Installed new Power Slot rotors and Raybestos Quiet Stop pads on the '96 SSE today. Car has 196,000 on the clock so this brake set should get me up around 300,000. How'* that for optimism!

Nice job and great pictures!

And so I ask...why didn't yah just get some Bendix CT-3s?

Those rotors tho. WOOH! excellent choice.

I'm sure the Bendix would have been as good or maybe a better choice for pads. I was just kind of stuck on Quiet Stops and the service from Rock Auto can't be beat. I ordered them online on a Sunday evening and they were on my doorstep Tues. morning.

The rotors are not Cryo treated. Just the regular $87 dudes. There is a very good probability they will outlast the car anyway.

I hope the pics might help someone that is thinking about tackling their first brake job. Sometimes when you look at the pictures it'* easier to say, "man that doesn't look to tough, I could do that".

That'* exactly what I said to myself when I saw the pics. I've bookmarked the your post for the future. Thanks

I was hoping you were doing the rears too. I want pictures for those. Mine are coming soon. One rotor is slightly warped, I think.

Barry,

When you get ready to pull your front calipers, make sure you have a 3/8" hex wrench (allen wrench) The caliper mounting bolts have a 3/8" hex head. The socket on the head of the bolt points inward toward the fender liner (away from the tire). There are two mounting bolts on each caliper. I use a 3/8 drive socket type hex wrench like these in the picture. You can buy them individually at auto zone or in a set. I think they are about $5.00 for the single.

Sorry, no pictures of the back drum brakes. I just pulled the drums this afternoon and the shoes were dry with plenty of wear thickness so I just adjusted them up a few clicks tighter and replaced the drums.

If you haven't checked your rear brakes for a while its not a bad idea to pull the drums and check for leaking slave cylinders and wet oily shoes. If your rear brakes are lazy the front ones have to do all the work and that can cause warped rotors up front.

Did basically the same thing on my 97 SSEI Bonnie, when doing so found that that the caliper bleeding nut was seized up so i replaced the calipers too friend got me a new pair on his discount for $60 total, should last a bit longer now. I gotta say 175k and STILL running like a Raped Ape!!!! Happy New Year all

Nice job, and nice pictures. Thank you for thinking to help others.

You may have done this, but not pictured it, but at this step in the process,

as you begin to depress the piston back into the bore, I open the caliper bleed screw. This flushes the sediment and old dirty fluid that has accumulated in the caliper out the bleeder and prevents the contamination from being pushed backwards through the valving into the master cylinder reservoir. If this is not done, it is not uncommon to see the master cylinder fail a few months after the front pads are replaced. If you are careful to only open the bleeder valve after a little pressure has been applied to the caliper piston and to close it when the piston is bottomed, but before pressure is released, you will not introduce air that requires you to bleed the brakes. (Although it is not a bad idea to flush the residual, old fluid and replace it with some cleaner fluid from the reservoir. And, with both road wheels off and the front end up, it is a perfect time to bleed the calipers anyway.)