Hi all, I'm in the process of fitting new discs and pads to the front of my '96 disco and thought I would share the experience with you as a cautionary tale for anyone thinking of tackling it.
I found the threads and links on here showing the best way to do it and, being reasonably competent on the spanners, decided to replace them this weekend. I work about 8 miles from paddock land rover so on friday after work I called in and bought a front disc and pad set. Its all top quality gear and as cheap as chips.
I have changed loads of discs on cars before so allowing for the extra work involved in removing and splitting the hub I guessed that It would take 3 hours each side.
Yesterday morning (saturday) I jacked up the drivers side and took the wheel and hub off. So far, so good.
Next stage was remove the caliper so that the disc could come of and here is where it all started to go the way of the pear.
The caliper retaining bolts are a splined head and accept a standard splined socket from a normal socket set. The top one came out first, but it was so tight and stiff that I could only shift it with a bar on the socket, and with so little room to swing behind the caliper I could only shift it a quarter turn at a time so you can imagine how long it took to get out
The bottom bolt was a different story. I had been rounded off at some point in the past and the socket just wouldn't grip it.
I managed to get it out so far bu using a size smaller socket and knocking it on with a hammer but eventually that stopped working.
Out came the welding plant and with care and great difficulty I welded a M17 bolt to the splined head. It was really awkward to get the mig nozzle onto the bolt head and it took many attempts before I could get a good enough weld to let me turn the bolt out the rest of the way.
Once out, I modified the spline bolt to a hex head so that I could get it back in ( I know I could get new ones but it now saturday afternoon and I cant get one today and need the landy monday morning for work.
Disc off, hub swapped, disc and hub refitted. It's starting to go well again.
Until I moved the caliper back over the disc and the brake pipe broke.
The pipe fitting was well and truly seized in the caliper, so I had to take the caliper off ( again) and take it into the garage and grip the pipe fitting in the vice to undo it.
The other end of the brake pipe was still in the flexi-hose and was equally siezed. As was the other end of the flexi hose where it reconnected to rigid pipe.
Fortunately there was a connection fitting under the bonnet that wasn't seized so I undid that and took the entire assembly to the garage for a bit more vice work.
Finally, at 8.30 last night, the caliper was refitted and the flexi hose put back on.
Its now 8.15 Sunday morning, and I still have the brake hoses to get made as soon as the local motor factors opens at 10. Then I have to hope that the passenger side wont be such a nightmare and will be done by tonight.
Technically, its not a difficult job but if your thinking of tackling it just be aware that 17 years of corrosion and previous heavy handed owners may slow you down.
Paul
I found the threads and links on here showing the best way to do it and, being reasonably competent on the spanners, decided to replace them this weekend. I work about 8 miles from paddock land rover so on friday after work I called in and bought a front disc and pad set. Its all top quality gear and as cheap as chips.
I have changed loads of discs on cars before so allowing for the extra work involved in removing and splitting the hub I guessed that It would take 3 hours each side.
Yesterday morning (saturday) I jacked up the drivers side and took the wheel and hub off. So far, so good.
Next stage was remove the caliper so that the disc could come of and here is where it all started to go the way of the pear.
The caliper retaining bolts are a splined head and accept a standard splined socket from a normal socket set. The top one came out first, but it was so tight and stiff that I could only shift it with a bar on the socket, and with so little room to swing behind the caliper I could only shift it a quarter turn at a time so you can imagine how long it took to get out
The bottom bolt was a different story. I had been rounded off at some point in the past and the socket just wouldn't grip it.
I managed to get it out so far bu using a size smaller socket and knocking it on with a hammer but eventually that stopped working.
Out came the welding plant and with care and great difficulty I welded a M17 bolt to the splined head. It was really awkward to get the mig nozzle onto the bolt head and it took many attempts before I could get a good enough weld to let me turn the bolt out the rest of the way.
Once out, I modified the spline bolt to a hex head so that I could get it back in ( I know I could get new ones but it now saturday afternoon and I cant get one today and need the landy monday morning for work.
Disc off, hub swapped, disc and hub refitted. It's starting to go well again.
Until I moved the caliper back over the disc and the brake pipe broke.
The pipe fitting was well and truly seized in the caliper, so I had to take the caliper off ( again) and take it into the garage and grip the pipe fitting in the vice to undo it.
The other end of the brake pipe was still in the flexi-hose and was equally siezed. As was the other end of the flexi hose where it reconnected to rigid pipe.
Fortunately there was a connection fitting under the bonnet that wasn't seized so I undid that and took the entire assembly to the garage for a bit more vice work.
Finally, at 8.30 last night, the caliper was refitted and the flexi hose put back on.
Its now 8.15 Sunday morning, and I still have the brake hoses to get made as soon as the local motor factors opens at 10. Then I have to hope that the passenger side wont be such a nightmare and will be done by tonight.
Technically, its not a difficult job but if your thinking of tackling it just be aware that 17 years of corrosion and previous heavy handed owners may slow you down.
Paul
sounds like a nightmare
