changing brake pads on 81
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,711
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Make sure that you unclip the cover on the master cylinder before trying to compress the pistons. You should also check the level of the brake fluid. If it is near full, you might want to remove some before proceeding. Overflowing brake fluid is bad!!!! (Brake fluid disolves paint very effectively)
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,456
Likes: 29
From: Wichita Falls Texas
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,711
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
I've done this with a thin, flat scredriver, but it is a bit of a pain. With new pads, there isn't all that much room to play with and the pad doesn't "twist" very well from side to side.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 39
From: Denver, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
good ole fashior pressing on the outside with the outside pad in.... then jimmy the brake pads in (prolly need a screw driver..) but its really not that hard to put new pads in
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Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,547
Likes: 12
From: Carbondale Pa.
It can be done without the tool but it is extremely frustrating because the pistons want to come out of their bores as soon as you remove the old pad. You risk the possibility of damaging the boot that goes around the pistons if you go poking and prodding with any kind of tool you use to keep both of those pistons "in" except for the clip designed to do that,,,, but yeah it can be done 
Good luck,Peace,,,Moosie 
Good luck,Peace,,,Moosie
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 57
From: Mundelein Illinois
Here's my trick
Remove pin and pull pads out
Remove the two caliper bolts that hold caliper to mount
Pull caliper up, so it is above rotor and place new pads in caliper and replace pin.
Open bleeder screw (front 2 bleeders on rear) and push pads to the sides and lower caliper back in place. Tighter bleeder and replace caliper bolts (2) and then bleed caliper. 15 minute job.
Remove pin and pull pads out
Remove the two caliper bolts that hold caliper to mount
Pull caliper up, so it is above rotor and place new pads in caliper and replace pin.
Open bleeder screw (front 2 bleeders on rear) and push pads to the sides and lower caliper back in place. Tighter bleeder and replace caliper bolts (2) and then bleed caliper. 15 minute job.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 57
From: Mundelein Illinois
Open the bleeder and pump the pedel 5 to 10 times and close the bleeder. Start the car and feel pedal. It should be fine
If your budget is tight. The old fashion way. You'll need a second person. Do one caliper at a time. When you finish each caliper start car and check brakes, this way if you have a problem you will know which caliper is the problem.
Fill cup with brake fluid
Attach clear hose to bleeder and run into cup
Open bleeder valve and have the person in the car pump the brake pedal ( car does not have to be running) until fluid reaches the cup. Make sure master cylinder stays full. You don't want the master cylinder to run empty and suck air.
Once you see there is no air bubbles in the clear hose, have the person put the pedal to the floor and hold it there. Now you close the bleeder
That's it
Start the car and feel the pedal. It will come up and should feel fine. If not you have air still in the ine.
When doing the fronts, do passanger side first then drivers
When doing the rears do passanger side first and do inside bleeder first then outside bleeder. Then proceed to drivers side.
thanks
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 397
Likes: 0
From: Warren IL
I cut a piece of 14ga steel a little narrower than the pads and about 6 in. tall. I slide it in between the pistons and rotor. I use it to compress the pistons and let me slide the new pads in between that and the rotors.
