How long to change brakes and suspension?

[Mr Squashie]

As the title suggests, how long would it take to change discs, pads, shocks, and springs on the driveway? Would I be able to do it in a day or are there hidden nightmares I should account for? From a cursory inspection the car doesn't seem particularly corroded, but are there any potential problem areas that I should be on the lookout for?

 

[Eddie555]

Depends how competent you are with the spanners. For me I'd say 3 hrs. [emoji2369]

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

 

[Brigsy]

Half day job if good with the spanners

 

[Mr Squashie]

Ok that's cool, there's going to be two of us working on the car so I'm more confident about doing it in one day. Ive done a few bits on my MX5 and it's basically a giant Lego kit, but I've never worked on anything else and didn't want to be surprised by obscure tools or bolts you can't access unless you have a spare 5 year old to reach into tight spaces 😏

 

[cp1991]

If you're doing top mounts and don't have an impact gun make sure you have an offset 21mm spanner, as quite a few of the kits I've seen don't have a 21mm in them and a few extra allen keys or hex bits of the same diameter. Also remember to break the top mount nuts free whilst the car is still on the ground .I've managed to snap quite a few in my time before buying my impact gun.

also not a problem area as such but be careful of the driveshaft on the passenger side when pulling on the hub etc as it can be quite easy to pop the shaft out and loose all your gearbox oil.

other than that really no issues or obscure tools needed and the suspension is actually quite easy to work.

 

[Crybert]

I always find it depends on how buggered/rusted the bolts are. That’s the stumbling blocks. Otherwise follow the guides and it’s very straight forward

 

[Amos91]

Best get soaking the rear lower damper bolts in penetrating oil, last thing you want is that snapping.

 

[RichValver]

As is mentioned above, I'd be making sure you can undo the front top mount nuts first. Especially if you don't have an impact gun. Pop to a local garage to have them loosened off if you have any problem with them.

Front discs can have a locating screw fitted too which can be a Ballache if you round it off

Remember to refit the spacer behind rear discs when fitting replacements

Everything else is pretty straight forward tbh

 

[leeds2592]

 

[banhama]

Remember to refit the spacer behind rear discs when fitting replacements

This caught out a garage, and later me, and it will cause the bearing in the disc to quickly fail if you don't re-fit or replace these.
They often come off with the old disc, and are not supplied with the new disc.
I got replacements from RTR parts

Renault Brake Discs Washer/Spacer - Rear - RenaultSport Clio 172/182 Road Track Race Parts

Renault Brake Discs Washer/Spacer - Rear - RenaultSport Clio 172/182. In stock and ready to dispatch

www.roadtrackraceparts.com

 

[Mr Squashie]

They often come off with the old disc, and are not supplied with the new disc.

Already ordered, I think I saw a post on here a while back where someone mentioned them being installed the wrong way round too, I'll have to check before I start putting things back together lol

 

[banhama]

Already ordered, I think I saw a post on here a while back where someone mentioned them being installed the wrong way round too, I'll have to check before I start putting things back together lol

That link to the part explains which way to fit them if it's not obvious when you take the old ones off.
Good luck

 

[td_dan]

Droplinks can also be a pain so for the price worth changing at the same time

 

[Mr Squashie]

Finally got round to doing the brakes. Turns out when I checked all the boxes I naively assumed that the rears would both be in the same box like the front ones, so I'm missing a rear disc 🤦‍♂️
The other issue is that all the links talking about the disc spacers mention a flat side and a chamfered side, but both sides have a chamfer. One side has a larger diameter, so which side should be facing the car?

 

[Mr Squashie]

Oh and my front discs have welded themselves to the hubs. I hate working on cars 🤬

 

[Mr Squashie]

Fronts came off with a sledgehammer, so that's one problem solved

 

[Mr Squashie]

Also, my front pads (genuine Renault) don't fit with the anti squeal shims. Are the shims actually supposed to be there or did they come with the Brembo pads that were already on there?

 

[Mr Squashie]

Oh my f**king god, the rear caliper won't go back on now. When I took the rear disc off it was missing the spacer, so I dutifully fitted the new spacer with the "flat side facing out" and now the caliper doesn't line up with the hub

 

[Steven103]

have you wound the rear piston back into the calliper to account for the new pads being thicker?

Easily done with a flat bar or the long thin bit of a big screwdriver.

