PT Cruiser Brakes

Is there a website that shows, step by step, and with pictures, how to put
in new brake pads in the 2001 PT Cruiser. I have heard that the braking
system hydraulics adjusts for worn down pads, and that this must be overcome
to move the calipers back out to their original position.

 

If it's like 99% of other brakes systems on today's cars, you simply
push the piston all the way back into its bore in the caliper to make
room for the new "fat" pads.

Sometimes the piston can be hard to push by hand, in which case you
would use a special tool made for that. I have always been able to
accomplish it using a C-clamp with a large enough throat, being careful
to position it so as to push straight in on the piston and not cause any
damage (i.e., it can't press on brake lines that come out of the caliper
at inconvenient places, etc.).

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")

 

A C-Clamp like Bill says or a large pair of channel locks will do it. The
PT brakes are about as simple to replace as any I've done. Two bolts on the
back side of the caliper holds it on. Simple to remove, simple to replace
the brakes.

Be careful not to pinch the rubber around the piston with the channel locks.

================================

 

040417 1807 - CopperTop posted:

I have also heard that a slide needs to be greased. Does the grease come
with the brake pads, and what size wrench for the two bolts on the back side
of the caliper?

 

sounds to me you have no clue, maybe you shoudn't try this,someone might get
hurt.

 

You buy silicone brake grease at your auto parts store. The containers
are rather large for the occasional DIY'er. You might opt for the foil
pouches on impulse buying racks that many of the auto part stores have
on the counters. One or two pouches would be plenty for a brake job.

Probably the caliper bolts are 10mm hex, but I can't swear to it on the
PT. Some manufactures use allen head or Torx™ head. Investigate a day
or two before you do the job, and if it takes a tool you don't have, buy
it then. Your auto parts store may be able to look up the replacement
bolts on the computer and tell you what type of head (or pull a set off
the shelf to show you - generally they would have the same head as the
OEM, but I guess there's no guarantee on that).

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")

 

hiya all,

Before pushing the caliper pistons back, unscrew the brake fluid reservoir
cap.
If the reservoir has been topped up since the last set of pads, the brake
fluid will squirt out of the breather hole and cover your wings and other
painted bits, the technical term for this is "a bad thing".
At least with the cap undone it only drips down the master cylinder and is
easily cleaned up.

And the silicone or copper grease goes on the rear of the pads. I've seen it
done with the grease on the front of the pads, honest. Very funny, or very
not so funny.

pottsy

 

Richard.

 

If you don't have a large c clamp, you can try something else. With
the old pads in the caliper and the caliper raised, or removed, stick
a large screwdriver between the pads and pry the piston open. The thing
to watch out for is master cyclinder brake fluid overflow. If you kept
adding brake fluid because the level was dropping, you can be sure you
are going to spill fluid when you replace the old pads with new pads.

 

If you think you will have this problem, you can use a turkey baster to
suck out some fluid before you push the cylinder back in and avoid spilling
brake fluid. Make sure you don't use your kitchen baster, use one dedicated
for this use only.