In this video I slap on some customer supplied parts on the front of a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic. It includes the front pads, rotors, calipers and brake hoses along with a brake fluid flush. -Enjoy!
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Hey there viewers welcome back to the self-made. I don't you know, that's a 2013 chevrolet, it's a sonic. It's got the big 1.4 uh, the guy brought in some brake parts he wants to put on. He painted up his calipers and his brackets and his rotors wants us to put him on there flush out his brake, fluid and ship it down the road.

This fella is doing the whole enchilada. He brought a whole bucket load of parts, including the brake hoses here, and being that this baby's, not too rusty, we'll just whizz these right out not to to nap too off around here i'll say that usually, if we're unhooking a brake line, it's you know with A pair of side, cutters or vice grips, so we got a pan down there on the floor to catch some of this and get this spun off. Save the retainer drop it right on the floor. I'm just going to stick a little something here over the brake line, a rubber plug, keep that from peeping and then that baby will come right out.

So no problem there pick up the clip here. It does not look like my little rubber cover is working as well as it should. So. What we'll do we'll take one off this brake bleeder, see if that one's a little tighter, so you can get it just straight and it'll slow it down anyways and then they hook down in the strut down here.

They just stick in there with a chunk of rubber, just be able to just pull that out come on technically it wasn't a freaking wuss bag. Yeah there we go good golly, we'll take this screw out of the rotor this little guy. He even got these. We got everything see if that baby comes out, so it makes it kind of nice because we don't have to take apart the caliper anything.

We just pull the two bolts out, throw the whole thing back in this box. Stick it back in the trunk, we'll peel the whole caliper and bracket all one assembly here, there's that got life out of them only about uh, one pedal pumped by you can't see crap not too bad. A little bit of rust must have been something like crazy inside pad is war just about done to nothing, but i tried to show you the hub face here is pretty good we're going to clean up just the outside edge there very lightly. The inside is actually really good.

The whole thing's really good, actually gosh, damn. I can't hang out today and then i'm going to use some of the permatex extreme on this hub face, and typically i use the film, as you guys know, the fluid film. The thing is, i don't really care much for this as a caliper grease, so i just want to use it up. It's the last can of it.

I have so we've just been using it on hub faces here just to have it serve it purpose and not just throw it straight in the trash. I guess these little rotors don't keep painting them if they came like this or what the story is, but they're all black. I think they're ebc whatever that stands for and then like i say it does, have new screws. I'm sure these screws have a torque spec.

I just go light and these are the rest of the fancy parts, apparently some kind of like 300 dollar ceramic paint job or something yet on these i don't know uh, don't ask too many questions, so we got all the new jiggly bits now on the pins. I have been using just pure silicone, just the clear stuff. What we're going to do is we just want to smear a little around the edges, and then these boots have they're actually directional, so that side, that's got the step in it there it's the side. That goes onto the bracket all right and i always put a little bit of silicone.
I think you guys have seen me do this in the past around the outside edge, because that's where they have the tendency to rust. Now i don't know if, with this fancy schmancy coating, if that, if any of this is necessary, but we're still going to do it - let's see that goes into the vehicle like that now the pin with the rubber on it goes towards the top. So we're going to take and lube these up and make sure that some of your lube gets all the way up towards the top here, where the boot clicks on it. That's where these have a tendency to rust all right so that one's gon na go towards the upper and then your plane jamie, it's gon na go down towards the lower.

Obviously, the only hole - that's open. My digits here for a second now when you push these in you're gon na have to burp them, because they're gon na seal really well so just kind of push it down and then just let the air out of the boot. There just pull it open a little bit with your finger. If you can there we go just let the air out, you don't want them springing out on you, because they actually can put just enough pressure there to start cooking your brake pads.

