Any special instructions or tools that I need to change a set of front Brembo pads or are they pretty much basically the same as other disc brake jobs?
Thanks.

 

2 pins hold the pads in. You will need a punch to push them out. To push the pistons in, use the old brake pad and 2 flat head screw drivers to push in.

Once you get the hang of it, Brenbo brake replacement is the easiest of any other Jag brake system

 

Actually I dove in before I got your reply but thanks for confirming the process. They are very easy to replace! My front brakes and rotors are brand new installed by the dealer but they are very noisy and I get a lot of vibration and chattering when stopping and starting. The dealer just keeps telling me that there's nothing wrong with them and giving it back in the same condition. Also I am getting a lot of dust. I decided to replace the pads myself with a different manufacturer to try to eliminate some of these issues. I also noticed that the dealer did not use shims or quiet compound. Do you reccomend using these when installing the new pads?
Thanks.

 

first off, the condition you described is not normal, the rotors may be warped, items may not have been installed properly and or your tires may need to be balanced.

As for the "quiet" compound stuff you type off, newer cars do not use that anymore, your new pads come with a think compound on the rear of the pads. It's already "built" in...using anything else will actually damage it.

It sounds like your rotors are warped since you say it's chattering.

Did you "break" the pads in properly once they were installed?

 

Sorry,
Replace "think" with thick

 

The rotors are about 2 months old and were installed to replace warped rotors. I guess that it's possible that the new ones are warped but I don't think so. I also had the tires electronically load balanced on monday. Maybe chattering is the wrong word. I'll describe how the braking goes. When I'm coming up to a stop from about 15 mph down I get a pulse like feeling in the brake pedal. (could be the ABS) and I can hear the pads rubbing on the rotors. Then the car makes a grunting noise as it comes to a complete stop and the same grunting noise when I release the pedal to start up again. Just make a grunting noise and that's what it sounds like. Sometimes it's louder then other times but it happens 95% of the time. Also I'm not referring to the noise that you get when you are creeping with the brakes slightly applied. My thought is that the pads are soft ( due to the excessive dust) and when I get down slow enough they try to grab and are sticking as they make the noise and the same when I release them that they are sticking slightly before they let go also causing the same noise. I get the same sticky feeling from the rear pads sometimes. I think that changing the pads to a slightly harder compound will reduce or eliminate this issue. I'm trying a Kevlar compound pad. Thanks for all of your Input and if you have any other suggestions or thoughts on this issue please let me know. My dealer is no help at all!!
I did see the pad on the back of the backing plates that you are referring to.

 

Ok, well I suppose the rotors may be ok as far as the "grunting" noise...I use drilled and slotted rotors with green stuff brake pads. They make this "swish" noise when applied hard...(deer ran out in front the other day...and when i hit my brakes from about 50 mph they grabbed like hell)

But I never get the pulsating under normal stopping (pulsating is an indication of warped rotors)...when Deer popped out and i hit the brakes....the ABS went nuts...lol

I had my tires balanced twice within a month cause they couldn't get it right...first time was when i do about 60, the steering wheel would vibrate slightly... second time it was doing it at 40....all good now

 

I know what you mean, I've dodged many a deer! I'm going to try the new pads and see how it goes. I think the vibration or pulsation which feels like braking on a rough surface will go away too but that I can live with.
Thanks for all your input. It's much easier to explain this stuff to someone that owns the same type of car and can admit there's a problem.
I also had a vibration in my steering wheel but when they replaced the seal to get rid of the squealing sound the vibration went away.

 

Well, I put the new pads on today and what a difference! It took about 20 minutes. Almost all of the noise is gone. All i get now is a slight sound when I release the brake pedal in drive. No noise anymore when I come to a stop. Now I will replace the rears with the same pads. The Brembo pads were really soft and noisy and made a lot of dust! Now I'm happy!

 

I'm reviving an old thread. I have a 2004 XJR with Brembo's. I am planning to replace the front and rear pads. I understand the front pads are straightforward like any other pad replacement, by removing pins to remove the pads. The technician at the Jag dealer said the rear are more difficult, that the pads "screw in" with a special tool. Anyone have any comments on that, or is it still a rather straightforward process? Thanks!

