esanmiguel

Just finished installing Zimmerman rotors and mintex red box pads. I followed Jeff Bipe's writeup and I know there are already several writeups but some things here are a little more detailed and some may be specific to fwd. It was the first time I did front brakes (the rears were a little bit harder). I hope this writeup may help someone doing their own brakes in the future who need step-by-step pics. Thanks to PUREMS.COM for shipping real quick and having good prices.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb0.jpg">

Remove wheels and jack up car and place jackstands on the appropriate spots. Be safe!
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb00.jpg">

Remove the retaining clip from the calipers. Do this by using some pliers and pulling it out from the direction shown below.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb2.jpg">

Remove the two 7mm hex bolts from the rear of the caliper (covered by plastic caps). I used a socket at the end of the allen wrench for more leverage.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb4.jpg">

You may find yourself turning where the bolt won't come out. You may need to push it out gently with a flat head screw driver.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb5.jpg">

Here are the two bolts. Clean them thoroughly and set them aside.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb6.jpg">

You can now remove the caliper from the bracket. This may be a little difficult to remove. What I did was tap the caliper gently with a hammer until I was able to take it out.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb7.jpg">

Since my car does not have the pad sensor, I was able to rest the whole caliper on the floor without stretching the brake lines. If you have the sensor, remove the connector plug and hang the caliper with a wire or find a platform to have the caliper rest on.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb8.jpg">

Remove both pads from caliper. You may have to tap the pads with a hammer to remove them if stuck. Here is the pic of the caliper with both pads removed.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb9.jpg">

I used Jeff Bipes technique to compress the piston back in. (You must depress the piston back in order for the new pads to fit). Keep an eye on your brake fluid reservoir; it may overflow when you depress the piston back.(picture below from courtesy of Jeff Bipe's website)
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/piston.jpg">

You will now need to remove the two 18mm bolts that hold the caliper bracket in place.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb10.jpg">

These are very tight and the only way I could do it is to use a torque wrench. Some say that its too tight in there for the wrench but I was able to get in there and have some room to remove it.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb11.jpg">
Here is how I positioned the torque wrench to get the 18mm bottom bolt out.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb12.jpg">

Remove the caliper bracket and clean it with brake cleaner. Clean the caliper assembly itself also.

You can now remove the rotor. It is held in place with a screw.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb14.jpg">

Rotor maybe stuck to the hub and might be a difficult to remove. I went behind the rotor and hammered it out this way.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb15.jpg">

Here is the hub once the rotor is removed. I lightly coated the hub surface with anti-seize compound to prevent the rotor from being stuck in the future.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb16.jpg">

Installation is now the reverse of removal.

Clean rotor first to make sure to remove the oily coating on it. Here is the new rotor mounted as well as the caliper bracket. Torque the two 18mm bolts to 92 lbs. ft.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb17.jpg">

Put the new pads in the caliper. The mintex has a glue backing that must be peeled off first. You cannot mistake the inner and out pads. The inner has metal flanges that go inside the caliper piston.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb18.jpg">

Once you install the pads in the caliper, install the caliper back to the bracket.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb19.jpg">

Install the two 7mm slide bolts back in. (make sure you cleaned it).
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb20.jpg">

Put the retaining spring back on. Use pliers to do this.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/fb21.jpg">

You are done. Go for a test drive and easy on the brakes for the next 200 miles.

as350

Great write up!

Astronut

several hard stops in a row from 60 mph or so down to 20ish then drive for a while at 40+ to cool down the rotors before stopping.

esanmiguel

I can see that different manufacturers recommend differing bedding procedures:

http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=85

I think the Mintex just tells you not to brake heavily for the first 200 miles.

TTinCT

but then you recovered.....good job....just please do not use that jack UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY!!!

MaxHedrm

So if you have to make a panic stop you're screwed? Sorry officer, I have another 150 miles before I could break heavily. :^P

Actually I used the 60 to 20 on my mintex pads way back when &amp; they have been just fine for many miles.

esanmiguel

damaged the bottom rocker panel (cant see it from pic). It basically gave out and flew across the garage. I just used it for "extra" support but the main weight is at the jack and jackstands.

esanmiguel

Nothing on the box or the website I can find about bedding these pads. Just says brake lightly for the next 200 miles. If you look at the tire rack link for bedding pads, some manufactures just recommend braking lightly for the next few hundred miles.

Astronut

<a href="http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml">here</a>

mad scientist

and only removed the caliper bracket. I did not separate the caliper from the caliper bracket.