When you drive, you don't want to ask me how i know, but trust me and then for the rest of the bits we're going to be using the crc siloramic. Now they don't sponsor us. However, i'm on my second tubular stuff - and i like it, it's pretty thick, it's pretty heavy and you can tell it's going to stick around a while. You got to be kind of careful with it because you can actually build it up a little too much.

So we're going to just do it on the caliper brackets right, where the pins are right, where the abutment clips go. A lot of people have seen disagree with this, but it's a method. I've used for over 20 years living in the rust belt, and it has proven itself time and time again now. The ultimate way to do it in the rust belt is like this.

Exactly like this, i'm not saying you got to have a stage 12 ultra hard ceramic coat put on it or whatever, but ideally given time you would sandblast it get all the rust out paint the bracket. You know with the quality paint and then grease it and then put on quality hardware. That would give you your best longevity overall, in my opinion, all right now the inner pad has a squealer on it and on the chevy. The squealer goes towards the top, so so it should be facing the pin that has the rubber boot on it there.
Why not 10 times it doesn't matter here in the rust belt, because your pads never make it down to the squealers. Now these are some kind of environmentally friendly pad or something there i was reading. They got no metal in them, they're made out of unicorn tears and something else grass clippings. I guess kind of like driving a prius now so we're gon na get these things in their backing plates.

Their casting is pretty rough, the other one i had to knock some burrs and crap off it wait how that seems. These ones seem to go pretty smooth. Yep, so these ones are pretty smooth, they move easily by hand and then we're gon na. Take our caliper we're gon na put a little grease on that baby.

The metal, the metal contacts is the main thing smooch that all around love. This grease there's another crc grease that i use the black grease comes in the big tub that stuff's actually pretty works pretty well too, but this is like one stage above that, so there's that now these do have a phenolic piston. We don't necessarily have to grease it, but we always put a little on there. Don't have to grease it in the sense that we want it to not rust.

Obviously, it's not going to rust when it's made out of fancy plastic got all new bolts, we'll stick. This baby right on here before we stick it on the car but we'll torque everything down to factory specs. Once it's on the car. I wish every brake job is like this change.

My brakes make it all brand new here's our new hose, so we're gon na put that on before we do anything that comes with the whole deal comes with the banjo bolt and uh, just the banjo bolt and the copper washers. Now we got these new bolts. Let's go back to the car, so i get some of that dirt out of there blow some of the dirt off this clip trying to drop it down in the hose. So what we'll do stick this baby up here and then we need to figure out because see this is spline, so typically brake hoses when they go in the bracket.

They only go one way well, this goes multiple ways, so what you need to do is kind of lay it up. There stick it in the stick, the rubber thing back in there, but you want to make sure that your banjo fitting is going to be oriented correctly. It's going to be clocked in the right position because you don't want a big old curlicue in your brake hose. So this is going to be sitting like this, because it's going to go into the caliper, so that's kind of held there.

That's kind of like that boom that looks like it's going to be just about right might have to turn it just wan na know that one little scouch there it is, and then we're gon na stick it back in here back into the strut, come on mother Beloved son probably should have put a little lube on it before you just go ham it in come on baby. Oh, is it tight? Like a tiger there, that's still oriented correctly, that's oriented correctly. We need our clip, which just sits on here. It's just a little spring-loaded deal, get our hose hooked back up here and, as you tighten that down that nut hits that clip and just kind of holds it up in it.
It's kind of cheesy, but it works then obviously get your torque wrench i'll get this all torqued down. We need to clean up our mess a little bit here, plus we want to make sure we got no leaking. I put the uh pinch off pliers on there. So it doesn't keep peeing out of the hose here.

Let me get a little bit on this rotor. I think wipe that off not a big deal as soon as we use the brakes. This is all going to burn off it anyways. Now we got that all good we're going to slip our loaded, caliper assembly right on there, wiggle that right down now the bolts you did buy new bolts, i put a little loctite on them.

