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Changing Front Rotors and Pads, help?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by mattlach, Sep 21, 2009.

  1. mattlach

    mattlach New Member

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    Hey all,

    First off I apologize if this topic has been discussed before. I searched the forums and didn't come up with anything.

    It turns out my Fiance's 2004 Prius with 83.5k miles on it finally needs the front brakes done.

    I've done this many times on my Volvos and Saabs with regular rotors and pads up front.

    Seeing that the Prius is constructed somewhat differently than most cars, are there any odd things I may encounter if I do this myself, that I wouldn't see on a regular, non-hybrid car?

    I was expecting that the rotors would last FOREVER on a car that mainly relies on the regenerative braking, but apparently the combination of predominantly highway miles (pads used less often) and New England winters has made the rotors rust faster than the pads wear the rust off.

    The mechanic wants WAAAY too much to do the rotors and pads, and I figured since I have done this more times than I care to count I'd do it myself.

    I'm expecting - since the rotors are very rusty - that there is a good chance they are stuck to the hubs. I may have to use a blow torch and a sledge hammer to loosen them. Is there anything in the wheel well I need to be mindful of not overheating or whacking too hard that I wouldn't need to be concerned with in a regular car?

    Any help appreciated!

    --Matt
     
    #1 mattlach, Sep 21, 2009
  2. ambrothe

    ambrothe Junior Member

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    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I changed the front brake pads on my 2005 at 125k miles just for peace of mind, and they were about halfway worn, and the rotors looked barely worn at all. If you know what you're looking for as far as brake and rotor wear goes, and you haven't had the wheels off yourself yet, I suggest checking things out before buying any replacement parts. You may find that you just have an overzealous mechanic.

    The actual replacement of the pads and rotors is just like other cars, and is quite easy because there's not as much heat buildup to fuse parts together. If you find that the rotors need replaced, and are difficult to remove, I suggest firmly hitting the rotor BETWEEN the studs with a regular carpenter's hammer. Making sure that you carefully hit BETWEEN the studs with a hammer will break any rust free, a technique that I have used countless times on rotors that were very firmly rusted onto cars.
     
    #2 ambrothe, Sep 21, 2009
  3. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Keep in mind that should you need to bleed the brake system, it can only be done with a special Toyota computer tool. Any other attempt will leave you without brakes.

    Tom
     
    #3 qbee42, Sep 21, 2009
  4. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    Two
    I've read other people who live in salted winter country advise periodic, intentional use of the friction brakes to keep rusting in check.
     
    #4 SageBrush, Sep 21, 2009
  5. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    Why do you think the brakes need replacing? Are the pads actually worn down? If it's just rust, then a few hard stops in neutral should scrape a lot of it off. As qbee42 says, you can only bleed the brakes with a Toyota scantool (MasterTech or Techstream).
     
    #5 RobH, Sep 21, 2009
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