How do you know when your brakes are toast?

[Victorofhavoc]

This right here... This is how. When you've got enough pad to make it one road trip, you know you've used the life to a decent extent!

The rear pads disintegrated on track, even with VSA fully off via pedal dance. 12 sessions and 7800 miles. They really went much, much faster when moving to a faster 200tw tire. I'm moving to some dba rotors and the ferodo ds2500 pad. These should be in a better temp range than factory, so they should last longer.

Also, don't make the mistake I did and try to use obd2 tools to release the caliper when it's off. It didn't go all the way, and attempting to do it again I reactivated normal mode which shot the piston out and ruined the caliper assembly. I'm currently waiting on a new caliper that's arriving tomorrow morning. They run about 400$, which is unusually expensive for this style and size of caliper. The manual method is actually faster and easier imo, with lower risk of something going sideways.

Generally, Honda did us all a disservice with the rear brakes on this car. Non-vented rotors and an epb are very anti-performance car. Not to mention the very unique pad sizing means that options are fairly limited, and even hunting down a basic ds2500 proved to be a challenge.

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[StingertimeNC]

I used a scan tool to change mine with no issues. It was one that was specific to Honda/Acura. I wasn't sure what the heck I was doing so I left the car running, LOL. Didn't want to take a chance.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

I used a scan tool to change mine with no issues. It was one that was specific to Honda/Acura. I wasn't sure what the heck I was doing so I left the car running, LOL. Didn't want to take a chance.

Yeah I used a honda/acura specific one too.

The issue was it didn't fully retract, so I tried to do it again and it said "you must activate normal mode first" and I hit "yes" instead of cancel. It immediately started driving the piston out. I tried to stop it, but after the command is issued there's no way to cancel. It straight shot the piston out. Never had that happen with an epb before.

Honestly though, taking off the motor is just as fast. Or even just using a standard epb piston compressor tool (the one that turns as it presses) it works fine. No scan tool necessary. No battery or jumper tricks. No shenanigans... Just manually turn the thing and call it a day.

 

[StingertimeNC]

Wow. I didn't think you could manually do that. I have seen folks prying the EPB thingy off instead but I didn't want to risk that either. Good to know that's safe.

 

[lumper]

Nice, I was afraid to get too low and cut into my expensive rotors so I changed the pads prematurely, lol looking at the pics of my "old" pads shows they had 40% left and probably 5000 more miles, oh well, peace of mind right?

 

[StingertimeNC]

Probably 70% left. Lol. Now you know you can take it much further. Take them
Down to where the angled part is completely gone I think.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

The ds2500 have no angled part. It's just all pad material, lol. I'm really curious how they'll do!

The dba rotors are super nice, though. My caliper arrived this morning, and after getting a pork shoulder on the smoker, I got it all back together and bled. We're back in business!

 

[mugendc4]

This right here... This is how. When you've got enough pad to make it one road trip, you know you've used the life to a decent extent!

The rear pads disintegrated on track, even with VSA fully off via pedal dance. 12 sessions and 7800 miles. They really went much, much faster when moving to a faster 200tw tire. I'm moving to some dba rotors and the ferodo ds2500 pad. These should be in a better temp range than factory, so they should last longer.

Also, don't make the mistake I did and try to use obd2 tools to release the caliper when it's off. It didn't go all the way, and attempting to do it again I reactivated normal mode which shot the piston out and ruined the caliper assembly. I'm currently waiting on a new caliper that's arriving tomorrow morning. They run about 400$, which is unusually expensive for this style and size of caliper. The manual method is actually faster and easier imo, with lower risk of something going sideways.

Generally, Honda did us all a disservice with the rear brakes on this car. Non-vented rotors and an epb are very anti-performance car. Not to mention the very unique pad sizing means that options are fairly limited, and even hunting down a basic ds2500 proved to be a challenge.

Planning to do my rear brakes eventually, are you talking about this Method? Which his Method 1 showing doing the manual way? Seems to be the same style with older hondas without the EPB.


I notice his Method 2 using the scantool where he mention the screw wind back but the piston didn't. Did that happen to you? Debating if I should just buy a scantool or just do the manual method.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Planning to do my rear brakes eventually, are you talking about this Method? Which his Method 1 showing doing the manual way? Seems to be the same style with older hondas without the EPB.


I notice his Method 2 using the scantool where he mention the screw wind back but the piston didn't. Did that happen to you? Debating if I should just buy a scantool or just do the manual method.