Look at them, babies lined up. I think these were like 70 70. Some foot pounds 74, maybe somewhere in that neighborhood, obviously make sure you're checking service data yourself, never trust anything! You see on the internet once you've got that little guy up there put your uh put your brake hose back on both washers torque to spec, and then we're gon na go through tighten these up before we forget them on this car. These were 21 foot pounds and then i think, like i said 77 there on the inside, we'll call it 74..

Then we got to get it bled out now before i picked it up because he wanted a brake fluid flush. I hooked the uh. I hooked the power bleeder up that way we wouldn't uh have to screw around with that, so get that rubber cap off got the little hose extension here. So we don't make it too big a mess and we'll just let her flow for a while.

What this is doing, this is forcing all the old fluid out of the master, cylinder and replenishing it with new fluid at the same time. So i'll, just let this go until it pisses out clear and then we'll pump up the brakes and uh have to do the same thing. On the other side, i already did the other side here looks all about the same, except it's on the left. Instead of the right same ordeal but like i say you know index your hose, if you, if you have that twisted you'll end up with a big old pigtail right here or down here, so it's kind of unusual to see a brake hose that can go into Multiple angles: it's actually kind of nice peeing down there still pretty dark colored, we'll give it some time hey what quit poking around in there go ahead and pump up the brakes there, young lady, get all the pistons come out all the way.

How does it feel baby it's pretty hard now that the pistons are out? I just want to go through because sometimes they'll have a little air trap behind them. So now we'll we still have the power bleeder on okay, go ahead and just start pumping them up. There and that's like full stroking all the way to the bottom. What sounds like you're, you got ta calm down a little bit, i'm not doing anything.
Okay, that's good! That's good! So now, we'll just let it run for a while i'll do the same thing on the other side, just wan na make sure we have any air that was trapped behind the piston in there all that stuff pushed out and then we'll you know we'll just let It keep drizzling once it's done, we just come through. We double check for leaks. Uh put the caps back on everything, looks good. I got up there and pushed down the pedal pretty hard, uh, no leaks at our banjo fittings.

Now, typically, when we're using the brake fluid flush, i would do the back wheels. This has aluminium wheel, cylinders in it and then bleeders don't feel too good and ain't going to get me today. Boys wheels are torqued to factory specs brake pedals, nice hard 70. Almost 77k on her brakes feel aggressive.

We better, we better. Hang this thing on the window. It came with this here. Hang that up there just so.

He drives with extra care for the first few days to allow the brakes to properly seat all right, very important and we'll back right out in front of this guy see how good his brakes are must be pretty good. They're super noisy. It's like those napa adaptive. One brake pads, crazy, noisy the first six or seven stops.

Oh, my goodness, man, these things are wicked aggressive there. Oh, if it's a fancy, paint or the fancy green pads or the fancy rotors for the combination of there all three of oops. There goes our warning. Sign, i think, tomorrow's halloween or somewhere about yeah.

We got ta. Take this one right back to the shop. Folks, don't have time to hit the big road. I've got another appointment there waiting, so i got ta roll try to hang this up.

What's this say always be lucky, i always try to get lucky. That's what i say so we'll hang this up and uh. That's that folks, don't know a lot about ebc brakes and how great they are. Don't ask me questions about them.

We just slapped on the customer parts. I'll tell you this. So whatever this green combination thingy has going on, they are insanely aggressive. You just like fuse your little pinky toe on there.

That will probably change as they seed in as they say. I got ta go. What i want you to do is go on down to that comment section. It's the questions, the instinct, the facebook.

You know the routine folks and just my viewers. If i can do it, you can do it thanks for watching.

