get them out just cut them off flush. Don't waste time with drilling or extractors.

 

How do you cut rotor screws off flush? The rotor screw head does not stick out from the rotor. The rotor screws are also counter sunk screws. If you have a damaged rotor screw, and don't use a screw extractor, you can use a hammer and chisle and keep tapping at an angle with the chisle to get it out but it's a bitch to do it that way.

Link to picture of Honda rotor screw in the disc (from this picture you can see that you can not cut it):

http://www16.brinkster.com/mikedrive...arencetext.jpg


Link to picture of Honda rotor screw (counter sunk screw pic):

http://www.tasauto.com/Product/images/2893600.JPG


Link to picture of a impact screwdriver in use from hondatuning.com:

http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/t.../photo_04.html

 

Leaving the screw off is a good idea, but if you don't want to do that you can get copper anti seize and screw it back in. A rule of thumb you can use is spray the hell out of it with wd40, it can make your life way easier. Like everyone else has mentioned you can do it with just your average joe tools, not everyone likes to buy tools that will only be used once or twice. On a side note if you have a dremel you can cut a slot back into the head to get a screw driver back in there.

 

If the rotor is still on you will obviously have to drill the head off. Easy enough to do and almost everyone has a drill. After that, if the screw is seized into the hub just cut it off. Don't bother trying to extract it from the hub because it is not a critical part.

Trust me. I think we all know what these parts look like.