The Brake Pad Experience

For the past month or so my car has been making terrible squealing/squeaking noises.  We knew immediately it had to be the brake pads.  I blew it off for a while, but then the squeaking turn to grinding.  It was a much worse, not-so-pleasant (embarassing when in quiet parking lots) sound.  I have fun memories of helping my dad change brake pads, and the oil in our cars when I was younger.  So I told Shane I was practically an expert at changing them, and we'd have no problem doing it together [a very good example of speaking before you think!].  Ha.  We bought organic (we're going green!) brake pads this past weekend.  We thought it was pretty funny that organic was just another name for the cheapest brake pads on the market.  Then Monday morning we got up with the intentions of knocking out this little project early in the morning.  Once Shane got the tire off I think our conversation went something like this: Shane: "What next?"  I hesitated.  "Um?  Take the brake pads off, of course."  Shane: "How do we get them off?"  "Oh...I don't remember, trying prying them off"  I was much more unprepared than I thought, oops!  A quick call to my Dad for reinforcement did the job.  The old brake pads were off.  New ones were on in no time.  Only one little problem.  The calipers that hold the brakes ON, were too tight, and not moving, at all. 

After several calls to my dad, knocks on neighbors doors, one trip to the PX to buy a C clamp, more attempts at making the caliper go back down, one frustrated husband, a break for mac and cheese, and a helpful youtube video we learned that if your caliper has this handy x or t through it that means it simply screws back in.  Beware it will not go back into place by any amount of pressure, pushing, squezing, prying, or any other forms of strength [and I would like to think my husband is very strong].  Once we figured this out the brake pad experience was much more pleasant. 

My once frustrated husband, was happy again.  He changed the other side (with my help of course :) ) in under 15 minutes [yes I timed him, everything is a compitition in our house] due to our new-found youtube knowledge.  Our little project took over half the day to complete, but we felt accomplished afterward knowing we could change brake pads again in a heartbeat.