Sparta offers DIY high performance and direct replacement rotor and pad kits
When the time comes to replace your worn brakes on your car, there are a few things to
be sure to look out for to save you time and money. We compiled this list of top tips for
anyone who wants to tackle a DIY brake install at home.
Collect the Parts Required
First thing you need to do is buy the replacement parts for your vehicle. At Sparta we offer our All-in-One-Brake-Kit known as the 1BK performance brake kit. The 1BK kits include our best street performance brake pads, the SPP1.0, along with our best street performance brake rotors, the GP1. These brake pads and rotors kits take the guesswork out of ordering the correct parts for your car, and are sold as a front or rear kit that includes all of the parts you need for the job in one box. This brake pads and rotors kit includes a pair of our best street performance brake rotors, and our best street performance brake pads, and a bottle of our P518 DOT4 brake fluid. Once you gather all of the new brake parts, make sure to gather the rest of the things you’ll need for the job such as general tools, a floor jack, and jack-stands for safety. Most vehicles won't require any special tools for the job, but you may find that it's useful to pick up a few things ahead of time to make the job go more smoothly. A few examples might be a caliper spreader, a brake bleeder bottle, disposable gloves, paper towels, and that sort of thing. It's a good idea to have a permanent marker and sandwich baggies around to keep bolts and nuts organized and grouped by their location.
Make Sure You Have Enough Time and Space for the Project
When you are ready to start your brake installation, make sure you have allowed yourself enough time to get the project finished. Because once you get the car up on jack stands, you really can't move it until the job is finished. Also, it's good practice to make sure you aren't dismantling your car in a location that will be in the way of others. For example, you don't want to block your wife’s car in the driveway.
Do Your Research and Know Your Limits
If you have never installed new brakes on your car before, you should first determine if you have the skills to complete this job correctly and safely. It's also not a bad idea to check online for tutorials or videos that explain the process specifically for your car. Each car is slightly different and sometimes there are tips or tricks that can help keep you from making mistakes, or just to
make the job easier.
Stay Organized
During a project like this, you will remove various nuts and bolts and other pieces of the vehicle, so plan ahead to keep them organized. You can use sandwich bags and a permanent marker, or plastic bins, or whatever, but it can really help to keep groups of parts together as they come off the car.
Bonus tip: take photos of the car as you take parts off so you can always go back to the pictures to make sure you are reassembling everything correctly.
Keep It Clean
Many of these parts that you will be working with will have collected dirt and grime and grease over the time you’ve been driving the car. While you have the opportunity, it's in your best interest to clean all of the parts that will be reinstalled on the car. Also, it's very important
to clean all mating surfaces. This is particularly important in areas where rust and corrosion are common. Pay specific attention to the hub surfaces where the new brake rotors will sit. Those hub surfaces often have buildup that will need to be cleaned off for the new brake rotor to sit correctly on the hub. You may need sandpaper or a wire wheel depending on the severity of the issue. But this step is critical for maximum life of your brake system, because a rotor installed crookedly will eventually wear down unevenly causing pedal pulsation, which is commonly mistaken as a warped rotor.
All Systems Go!
Once you have installed your brake rotors and brake pads onto the car, the next step is to double-check your work, and to examine the rest of the brake system for any issues. Take a moment to visually inspect your new work, but also the entire brake system that you didn't replace. Look over the flexible rubber brake lines, do they show any cracking or dry rotting or bulging? Sparta also offers stainless steel brake lines that won't dry out like the rubber factory lines if you want to upgrade those as well. You should also look over the calipers for any issues. If you find a stripped bolt hole, or some other problem, you may need a brake caliper replacement, depending on what the issue is. But make sure not to skip this step, as the visual inspection is one of the most important steps to ensure a successful installation.
Make It Bleed
Once the car is all put back together, and you do not have any extra parts on the ground, it's time to bleed the brake system. We will not get into the specifics on how to bleed the brakes, but we do supply a bottle of our P518 brake fluid in all our All-in-One Brake Kits. (1BK, and 1eK) This is an important step due to the chemical makeup of brake fluid. It has a shorter lifespan than you might expect and is often heavily contaminated after a few thousand miles. So, do not skip this step.
Testing, Testing, Testing
After bleeding, and getting the car back on the ground, it's time to double check that the brake system is working as it should. During the bleeding process, you most likely would have notices and major issues, but once the can can roll, it's advised to test the brakes in the driveway, or an empty parking lot before setting off on the road. Take it slow to verify that the brakes are engaging as expected, and that they are all working properly.
Bedding the Brakes
Each manufacturer provides their own recommended process for bedding in your new brakes. Sparta’s recommended bedding process when replacing rotors and pads at the same time is located here. This step is very important, as it can have a significant affect on the overall lifespan of your new rotors and pads. So you want to get this right, to ensure you’ll get the maximum value out of your new Sparta rotors and pads.
Enjoy!
This last tip is to just go out and enjoy your new and improved brake system. For some people driving is an activity, for others it's a chore, but no matter how you feel about driving, you can be confident that your brake system is performing to its full potential after your new upgrade. And now you know that when you are looking for the best aftermarket brake kits, Sparta can help you out with everything you need in our
1BK or our 1eK All-in-One Brake Kits.
Shop now for our All-in-One Brake Kits (1BK) and other braking products!