 

I have a STR. The rear brakes are Brembo with the pins you knock out. BUT the emergency pads are separate and have a floating caliper unlike the Brembo fixed caliper. This means the caliper piston must be rotated and pushed in at the same time. The Brembo’s pistons are just pushed in with no rotation.

I would recommend NOT using the Brembo pads. Much dust!! Also the Brembo front pads are directional and mine were installed backwards by the dealer. I have replaced all the Brembo pads with Akebono ceramic pads. A huge difference!! Great stopping and almost no dust!!

My chrome wheels thank you Akebono!!
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Gentlemen,

I agree, not Brembo pads, they dust almost as bad as Mercedes ATE pad. I have a '03 S Type R. I bought Monroe, yes the US shock absorber guys, pads, cheap almost no dust great bite. Have over 500 miles on them and no appreciable dust! What I learned about these 4 piston calipers is that you can only replace one pads at a time. Push back, I used c-clamp, insert pad, same other pad.

 

What you should do is use the proper tool. But I don't have it either!
I have attached a picture.

I change both pads at the same time. The pads just pull straight out. Maybe some wiggling to work them out. Then I pry all 4 pistons in. The pistons seem to move in pretty easy and I just push them all back down. You do get "pop up" and need to hold the pistons down with something after they are all the way in. Like others have posted these are the easiest brakes to work on. Very simple. Just a one off size on the front rotors!
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No pins on that device? Which pistons need the pins? Better questions: 2 pins? Dimensions of the pins (length & thickness) and distance(s) apart?

 

The first tool was for the 4 piston or any fixed caliper disc brake.

If you are talking about the rear emergency brakes then you need a caliper piston winding tool. This is the proper one here.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=97143

But if you are a shade tree mechanic like me, I used this!! I think my STR was rotate clock wise to retract the piston. Piston turned pretty easy. I also swap the emergency brake pads inner and outer to equalize the wear on the small dealer only pads.

Now when you wind in the emergency brake piston the car will show an emergency brake failure on the dash. Just keep cycling the electric parking brake off and on. This will wind the piston back out until it is properly adjusted. Then the error will go away on your dash. So don't think you have messed anything up!!!
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The first tool is a spreader that works with any brakes that don't require winding of the piston to get it back in. From Brembo on the Jag and other cars, you can quickly push them back in 1) without having to play wacka a mole with mulitple pistons, 2) without having to remove the calipers - can insert from the top, and 3) don't have to pry against a pair of $400 rotors.

Using it, it takes less then 5 min to change out the pads for each wheel after you get the wheel off. (The jaguar brembo has a little tab in the metal backing plate on top and depending on you pad wear, you can insert this tool between the tab and the rotor to start moving the piston back, after you get it started, you can insert the tool between the friction pad and rotor to finish the job.) I bought it for a different car but I wind up using it on every car that I have.

I have used EBC reds and they work great with less dust then OEM. Now have Akebono on the front and EBC on the back. The front wheels look clean and the rear is grey instead of vice versa so Akebono is even better for dust and stops quite well.

 

tbird6 - thanks.... er, it doesn't appear to handle the S-Type let alone the R.... does it actually and if so which of the parts would I use?

 

Both of the tools shown will work. What part was not clear? Needle nose pliers will work good for rewinding the emergency brake caliper back in. The spreader tool will push the pistons back in on the front and rear calipers.

I don't have any of the special tools and still have no problems. These Brembo brakes are very simple to work on.
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Oh... I thought you meant that the toolset would fit the EPB and I couldn't figure which of the parts would do that. I'm aware people have done damage with pliers so was hoping to find a tool instead. I figured knowing the spacing and sizes of the holes in the piston would be useful, especially as I may be able to borrow a tool if I know those measurements. If I can get my EPB caliper off and definitely back on without adjusting it then I can measure them myself. But if there's a chance I can't get it back on then as I have no other car I'm stranded.

 

They do make tools for winding calipers. There is one that is shaped like a cube with 6 different style and spacing pins as well as a universal kit with even more styles. I personally have not used them and the pliers works just fine (can really image how one would damage a caliper with them).

For changing the rear pads, the calipers don't need to come off, if you do take off the parking caliper and don't change the rear rotor, it should go back on with no problems. If you change rotors, chances are high you need to wind them back.