New Front Discs

[mike142sl]

Chabged all the brake pads today without much trouble - had to get a retractor doobery to push the pistons back in though as I couldn't do it with the old block of wood and screwdriver trick!, anyway useful bit of kit to have.

Big problem though - I was unable to get the calipers off so that I could change the front disks. The two bolts were too tight and I couldn't get a suitable purchase on them to loosen them. Plus I only had a ratchet socket so hitting that with a lump hammer wouldn't have done it much good. Does anyone have any tips on how to gett them off?

[lee celtic]

I used a 1/2 drive socket with a 2" extention onto an adaptor to a 3/4 drive T bar so I could use a bit of pipe for extra leverage :twisted:without worrying  about the ratchet head...

Or try an impact wrench..after giving them a couple of squirts of wd40 over a couple of days...

[mentalmoshio sophs V8i]

they shouldnt be to tight . try loads of wd40 and a wire brush  around them b4 short iron bar on the end of a steady bar . just watch u dont shear the heads on the bolts or the fun will start

or invest in a 12v impact driver about a tenner

[Disco_Stu]

The truck in your sig looks like a Td5, I'm not sure if they're the same set up as a 300 Tdi but if they are you need a 12 sided socket, not a standard hexagonal one. Put that on a strong arm/breaker bar (1/2 inch drive) and that should do the trick. You won't easily get an impact driver on the top bolt, the spring, brake pipe etc are in the way but a UJ might just get you round them, I've never tried.

You could always get one of those snazzy right angle impact drivers, but I doubt you'll get one for a tenner :)

Stu.

[mike142sl]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Unfortunately there is no space for extension bars as the wheel arch get in the way. I have a long handle wrench but it is too long to get under the arch.

The impact driver might work but the ones I can find start at around £60 plus battery. An air powered socket gun would do it without a doubt but again a tad expensive just for this, and I don't know anyone with one so it might be down the garage for him to fit.

[thermidorthelobster]

I had fun with mine but cracked it in the end - it was easy after that.  Unfortunately, I can't remember what the answer was :oops:

An impact driver with a battery?  That's not what I'm thinking of as an impact driver...  Try one of these.  You hit them with a big hammer;  no battery required, and a few quid from your local motor factors.

[mike142sl]

I've got one of those, but how do you throw a lump hammer at it whilst it placed on the caliper?. Plus the likelyhood of damaging the caliper is pretty high.

[Budgie]

Have you tried turning the steering to full lock, that may give you the space you need?

[mike142sl]

Have you tried turning the steering to full lock, that may give you the space you need?

Good thinking batman - hadn't thought of that somewhat obvious posibility. I'll give it a go.

[Range Rover Blues]

Get a breaker bar from Halfrauds, worth every penny and then make sure you use a bi-hexagon socket.  The breaker bar bends beyond 9 0degrees so you leaning on the end won't cause it to flip off the bolt heads either, meaning you can lean on it with both hands.

[Ricky]

As already said the Disco 2 uses a different bolt to the 300 its a 12 point 19ml.  If you dont use a 12 point socket or spanner you run the risk of chewing up the heads

[mentalmoshio sophs V8i]

i wasnt refering to the cordless impact sockets  :oops: they run of the battery and use a wet clutch system to build up the torque thats the ones for a tenner from land rover shows this year

[lee celtic]

Nip down the local tyre fitters and bung them a fiver to slacken them off  ;)

[David Gray]

did mine with ring spanner and hydraulic jack suplied with car couldnt think of any other way

[mike142sl]

Nip down the local tyre fitters and bung them a fiver to slacken them off  ;)

:roll: Then it would be "I was going to tighten them up officer.. honestly"

[mike142sl]

did mine with ring spanner and hydraulic jack suplied with car couldnt think of any other way

That would work with the bottom one but with the top one I could only get the spanner to sit upright rather than out to one side.

[Hightower]

When I did mine I simply used my 18" breaker bar (from Halfrauds) and the 12pt socket.  There is just about enough room to get in there and sort it.

[mike142sl]

When I did mine I simply used my 18" breaker bar (from Halfrauds) and the 12pt socket.  There is just about enough room to get in there and sort it.

Unfortunately the breaker bar I have doesn't bend beyond 90 degrees.

Can someone explain the difference between a 12pt socket and a 'normal' socket. My trusty old set is probably 'normal' but the 19mm one seemed to fit quite tightly.

[andyb]

Can someone explain the difference between a 12pt socket and a 'normal' socket. My trusty old set is probably 'normal' but the 19mm one seemed to fit quite tightly.

12 point on the left



Sometimes called bi-hex and single-hex.

[Skibum346]

When I did mine I simply used my 18" breaker bar (from Halfrauds) and the 12pt socket.  There is just about enough room to get in there and sort it.

Unfortunately the breaker bar I have doesn't bend beyond 90 degrees.

Can someone explain the difference between a 12pt socket and a 'normal' socket. My trusty old set is probably 'normal' but the 19mm one seemed to fit quite tightly.

A 12 point socket will work with a standard six sided bolt or nut. However a 12 point bolt or nut will be damaged using a standard socket as the points are small and need the support of the correct socket. Basically, the points get rounded off very easily with a standard socket.

Example images below:
Sockets


12 Point Bolt


Standard Bolt

[mike142sl]

Thanks for that guys, all makes sense now and it would appear that I've been using 12pt sockets all these years thinking they were standard.
 :roll:

Still need to see if full lock can give me access.

[mike142sl]

OK, all your help and advice has done the job, so it's BIG thanks all around. I have sucessfully changed the discs today - it was incredibly easy when you know how and took just over an hour.

It helped to jack both wheels up so that I could turn the wheel to full lock. Still a bit tight but enough room to get the breaker bar in to loosen the bolts.

The old discs looked like this



So you can see why I was keen to get them changed. Brakes like is should do now, without any fading. Suprising it braked at all really  :-o

[Mareng]

I've just got a new set of discs and pads for my Disco, I was gonna attempt to change them out side the house but I reckon I'll just do them at work on Monday, It'll be much easier to work with the wheels at head height and the air tools.....

[Range Rover Blues]

OK, all your help and advice has done the job, so it's BIG thanks all around. I have sucessfully changed the discs today - it was incredibly easy when you know how and took just over an hour.

It helped to jack both wheels up so that I could turn the wheel to full lock. Still a bit tight but enough room to get the breaker bar in to loosen the bolts.

The old discs looked like this



So you can see why I was keen to get them changed. Brakes like is should do now, without any fading. Suprising it braked at all really  :-o

As Hamster once said, I've taxed worse ;)

[lee celtic]

Nip down the local tyre fitters and bung them a fiver to slacken them off 

 Then it would be "I was going to tighten them up officer.. honestly"

Didn't mean leave'em loose :shock:

 :lol: :lol:

glad you got it sorted ;)