Three Jobs need to get done before Saturday...

**Naaman** · 12-06-2017, 04:04 PM

Hey Guys,

I've got some new rotors and pads, a new power steering pump, and the oil/filter needs to be changed.

Oil is no problem; I've done brakes once before on my wife's car (I don't feel super confident about the process, but I think once I get the wheels off, it will all come back). Never done a power steering pump (did my water pump about a year ago and was successful, no problems).

I have ramps and jack stands.

Looking for tips on what order to do things in, any "secrets" that make the jobs simpler, etc.

Also, when I swapped my wife's rotors, it was because they were very warped. I think the tech who did it didn't do the break-in. When I do the rotors on my car, I will not have access to a rural road to be accelerating and decelerating hard... any good tips to mate up the pads/rotors in a busy area (maybe late at night...?) or will I just have to drive out of town to do it the right way?

Concerning the power steering pump, I have looked at some vids, but looking for any tips or experience that may make this job smoother. The new pump came with the pulley installed on it already, so I'm glad of that. There is a thread on here, but I can't see any of the pics (expired host acct?).

Help much appreciated.

***SMWS6TA*** · 12-07-2017, 06:00 AM

You'll not be so glad it was installed already unless there are some access windows on the pulley and not completely filled in like the stock pulley. There are 3 bolts that must come off to remove it off the mount. There is a fourth one that doesn't secure it to the mount but holds the plate to the front of the pump. IIRC they are 13mm bolts. I've heard of ppl getting the pump off without pulling the pulley but it is a MAJOR PITA doing so. Remove the pump 1st before disconnecting the high and low pressure lines. Drain the fluid out of the reserve as much as possible. Use a turkey baser. One reconnecting the lines make sure you take great care with the o rings. That damn 60 cent o ring can easily tear and if it leaks will kill you alternator over time. After losing 2 of them in a year I relocated mine to the passenger side. Rent the pulley tool it will make it go quicker and IMHO easier. Just make sure you look at the threads on the puller very well. A-holes will rent them and then strip the threads on the bolt.

I, a couple of years back, replaced my pulley to a Turn One pulley. It's steel and has access windows to be able to pull the pump with out removing the pulley. Most PS pump issues are always the o ring on the high pressure side.

**Naaman** · 12-07-2017, 06:58 AM

Thanks, Scott. Yes, I will be installing the Turn One pump/pulley. Unfortunately, they no longer sell them with the reservoir, so I'll have to reuse my old reservoir. I will definitely be getting the pulley puller for the job. Maybe get an o-ring set as well, just in case.

***SMWS6TA*** · 12-07-2017, 08:29 AM

Yes on the o ring set. It's easy to swap the reserve over.

**Naaman** · 12-07-2017, 12:06 PM

Turns out that the pump only came with one o-ring and when I took my stock one apart, there was no o-ring to be seen....

**pajeff02** · 12-07-2017, 03:21 PM

Bleed the power steering with the front wheels just off the ground. With the fluid topped off, slowly turn the steering wheel from lock to lock. You may have to repeat this several times and keep checking the fluid level as you go.

**Naaman** · 12-08-2017, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

Bleed the power steering with the front wheels just off the ground. With the fluid topped off, slowly turn the steering wheel from lock to lock. You may have to repeat this several times and keep checking the fluid level as you go.

Yup. When I was a private in the army, I had to do this for one of the mechanics who was trying to fix a power steering problem in a humvee. Of course, my squad leader decided to make a PT session out of it and had me doing it as fast as I could (wheels on the ground). Luckily, I was strong. Was a piece of cake back then.

Anyway, everything is all buttoned up. It was a pretty easy job, but took me forever--like all day--to track down that pressure line o-ring. Other than that, I'd say I spent maybe 2-hours on the job. Finished up just as the sun went down.

Thanks for the help, guys.

**Naaman** · 12-08-2017, 05:59 AM

Hey, for the brakes, I'm seeing people spraying brake clean on the new rotors before install, supposedly to remove an oily protective film from the rotor. Is that really the correct thing to do?

***SMWS6TA*** · 12-08-2017, 06:14 AM

Yes, otherwise you contaminate the pads. That is an oil base fluid to prevent rusting in the box.

**pajeff02** · 12-09-2017, 04:02 AM

Absolutely. They pack the rotors in some nasty snot these days.

Be sure to check and lubricate the caliper pins while you have things apart. One stuck pin will eat a set of brakes pretty quickly and probably warp the rotor in the process.

**Naaman** · 12-09-2017, 04:40 PM

Right on. I bought the brake grease (I still can't get over the notion of "brake grease"

) and all the stuff I think I'll need. Always turns out that I need another part or tool to complete the job.

***SMWS6TA*** · 12-09-2017, 08:41 PM

There's some unwritten rule or Law of Nature that you must make 3 trips to finish a repair job.

**pajeff02** · 12-13-2017, 03:13 AM

So true.

**Naaman** · 12-20-2017, 07:20 PM

Ugh...

So, I got the new rotor on and the caliper bolted back up, and I go to install the pads on the rear, and lo and behold: they sent me four of the same pad. It seems our cars need a different (smaller) pad on the outer side for the rear wheels. What a pain. Now my car gets to sit with the ass end in the air for however many days it takes to get the replacement parts... I wonder if I can find Hawk pads locally.... :/

***SMWS6TA*** · 12-21-2017, 06:43 AM

The rear pads are all the same. No different size pads. You sure they didn't give you the correct pads?

**Naaman** · 12-21-2017, 07:04 AM

No, man, I'm sure of it: the pads I took off have two different shaps/sizes. The off-going pads even match with the shapes and sizes shown on Hawk's website. They gave me 4 total pads in the box, all of them are the size of the larger pad:

Here is the pic/diagram of the part number on the box that I got:
HB250B.653 | Hawk Performance

Tell me what you think of this:

Because I need my car for a road trip coming up on the 27th, and this is my last day off before that, I may just pick up some generic pads at the local auto parts store and put them on for the meantime, since I'm sure Hawk can't get me the correct parts today, or even tomorrow. When they come in, I'll swap out the generics (hate to do it for perfectly good pads, honestly) and put in the Hawks. Up front, the pads match on both sides of the rotor, so I will install those and they will stay on.

Ever run mismached pads on a car like that? Any risks?

**Naaman** · 12-21-2017, 07:07 AM

Also, I bought the parts from Sam Strano. When I emailed him, he said I'm the 4th person recently to have this issue... someone over at Hawk needs some retraining, I think....

***SMWS6TA*** · 12-21-2017, 07:34 AM

I bet it's that.

***SMWS6TA*** · 12-21-2017, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by Naaman

No, man, I'm sure of it: the pads I took off have two different shaps/sizes. The off-going pads even match with the shapes and sizes shown on Hawk's website. They gave me 4 total pads in the box, all of them are the size of the larger pad:

Here is the pic/diagram of the part number on the box that I got:
HB250B.653 | Hawk Performance

Tell me what you think of this:

Because I need my car for a road trip coming up on the 27th, and this is my last day off before that, I may just pick up some generic pads at the local auto parts store and put them on for the meantime, since I'm sure Hawk can't get me the correct parts today, or even tomorrow. When they come in, I'll swap out the generics (hate to do it for perfectly good pads, honestly) and put in the Hawks. Up front, the pads match on both sides of the rotor, so I will install those and they will stay on.

Ever run mismached pads on a car like that? Any risks?

Ever pad I've gotten for my rears have been the same size pad. I would do what you're planning on using the local pads and see what Hawks/Strano say.

Running miss match pads that are not designed for the system can lead to premature wear.