Front pads change

[wanda3]

Want to change my wife's Mazda3Sport GT front pads. Any problems? Are they as simple as the 92 Miata?

[Demon_MX5]

should be. most brake jobs are pretty straight forward. some need special tools but i don't think yours does.

[hobie237]

I've yet to come across a set of disc brakes that was difficult. (And drums are usually only marginally less intuitive, just because you can't easily see what's going on.) I have not heard of any complaints about any of the new Mazda's brakes being difficult to service. That said, if you come across any issues, please let us know. In fact, even if it goes well, let us know.

[swingdancr]

Front Rotor & Pad Replacement

1.) Jack up car and remove wheel. Using a flat-head screwdriver pop off the spring clip. The spring clip will pop/fly off, so beware. I would hate for you to lose an eye to an errant spring clip.

2.) Find the two plastic dust caps that are just snapped-on the back of the caliper and remove them. Using the 7mm allen/hex key remove the caliper bolt/pin. To bleed the brake when changing pads, the bleeder valve is circled in orange.

3.) Slide off the caliper and place it on the upright. Using a piece of wire or string tie/hang the caliper on the strut to prevent strain on the brake line. If you are swapping brake pads, the pad closest to you is just held by the caliper mounting bracket. The other pad is clipped to the caliper piston.

4.) To remove the caliper mount bracket, locate the two bolts on the back of the front upright. Using a ratchet, 17mm socket, and a breaker bar; remove the two bolts.

5.) The rotor should now be free, so just slide off the stock rotor from the hub/upright. If the rotor doesn't come off easily, it is probably just rusted on. Using a mallet, just tap the along the circumference of the center part of the rotor to jar the rotor free from the hub.

6.) Slide on the new rotor, and hold it in place using a spacer and a lugnut.

7.) Reinstall the caliper mount bracket to the upright. Be sure to apply some blue loctite on the bolts.

8.) Install the brakepad. Simply place the outer pad on the caliper mount bracket and clip the inner brake pad to the caliper piston.

9.) Slide the caliper over the outer brakepad and rotor. If you can't slide the caliper on, you may have to open up the bleeder valve and compress the piston. In my case w/ a simple rotor change w/ no brake pad swap...I didn't have to compress the piston and bleed the brakes. Reinstall the two caliper bolt/pin, reinstall the dust cap, and spring clip. Finally, remove the lugnut and spacer that you used to hold the rotor in place.
If you have opened up the valve to slide the caliper on, make sure to bleed the brakes to remove any air-bubbles from the brake line/system.

Rear Rotor & Pad Replacement

1.) Jack up car and remove wheel. Using a flat-head screwdriver pop off the spring clip. The spring clip will pop/fly off, so beware.

2.) Find the two plastic dust caps that are just snapped-on the back of the caliper and remove them. Using the 7mm allen/hex key remove the caliper bolt/pin.

3.) Slide off the caliper and place it somewhere as to not put any excessive strain on the brakeline. In my case, I just gently wedged it between the shock and a nearby strip of flanged sheet metal in the wheelwell. If you are swapping brake pads, the pad closest to you is just held by the caliper mounting bracket. The other pad is clipped to the caliper piston.

4.) To remove the caliper mount bracket, locate the two bolts on the back of the rear upright. Using a ratchet, 14mm socket, and a breaker bar; remove the two bolts.

5.) The rotor should now be free, so just slide off the stock rotor from the hub/upright. If the rotor doesn't come off easily, it is probably just rusted on. Using a mallet, just tap the along the circumference of the center part of the rotor to jar the rotor free from the hub.

6.) Slide on the new rotor, and hold it in place using a spacer and a lugnut.

7.) Reinstall the caliper mount bracket to the upright. Be sure to apply some blue loctite on the bolts.

8.) Install the brakepad. Simply place the outer pad on the caliper mount bracket. The inner pad needs to be slid into place on the piston. Note the flange on the piston and the clips on the back of the pad.

9.) Slide the caliper over the outer brakepad and rotor. If you can't slide the caliper on, you may have compress the piston. To do this you will have to either get a special brake tool from and auto parts store, or simply use a needle-nose pliers to rotate the piston. On the piston you will see two circluar indentions. Place the tips of the pliers in the indentions and rotate the piston clockwise to compress it back into the caliper.

10.) Reinstall the two caliper bolts/pins, reinstall the dust caps, and spring clip. Finally, remove the lugnut and spacer that you used to hold the rotor in place.

11.) After completing the install & remounting the wheels, get into the car and engage and disengage the e-brake a few times. The rear brakes are self-adjusting, and it will calibrate/align the piston by the use of the e-brake.