- My model of MX-5 is: 2015 ND1
- I’m based near: __Leeds
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: _changing the front brake pads. Hi can anyone help me or signpost. Am thinking of changing my front pads myself and have looked online and here and am a bit confused. Seen Mazda workshop manual and it looks simple enough and no special tools required but other postings seem to indicate you also need to remove and regrease slider pins but workshop manual silent on that? Also do i need a c clamp tool to compress the piston before refitting caliper? Also which grease should i use? Seen on here recommendations to use ceramic grease but workshop manual just say “black grease”. Im not very handy but willing to give it a go so any help suggestions etc welcomed
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Its easy to do if you are competant to do it. Brakes are very important and If you had any doubts it would ruin your drive afterwards. Youtube is a good place to do research. Even having done lots of brakes, I still double checked on there . There is nothing special although the slider pins have a plastic sleeve on mine. The slider pins were seized , which seems common. Cleaning the caliper where the pads locate on is often overlooked. There are no special tools although I used a piston retractor tool , so as to not damage the caliper bodies. I used a small satchet of grease that came with some other pads on another car which I had some left over, but some use coppa slip as an alternative. You dont need much, just a light smear to stop corrosion and sticking pins.
It is not difficult and there are no special tools needed. My usual setup is a regular C clamp to depress the piston back so that you can fit the new pads, wire brush and wire attachment for a drill (makes it a bit quicker), and for the touch points on the pads I use copper grease. There are specialty greases that you can buy, I have wanted one for the longest time but I am still to run out of my copper grease tub. Oh and brake cleaner goes a long way!
Make sure you clean all the points the pads slide so that you can regrease and ensure smooth operation. Less is more with the grease, any that gets in contact with the disks or pads will not burn out (burns off at well over 1000C).
For the slider pins I would use silicone grease as it does not break down rubber or plastic covers that are usually fitted there.
edit: Forgot to add - check your brake fluid level before you push the calipers back in so that the reservoir does not overflow.
Good luck and let us know how it went!
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If you have never changed pads before I’d practise on the rears. If you get those wrong you are less likely to kill yourself.
And, Youtube is your friend.
The fronts are easiest as you don’t need to wind the caliper piston back, you do on the rears.
You just push the piston back on the fronts, a G clamp will do it or for both applications I’ve used a tool similar to below but use an old pad as a plate to push on and take that fitting off the end of threaded part.
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Thanks all for your advice, ive watched a few youtubes and ordered the ceramic grease and psyched myself up to do it this weekend!
Well i got it done eventually. The c clamp I’d bought to push the piston back was as much use as a chocolate teapot. Fortunately my neighbour had a brake wind back kit like the picture Mick AP posted above and i got it done. So front brakes changed and working ok. Like most jobs it was a lot easier with the right tools.
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Wind back kits are about a tenner + and cover a lot of cars. Just tuck it away after you have changed the pads. It will, likely, work on your next car too.
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