Excellent video and walk-through of this process! I just bought a 2009 TSX and need to replace the brakes, but I want to save on the labor cost. Thanks for giving me the confidence to do this!
For those needing the torque settings: These specifications come from an actual 2011 Acura TSX Service Manual. Caliper Mounting bracket bolts: 80 lbf*ft or 108 N*m Caliper Body mount bolts: 17lbf*ft or 23 N*m
Had mine taken apart before I saw the video. Ended up using the open end of the 17mm combination wrench to grab onto one of the corners of the piston and rotate a half turn at a time. Worked well without damaging the piston.
Very good video, but I'd add . . . 1. Always use jack stands, specially with your kid around.2. Don't spray brake cleaner on the caliber carrier arm. It rots the rubber boots.3. Remove, clean and re-grease the pins in the carrier arm.4. I use a big long Quick-Grip-Clamp to assist retracting the piston. Don't use a ratchet with the clamp because it will break the ratchet mechanism.5. Regarding the Philips screws, the head seizes to the caliper, NOT the threads to the hub. If they're stuck, just drill them out with a approx. 3/8" drill bit. The caliper will come right off and the threads will turn out by hand(finger LOL). 6. NEVER hit a tool with a hammer to break a stuck nut. Use a breaker bar. 7. NEVER use an open-end wrench to break a stuck/tightened nut/bolt. Always use a box wrench or socket. Also, they make stubby and flush type sockets which get into tight spaces. Open-end wrench is a last resort in all cases. 8. On a lesser note; a. *Clean all parts, bolts on a wire wheel. b. *Paint the hub of the new rotor flat black to prevent rust. Takes 5m. Works great. c. Brake cleaner is a carcinogen. Take outside to spray and dry.*This is the stuff you can do for yourself that nobody will do for your and it makes the job nice.
All good points, especially about the open ended wrench. Chewed up enough bolts as a teenager to learn that lesson. And ALWAYS use a 6pt socket on a stuck nut if you can. Definitely don't use a hammer on a ratcheting wrench if you value the wrench.
****One thing about grease. Most break grease is actually silicone based so it doesn't damage those little boots and other rubber parts. Petroleum based grease eats rubber. The heat rating is different too, but not too much. I recommend high quality break grease for the moving parts in your AK style rifles too.
Wish I had watched this before doing my pads as a temporary replacement. Now I need to do rotors and pads since I'll have all the parts in, but I'm hoping I didn't round the top bolt for the caliper bracket too much. Anyway, good video! Instead of using the special tool, I took a big flat head screwdriver and placed it in length wise with the grooves to screw the piston back in. Takes a little longer but still does the job
I watched a few videos before I did all 4 brakes (no rotors) and found out about the special tool long before I started... however when i did start the rear brakes, wow that thing is no fun at all, like turkisexpress said... I cursed Honda/Acura for everything they were worth..., probably more than an hour! Great Video!
Man, I should have watched this first. I stripped the small screws on the first rotor which was a pita to get off. Was cussing Honda/Acura out for at least an hour...
Been down that road, live and learn, we all do it eventually. Wise words from one of my early mechanic mentors; if you touch it eventually you'll break it.
Yea the rear brakes are a little more tedious than the fronts as that square caliper tool was the hardest part of the job. It has to fit squarely on the caliber and wasn't easy to initially turn. I clamped the assembly to hold the caliber while twisting the square tool. Also noticed had to align the tab with the slot of the caliber. Otherwise a piece of cake.
Hey, Question, I just did my back brakes too, but inside the rear fender wells. On both sides in rear, looking at the wheel, about the 10 or 11 o’clock position, there is a plastic box. You can see the bottom edge of it (the white-ish color change) in your video at 4:45. No parts manuals show this, or at least that I can find, do you know what that plastic box is? Thanks in advance
Great video - wish I watched this before I paid for a brake job on my 2006. Question - Its been a month since that brake job; now I have a pad rubbing. Took off the tire for a visual inspection. The pad slides in and out about 3/8 of an inch. (in towards the hub and out). Is that normal? Sounds like I need to get my money back.
How do you even make sure that happens? I pushed the piston all the way in so how can I make sure it aligns with the slot once everything is assembled?
If the inner pad is much more worn than outer the caliper is bad. Has nothing to do with emergency brake. If outer is wearing much faster then you have an issue with the guide pins. Just a tip. Good video tho.
The process should be similar. The rear brakes only provide 15% of the braking force and thus have different design to not allow them to apply too much force. The rear brakes are used as a emergency brake as well and the design is to not allow the caliper piston to go back ward.
The brake piston slowly rotates out as the brakes wear down. When you replace the pads you will need to rotate the brake piston back in, kind of like a screw.
Michael Borquez yeah I Tried And Nothing Someone Told me That When Putting the Inside Rear Pad...that It Needs to Be clip on to The Caliper... Don't Know How Accurate is that Information
No, not without replacing the caliper assembly. The caliper assembly is made to fit the diameter of the factory rotor. You'll find out quickly a larger rotor won't fit. And you need to check if the larger caliper/rotor will fit within the wheel and there's enough clearance if you do end up replacing the whole assembly.
Great Video! However I think it's pretty misleading that you repeatedly mention that a special tool is required for the calipers. I never even knew there was a tool for Honda Calipers. I've been changing brakes with these calipers for a decade. You can twist that piston in with a flat head screw driver, lengthwise. Or long needle nose pliers held open....get creative. You DEFINITELY do not NEED a special tool for these, it's just handy.
ld1985 I did too for years, but to protect myself from people being angry that that took apart and could not turn the piston back in I had to add that.
2 brake clean cans per side my god i know who's using all the brake clean 🤣 tbh you don't even need brake clean dish soap and water are actually the best way to clean brakes straight from raybestos who manufactures brake rotors and pads