Yes, I got it to wind back with the scan tool, but the piston only partially retracted. I just don't recommend that method, because it seems inconsistent and slow. It also has the potential to land you in a position where the motor won't go back to "normal" position if anything is wrong... Then you're stuck with no epb and a Christmas tree dash.

The wind back from the piston end with the specific compressor tool is the preferred way. That's how the book says to do it for every other epb I've touched and I've never had an issue. The motor removal and rear windback also works, but you need an external 11mm torx, which aren't super easy to find. I have some because I've owned quite a few German cars with their random torx, etorx, triple square, and external triple square, but I wouldn't go buy a whole kit just to do the brakes.

 

[boosted_canoe]

do you have a link to the tool you use to manually retract it? i need to do my brakes soon and I've never dealt with EPB before...probably going to need a guide.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

do you have a link to the tool you use to manually retract it? i need to do my brakes soon and I've never dealt with EPB before...probably going to need a guide.

I bought mine from fcpeuro a while back, but any kit like this chinazon one will work, https://www.amazon.com/8MILELAKE-Br...cphy=9023909&hvtargid=pla-2281435179818&psc=1

You just want it to turn and press at the same time.

The simple procedure is to:
Turn off epb and leave car in gear (on flat surface)
Chock it
Jack it up
Wheels off
Take off lower slider pin with 7mm allen
Take off caliper spring with a pick tool
Take off epb motor harness clip
Rotate caliper until it's resting on top of the shield/rotor (may need to wiggle back and forth to loosen a tad first)
Use compressor tool to push in piston (make sure to take off master cylinder cap so you're not fighting the fluid)
Put on new pads, reverse steps

If you're changing the rotor too, you'll have to also take off the top slider pin and hang the caliper. Then you would remove the silver bracket mount with 14mm socket (mine were WAY overtorqued from factory so I needed a breaker bar and some ugga duggas to take them off). Loosen the rotor set screw BY HAND or with a very low torque impact/screw driver. Grab a mallet and knock on it to loosen it off if it's rusted on.

I've done hundreds of brake jobs and I'm trying not to assume anything writing this up, but after so many it's inevitable. If I'm not clear somewhere, please do tell and I'm happy to clarify.

 

[StingertimeNC]

I usually just use the pad to press in the piston slightly to make room for the new pads.

So are you just basically ignoring the EPB through this process? If so, why would you even need the scan tool?

 

[Victorofhavoc]

I usually just use the pad to press in the piston slightly to make room for the new pads.

So are you just basically ignoring the EPB through this process? If so, why would you even need the scan tool?

In my case it was out pretty far. Far enough that no compression would make it move enough to put on fresh pads and rotors. My case just really sucked between crappy wording and me being in a rush to make it go back to normal mode while off the rotors and pads.

No the epb is not being ignored. It's a simple motor with a gear and it works in both forward and reverse polarity. By disconnecting it you stop any power coming to it to prevent you from turning it. Then as you turn the piston with the tool, it turns the motor and screw mechanism that makes up the piston. You're just reversing the way it normally works.

Now that I have a bum caliper sitting around, I'll need to take it apart and show what it looks like. It's an interesting design.

 

[StingertimeNC]

ok, yes, just wondering about the turning manually part.

 

[boosted_canoe]

I bought mine from fcpeuro a while back, but any kit like this chinazon one will work, https://www.amazon.com/8MILELAKE-Br...cphy=9023909&hvtargid=pla-2281435179818&psc=1

You just want it to turn and press at the same time.

The simple procedure is to:
Turn off epb and leave car in gear (on flat surface)
Chock it
Jack it up
Wheels off
Take off lower slider pin with 7mm allen
Take off caliper spring with a pick tool
Take off epb motor harness clip
Rotate caliper until it's resting on top of the shield/rotor (may need to wiggle back and forth to loosen a tad first)
Use compressor tool to push in piston (make sure to take off master cylinder cap so you're not fighting the fluid)
Put on new pads, reverse steps

If you're changing the rotor too, you'll have to also take off the top slider pin and hang the caliper. Then you would remove the silver bracket mount with 14mm socket (mine were WAY overtorqued from factory so I needed a breaker bar and some ugga duggas to take them off). Loosen the rotor set screw BY HAND or with a very low torque impact/screw driver. Grab a mallet and knock on it to loosen it off if it's rusted on.

I've done hundreds of brake jobs and I'm trying not to assume anything writing this up, but after so many it's inevitable. If I'm not clear somewhere, please do tell and I'm happy to clarify.

fuckin a. what a PITA

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