My 2010 is in need of a break job and I'd like to tackle it myself if I can. Does anyone have detailed instuctions on how to replace brake pads, shoes, how to check rotors and drums for wear, and how to bleed the brakes when finsished?

Thanks,
SS

 

Here is some info out of a 2009 honda fit service manual.

I copied it into a pdf

 

have not done it on a fit yet but have on a subaru, not that hard, mostly what you have to do is replace the pads, if the rotor is like a phonograph record and the grooves are deep enough that you cant easily drag your finger nail across it then they might need to be addressed. you have to measure the thickness and look up how thin is supposed to be too thin. bleeding the brakes is not necessary if just changing the pads. but every three years you are supposed to change the brake fluid and then brake bleeding will be necessary. don't know anything about the drum brakes but they wear very little being on the rear, the front ones do most of the work and wear faster. rotors were once very expensive but have gotten much cheaper so if they are really bad look at replacing them when you replace the pads. need to know what size wrenches are needed and would be good to know how much torque they need when you replace them, can get a torque wrench pretty cheap at harbor freight when they are on sale. look on you tube for videos for your vintage fit and you will probably find good information. problem in the boston area is winter salt and rust. my subaru brakes got rusted up and the lower slide rails seized up, the pads would wear thin at one end and be thick at the other, so if the boot for the slide pin is torn up, or they are sticky/rough where the caliper slides in and out then you might need to address those parts. check out you tube till you find a couple of videos that show the procedures you need to do.
if things are really rusted then that can make the job take much longer as you have to persuade parts to start moving. good if you have a second car in case you break something or have to get stuff you didn't know you would need

 

So you live in the Boston area...hmmm...so do I. Do you have a garage with a lift by any chance

 

While I'm totally confident changing pads/rotors on disc brakes, I've never messed with drums/shoes, and am terrified to do so.

I'm at 90k miles on my 2009 Sport and I've never even looked at my rear brakes. Do I need to mess with them? I don't hear any grinding or noise or anything when I brake.

 

northern NH, nope, don't have a lift, i wish, but i do know about salty roads, and cars that have a white crust on them from the windows down, kinda like a pretzel

 

I just did the rotors and pads for the fronts last week, had trouble getting the front rotor off the hub since it was seized on. Youtube it for instructions, and use the proper torque specs.

 

First rule of drum brakes, only do one side at a time so you can tell where the parts go.

Buy a pair of brake pliers, they will remove the retainers for the shoes without you bleeding.

Drums are no harder than pads if you pay attention and clean everything.

I recommend using pre-stuffed replacement wheel cylinders in the rear. IF you have more than 80K on the car.

Rock auto sells the drums cheaper than you can have them machined for.

They also sell pre-powder coated front calipers..

Cheers

 

Pads are easy, rotors are too. Calipers are not, because they require you to bleed the brakes. Read up on that one before doing it.

Rears are not hugely difficult, but not as intuitive as the front. Partially I think that's because you stare at your front brakes all the time, but you can't see drums at all until you take them apart. And an older, somewhat rusted drum can be enough of a pain I don't know I would even try it.

Pro tip: Your parking brake applies the rear drums. If you have the parking brake on, you'll wonder why the h*ll you can't get the drums off - it's because the pads are stuck tight to them on the inside! [Some cars don't work like this; but this is the standard ebrake setup for a long time].

 

BTW. If this is your first change of pads ... and they've worn down from the initial ~1/2 in to something more like 1/4 or less ... then I can predict that:

1) The rotors won't need replacing yet. Not unless you are getting shuddering under braking or they have rings gouged into them
2) Rear drum pads will have plenty of life. Good idea to open and clean them (spray with a bike pump, not with your face up close) but not frankly necessary. The rears apply much less force than fronts

Your mileage, as they say, will vary. Someone who coasts mostly to a stop will get 2x the life as someone who accelerates towards red lights. Pads are pretty cheap, though.

 

Not a bad idea to pull the drums off (release parking brake as fujisawa notes) to inspect the rear shoes, but at 90K you probably still have 50% of the brake material left. I'm at 99K and did the front pads at about 90 for the 2nd time. Rears have lots of material left (yes there's a minimum service measure in mm, but I don't remember this offhand).

If the drums don't pull off easily (and the parking brake is released) they're held by rust to the hubs. Honda provides a couple screw tapped holes in the drum for inserting a bolt (sorry don't know the size) and pushing against the hub as you advance the bolt. Or hit it with a hammer (at your own risk).

 

Thank you for posting.

Are these instructions applicable to a 2013 Fit?

cheers!

 

Should be but honestly not 100% sure