By EricO

17 thoughts on “Chevrolet sonic: full front brake overhaul”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Wallace Loper says:

    Burns and Gracie are the honeymoons, use your imagination. just think out loud

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars rebel3353 says:

    Replaced my wife’s rotors a few weeks ago with those same type of rotors where it is all black….father has done hundreds of brake jobs over the years for our personal vehicles and friends/family and never seen the rotors be black, he ended up scraping it all off the surface he could with brake clean and a scraper lol….boy did they smoke like crazy the first few miles while that coating burnt off

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars BraaapAttack says:

    Well, since this guys is replacing stuff that didn’t need to be replaced, feel free to send him my phone number for when I need a work car when my corolla rusts away

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Nick Hempsall says:

    EBC is European Brake Company and it’s all I’ve ever put on my motorcycles for the last 30-40 years. I totally swear by them. The only pads I ever came across that I would say are as good if not better were Ferrodo pads. But they were way more expensive.
    I get the sintered metal pads as well (so they have brass flakes in them. They chew up the rotors after a while, but as we used to say in Yorkshire, you can be doing a ton plus and still stop on a sixpence. Or to translate that can be going more than a hundred and stop real quick. Hopefully fast enough to miss the Volvo that just pulled out in front of you 🙂

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Private Data says:

    Doing a rust belt front brakes & rotors now . Using 'Blaster surface shield on the bare metal areas . Great video

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars marty says:

    Eric- Why do you grease the caliper pad holder if you then put a stainless wear plate over the contact area? Just wondering!

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Shain Andrews says:

    I switched to the 3M Silicone paste maybe 5 years ago. So far I like it better than anything I have ever used. I no longer buy any special caliper grease. No issue with rust, it stays put, does not get gummy.

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars DavRos says:

    Great as always, Technical question if I may – what's the best way to stop brakes seizing when garaged and NOT used for long periods ( 99 Cherokee used for European winters only ). Thanks in advance

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jon Clark says:

    I tried EBC green pads once and they were garbage. Squealed like crazy the entire time I used them, despite lubing everything up multiple times and replacing the hardware. Also made tons of brake dust. Braking power was good, but no better than stock. Wore out in 30k miles too, just like the stock ones. Never again. Now I use Hawk HPS pads. Excellent stopping power, minimal dust, and they last practically forever. I have a set of Hawk pads with 60k miles on them and they're not even halfway worn yet.

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Rick Mytych says:

    I can’t tell you how much grief I’ve gotten over the years for simply using a torque wrench on wheels… thumbs up!

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars KD0LRG says:

    Eric's home school must not have been in session as the boy could get some shop class credit for pumping the brakes. But the hot substitute teacher works too 😉.

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Nostalgic Enigma says:

    I sold my 2020 Sonic for something bigger and a little more comfortable. Driving a Sonic is too much like driving a plastic toy.

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Scooter Tramp says:

    I have used EBC brake pads on my motorcycles for years and they are well known in the bike community. EBC is privately owned company with it's roots in the U.K. The initial concept behind EBC was to produce a quality line of braking components manufactured in the U.K. only so that a consistent product was being made. EBC Brakes produce the largest range of brake pads and brake discs in the world, with over 5000 part numbers for every type of moving vehicle. EBC Brakes are made in one of its two specialist factories in the UK and USA. (They are sold in China but none of their parts are made there.) The majority of EBC brake discs or brake rotors are also made in the UK. They also sell matched brake sets with discs that are balanced and weigh the same to ensure each wheel carries the same loading.

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars DIY Dave says:

    I'm not sure one can say "big" and "1.4" in the same sentence 😁. Thanks as always, Eric! Hey, if there was any shot at an engine replacement video on the horizon, count me in!! ❤️

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Marty B says:

    As you would say Wicked Simple, Especially when everything is supplied to you by customer. Awesome Job as always! Have a Blessed Day

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Craig White says:

    I get tickled Everytime you sign on, I don’t know if it’s my southern hearing or your northern accent but it sounds like you say “ self made auto”.

  17. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars morrij01 says:

    I'm not a fan of Green Stuff pads, they make an awful lot of dust since they're made of organic materials. They provide nice pedal feel and brake bite, but they're just too messy.

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