hub assemblies, belts, brake job and more!

[CRyan]

Well - In case no one knew - I've been told to get the car off the jack stands by tomorrow at 7 p.m.

So of course - I've been busting my *** to get all the missing parts, rotors, pads, belts, etc - to get the car at least rolling and stopping.

So I've got the hub assemblies on - they went on SO much better than when they came off thank god! They are bolted along with all the suspension components. Then I took a bit of a break and went to the belts - spent about 30 minutes and had them all on ready to go. Again - A lot easier going on then coming off (in case you didn't know, i "decided" to remove one of the tensioners. . .)

So now to the brakes. Well.

Two questions - with limited tools, what is the best/easiest way to compress this caliper? And for some ODD reason it looks like there isn't enough room for the brake pads to be fitting in this area.

Oh. And. I accidently threw the shims away. I dug them out - I think I got them all - its only four pieces (both sides) correct? God I hope so - trash is running in the morning and I'll be screwed if thats not all of them. (Its the shims that go on top and bottom of pads.)

Anywho - any suggestions of how to go about this now? I have to work but I hope to get off early tomorrow to finish this up and at least get it off stands.

Also. Went to crank the car to see if she would crank (with new battery) and everything turns on, fuel pump feeds at on position, etc. But no crank.

My first impression would be starter a little stuck. Would tapping on it a bit release it to get it to spin over?

Thanks for the help in advance guys

[Chris28]

Haha I was told by my homeowner's association that we were going to get cited for having a "project car" in the driveway. My mom was like "Chris...that thing has to be in the garage by tonight!" So I swapped a radiator, differential, axles, new exhaust, and put the wheels, fenders, bumper and hood back on in like 4 hours, before I ran out of daylight. It was awesome...

For the brakes, why are you compressing the caliper? I don't know what you did, but when I replaced pads and rotors there was no caliper compressing that had to happen.

With the engine, you can try tapping the starter, but check to make sure everything is hooked up right. Again, I don't know what you did, but if the starter was off of the car then make sure you have all the wires back on how they came off. I'm actually surprised I got it right when I put my engine back in, I thought if there was a problem that was going to be the one thing to go wrong, but it was right haha.

[CRyan]

Haha I was told by my homeowner's association that we were going to get cited for having a "project car" in the driveway. My mom was like "Chris...that thing has to be in the garage by tonight!" So I swapped a radiator, differential, axles, new exhaust, and put the wheels, fenders, bumper and hood back on in like 4 hours, before I ran out of daylight. It was awesome...

For the brakes, why are you compressing the caliper? I don't know what you did, but when I replaced pads and rotors there was no caliper compressing that had to happen.

With the engine, you can try tapping the starter, but check to make sure everything is hooked up right. Again, I don't know what you did, but if the starter was off of the car then make sure you have all the wires back on how they came off. I'm actually surprised I got it right when I put my engine back in, I thought if there was a problem that was going to be the one thing to go wrong, but it was right haha.

Yeah - the piston on the caliper has to be compressed for me to be able to fit the brake pads on the caliper and put it on the rotor

And I didn't take the starter off - only thing in the engine bay I did was belts. And battery.

[blacksrjdm]

Yeah - the piston on the caliper has to be compressed for me to be able to fit the brake pads on the caliper and put it on the rotor

And I didn't take the starter off - only thing in the engine bay I did was belts. And battery.

Get a c-clamp, or go to pep boys or whatever and get a brake caliper tool, or while the caliper is installed with the old brakes on there.Stick a flat head screwdriver inbetween the pad and the rotor where the pad meets the rotor and push back on the piston.

[numbnuts240]

i use one of these sometimes, usually depends on what is closer to me at the time.

[im_looking_for_a_240sx]

use needle nose pliers and put the end in the notches of the piston and turn..umm...clockwise to compress i think?

[numbnuts240]

that only works on the rears.

[im_looking_for_a_240sx]

orly? had n o idea. so youd have to use the tool for the fronts?

[2ndnissan]

yeah..C-clamp and old pads work well. I've even used wood molding scraps at times.

[EstoMax]

and yea like was said, you need needle nose pliers for the rears, compressing doesn't work there...

Marko

[CRyan]

Alright - caliper compressed - now just trying to find out how exactly these pads fit back on here.

Pictures would help a lot. Sorry - it was four months ago I did this (removal) and honestly. I seem angry about all this and HAVE to get the car running before word gets out its not. . .