 

[Krarl]

Oh my f**king god, the rear caliper won't go back on now. When I took the rear disc off it was missing the spacer, so I dutifully fitted the new spacer with the "flat side facing out" and now the caliper doesn't line up with the hub

Have you wound back the piston and then moved the sliders? 😂

Cmon Stephen, don't be a pleb

 

[Mr Squashie]

have you wound the rear piston back into the calliper to account for the new pads being thicker?

Easily done with a flat bar or the long thin bit of a big screwdriver.

Yes I'd done that bit

Have you wound back the piston and then moved the sliders? 😂

Cmon Stephen, don't be a pleb

Figured that part out eventually 😂 f**k sake

 

[Mr Squashie]

That's one rear disc and pads changed, and one front. May have had a slight mishap and ended up with a piston on the floor in a puddle of fluid, but let's not mention that and just move on...

 

[Clio_fool]

Someone's having fun! Shame it's not you 🤣🤣🤣.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Also, my front pads (genuine Renault) don't fit with the anti squeal shims. Are the shims actually supposed to be there or did they come with the Brembo pads that were already on there?

The anti squeal shims are fitted as standard. Alot of people remove them but I always leave them in as they wouldn't have been fitted if they weren't needed. I usually just file a little bit off the pad backing plate so the pad moves freely. Job done.

 

[Krarl]

So was it the sliders and you'd not lined up the peg on the pad with the slot in the piston?

Honestly the amount of people I have seen f**k up rear brakes on Clios is immense. So many spastics and quite a few on here so don't feel daft Steve, you're definitely not alone in spastic corner🤣🤣

 

[Krarl]

Oh and the locating pegs on the front pads might need grinding down. Had to do it on my PBS ones because the pegs are massive and just simply don't fit

 

[R3k1355]

This thread delivers! Excellent work @Steve1986

 

[Mr Squashie]

The anti squeal shims are fitted as standard. Alot of people remove them but I always leave them in as they wouldn't have been fitted if they weren't needed. I usually just file a little bit off the pad backing plate so the pad moves freely. Job done.

I ended up throwing the shims away, the OEM pads without shims had the same amount of play as the Brembos with shims, plus I thought grinding down GENUINE f**king RENAULT pads was a bit ridiculous... How the f**k do genuine parts not fit, I could understand aftermarket parts needing a little massaging but not bloody standard stuff 😂

So was it the sliders and you'd not lined up the peg on the pad with the slot in the piston?

Honestly the amount of people I have seen f**k up rear brakes on Clios is immense. So many spastics and quite a few on here so don't feel daft Steve, you're definitely not alone in spastic corner🤣🤣

Yeah it was the sliders, I found out while I was grasping the whole lot in frustration and felt it move. Felt like an absolute idiot as that's how my MX5 brakes work too!

On the plus side that's 3 out of 4 done now, going to have to ring KAM on Monday and find out where my other rear disc is 😂

 

[banhama]

Honestly the amount of people I have seen f**k up rear brakes on Clios is immense. So many spastics and quite a few on here so don't feel daft Steve, you're definitely not alone in spastic corner🤣🤣

Yeah, definitely don't feel daft, this is how my offside rear pads ended up during a race at Brands Hatch after my first attempt at changing them.
I didn't get the importance of the tie wire on that little bit of 'angle' that slots in under the pads, why the hell are they so complicated.
I do remember braking into Druids and thinking 'that's handling a bit strange, wonder if the tyres are going off' Knob!!!

 

[Mr Squashie]

Yeah, definitely don't feel daft, this is how my offside rear pads ended up during a race at Brands Hatch after my first attempt at changing them.
I didn't get the importance of the tie wire on that little bit of 'angle' that slots in under the pads, why the hell are they so complicated.
I do remember braking into Druids and thinking 'that's handling a bit strange, wonder if the tyres are going off' Knob!!!

View attachment 1552018

They were a pain in the arse but I'm very glad I persevered!

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Yeah, definitely don't feel daft, this is how my offside rear pads ended up during a race at Brands Hatch after my first attempt at changing them.
I didn't get the importance of the tie wire on that little bit of 'angle' that slots in under the pads, why the hell are they so complicated.
I do remember braking into Druids and thinking 'that's handling a bit strange, wonder if the tyres are going off' Knob!!!

View attachment 1552018

Ooops, lol