I am more clueless than I thought. I am supposed to replace my brake pads and put on speed bleeders (and bleed) tomorrow. I have all of the necessary equipment. But the following issues are plaguing me, and I have searched to no avail.

1) Where is the clutch bleeder valve? I have read that I can access it from the top of the car, but not where. It says to follow the clutch cable, but my dumb *** does not know where that is.

2) When people say "flush the master cylinder", what the hell are they talking about? I thought that the master cylinder was just the reservoir.

3) I have Axxis Ultimates in my possession. One of the rear pads has a metal clip (only 1 of the four). Is this to hold the parking brake cable? If so, the manual I have says that to change the rear pads, you have to disconnect the parking brake cable, which means pulling a "non-replaceable" clip thingy. Could someone shed light on this?

4) I read that the Shims don't fit behind Hawk HPS pads, but I can't find info on the Axxis Ultimates. Anybody know the answer to this?

5) Brake grease goes on the back of the pads and the shims. It also says to put it on the "slides". Are the slides the pistons?

Please understand, I don't mean to be such a needy guy here, but I only get one day off per week and that means I must have success tomorrow, and I didn't anticipate these issues.

Finally, the torque values I plan to use are 100ft/lbs for the lugs, 70ft/lbs for the caliper bolt, and 6.9-9.8 Newton/Meters for the bleeders.

 

!/ It is in the worst place it could be. Behind and below the oil filter. Equally hard to get at from below.

2/ MC has a bleeder on the side facing you when you go for the dipstick, bleed it a little first and last in you cycle.

3/ Not familiar with Axxis pads, the clip COULD be the noisemaker that lets you know when the pads are gone. It should be on the "trailing" edge of the pad when it's mounted, so it gets swept away from the pad to make it squeal. You will need a little "piston screwing tool" to get the rear pistons back in, DON'T push on them.

4/ Don't know....

5/ The slide is the part of the caliper that touches the mount, to let it slide in and out as the pads wear. Not the piston.

6/ In the US that translates into - lugs = really tight, then some. Caliper = fairly tight, and Screws = not so tight you will break 'em.

S

 

If the pic attached, this is what I mean by the clip. Thanks for the quick response StealthTL!

 

That's the "squeeler" that tells you that your pads are worn out

 

Wow. I am pretty sure on my last car that it was embedded in the pad. That looks like one hell of a squealer. Anyone maybe have a pic of the clutch bleeder? Also, if its that hard to get at, should I just not put a speedbleeder on it and just pretend its not there?

 

Yes, that is a squealer. You want it facing "in" to keep it out of the way, so that particular pad would go as the INSIDE pad on the DRIVERS side rear, to work properly.

S

 

Makes sense- thanks again!

 

ramstein - Is that the bad guy from Flash Gordon?

 

That is Ming the Merciless, as played in Flash Gordon the Movie by Max Von Sydow. The best piece of acting the world has ever seen.

 

OK OK- I found the clutch bleeder. Thanks to everyone so far! It is right behind the oil filter where you told me. So when I take it out to put the speed bleeder in, hopefully fluid won't go everywhere.

My FINAL question, before I wheel my cart of tools out to the parking garage and begin. To bleed the master cylinder, I would open the valve, but how to build pressure? (also, why is there no speed bleeder available for the master cylinder?) I know for the brakes you push the brakes, and for the clutch you push (and pull) the clutch, but what about the master cylinder?

Thanks for everyone's help!!!!

 

well $hit, now I found out I was supposed to get another speed bleeder for the master cylinder. Oh well, live and learn. Wish me luck.