noise is rapid chirping heard now and then while braking on seemingly uneven surfaces or harder braking on downhill slopes. otherwise the brakes dont make sound. seems only occuring on driver side front if i can pinpoint accurately.
i am a rideshare driver so my income makes it only feasible to DIY
this is my first time doing it. i know i need to now purchase a floor jack.
my vehicle is a mazda3 i touring 2010 model.
according to internet i need a 7mm allen head but will a 7mm hex key as in one of those tools that are not attached to a ratchet suffice?
seems i only need to buy brake pads, floor jack and 7mm hex key.
video tutorials recommend a brake caliper pump tool but i also read that a needle noise plier will work just fine for where that tool is required.
i am seeking experienced mechanics advise and suggestions for above concerns and inquiries. thank you in advance.
It’s also a good idea to use jack stands while the wheel is off even if you’re not under the vehicle. Having a floor jack fail letting the vehicle fall without the tire on can cause damage resulting more cost to repair.
Not making much income does not excuse you from paying for a proper repair. You are on road a lot more than a person who does not drive for a living. So a botched repair can endanger others.
I suspect that you can get the work done at a quality shop for the same or less than the cost of parts and tools. Brakes are one of the most important safety systems on your car. If you don’t do the job correctly you might lose the use of your car while it is repaired. If you plan far enough in advance the work can be done in less than one day and on the least busy day of your work week. Tell the shop that you use your car for work and they might put a high priority on getting you back on the road quickly, like less than four hours.
We all did our first brake job at some point. Tell me this YouTube video on replacing front pads on a 2010 Mazda isn’t better than any advice you received on replacing front pads prior to the “web”. I’d be more concerned that my rideshare driver hasn’t slept well in a few days.
I can appreciate cost being a factor and all that.
But bear in mind… it may take you the better part of a day, or even a weekend, to do this work yourself, and then you may not have even done it right or safely.
How much revenue/rides are you going to miss trying to “save money” doing the job yourself?
A while back I tried changing the brakes on my daughter’s 2014 Mazda 3. I could not get the brake rotors off for the life of me. Ended up having to take it to the shop, where they did the job right the first time while I drank their coffee.
True, but that wasn’t my first car repair task. I’m concerned OP is rushing into this without fully considering all the safety aspects. For example I had to gain some repair experience, and do some tooling up before attempting any brake work. OP, suggest to defer this brake work, or if needed immediately, pay a shop to do it for you. Suggest for your first car repair task be changing the engine oil and replacing the oil filter. You can start your tooling-up with a floor jack, two sturdy jack-stands, and a 3/8 inch ratchet & socket set. Once you feel comfortable you can safely change the engine oil/filter, let us know.
diy’er car repair jobs tend to end w/better results if somebody who has done it successfully at least one time before shows you how to do it for your first time.
This site and I both disagree with that statement. Your link doesn’t say that either.
The transfer layer can be removed with a bit of sandpaper to make the surface ready for a new transfer layer from the new pads if the rotor surface is smooth. And if properly bedded, will be noise and vibration free. If it isn’t smooth, sure, replace the rotors in pairs.
I recently replaced all the pads on my Audi on old rotors and not with OEM pads. The rotors were smooth and in spec. The brakes make no noise, no grind or vibration and they stop very well.
I have done this in the past on my cars with no noise or vibration issues if the rotors are in good shape.