skru_fase wroteI'm finding it impossible to get the damn clips back in. I think I'll just drive without them for a while and hope the pads wear enough that I can get them to "bite"I found the first rotor the worst, especially getting the clip back in. It was a lot easier getting the clips in on worn pads (my street ones).
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///My5UV wroteIf you change the pads often enough you will find a technique that makes the process a lot easier. Sometimes I would forget and install the wheel, but could still install the clip with the wheel on after.I'm finding it impossible to get the damn clips back in. I think I'll just drive without them for a while and hope the pads wear enough that I can get them to "bite"
I suppose so... I can do the rear open-spring style in no time at all, but even the how-to video I found shows the guy struggling to get both sides in enough to push the center plate into place. Seems like the spring ends should be a couple mm deeper than they are.
After enough practice I can do this now without hassle and just using my fingers.
You position the clip with the centre nose just on top of the metal bracket. Then you push the lower end of the clip into its place at the pad whilst holding the center plate firmly in place. Then you repeat with the upper end of the clip. At this point the lower end pops out. You repeat again, all the time keeping pressure on the centre plate, and this time it will be closer before the other end pops out. After one or two iterations of this both ends are in, with a couple of millimeters of purchase on the pads. Now you use both hand to push and move the centre plate so that the nose pops into the bracket, done. It always takes a couple of iterations but it also always works. I just did it replacing with brand new full size pads and it was no hassle.
You position the clip with the centre nose just on top of the metal bracket. Then you push the lower end of the clip into its place at the pad whilst holding the center plate firmly in place. Then you repeat with the upper end of the clip. At this point the lower end pops out. You repeat again, all the time keeping pressure on the centre plate, and this time it will be closer before the other end pops out. After one or two iterations of this both ends are in, with a couple of millimeters of purchase on the pads. Now you use both hand to push and move the centre plate so that the nose pops into the bracket, done. It always takes a couple of iterations but it also always works. I just did it replacing with brand new full size pads and it was no hassle.
bump - i also did this job and am experiencing soft pedal/different engagement after changing pads only. The oem pads used to engage right near the top with a firm pedal - the new pads (ferodo ds2500s) engage much lower, maybe a third of the way down. I cracked open the reservoir and bastered out some fluid during this job to accommodate for pushing the pistons back - i don't think i removed that much, but did I somehow introduce air into the system? anything else it could be? also, what level are you supposed to keep the brake fluid at? it's difficult to tell with the reservoir covered by tupperware. where is the indicator?
I did this a few weeks back and wanted to add a few things:
1) sometimes just loosening the pins doesn't cause them to come out of the rubber boot, but you can use a hook or flathead screwdriver to push them out once they are unscrewed
2) the rear anti-rattle clips are much easier to remove and replace than the front ones
Important:
3) I had to compress the pistons more after removing the caliper because the new pads were significantly fatter than the old pads and therefore there wasn't enough clearance to put them back around the rotors (which I had also replaced). The common brake piston tool doesn't fit in the E9x FRONT M3 caliper (but it does fit in the rear caliper, unless I was doing it wrong) but the 8" C-clamp did fine. However be sure to compress the piston very slowly, because if you do it too quickly brake fluid will leak from the master cylinder, and if that happens the brake fluid can ruin the vacuum sensor and put your car into limp mode. If that starts happening you will need to replace the vacuum sensor.
That's what happened to me btw: I compressed the front driver's side caliper too quickly, brake fluid leaked but it wasn't so much that I was concerned so I forgot about it. Then a few weeks later I kept getting a loud buzzing sound from the front of the car. Turned out the leaky brake fluid ruined the sensor. This is not uncommon and there are a few threads about it. Here's one: https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1338052
1) sometimes just loosening the pins doesn't cause them to come out of the rubber boot, but you can use a hook or flathead screwdriver to push them out once they are unscrewed
2) the rear anti-rattle clips are much easier to remove and replace than the front ones
Important:
3) I had to compress the pistons more after removing the caliper because the new pads were significantly fatter than the old pads and therefore there wasn't enough clearance to put them back around the rotors (which I had also replaced). The common brake piston tool doesn't fit in the E9x FRONT M3 caliper (but it does fit in the rear caliper, unless I was doing it wrong) but the 8" C-clamp did fine. However be sure to compress the piston very slowly, because if you do it too quickly brake fluid will leak from the master cylinder, and if that happens the brake fluid can ruin the vacuum sensor and put your car into limp mode. If that starts happening you will need to replace the vacuum sensor.
That's what happened to me btw: I compressed the front driver's side caliper too quickly, brake fluid leaked but it wasn't so much that I was concerned so I forgot about it. Then a few weeks later I kept getting a loud buzzing sound from the front of the car. Turned out the leaky brake fluid ruined the sensor. This is not uncommon and there are a few threads about it. Here's one: https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1338052
Trying to change the front pad and rotor first time on my 2011 e92 M3 today but the front pad with a clip seems to be glued onto the caliper super tight. I couldn’t pry it away using a flat head screwdriver. What’s the trick in getting the pad off? Every YouTube video I could find either don’t have the clip on the pad and just fell off when you remove the caliper or it could easily pop off by hand. 
miata.nut wrotehttps://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1513739Trying to change the front pad and rotor first time on my 2011 e92 M3 today but the front pad with a clip seems to be glued onto the caliper super tight. I couldn’t pry it away using a flat head screwdriver. What’s the trick in getting the pad off? Every YouTube video I could find either don’t have the clip on the pad and just fell off when you remove the caliper or it could easily pop off by hand.
That one?
Use the screwdriver between the clip and caliper and push it out and up so that part that sticks out in the middle rests on the caliper. Then you can pull out the top and bottom tabs with the screwdriver easier.
miata.nut wroteTrying to change the front pad and rotor first time on my 2011 e92 M3 today but the front pad with a clip seems to be glued onto the caliper super tight. I couldn’t pry it away using a flat head screwdriver. What’s the trick in getting the pad off? Every YouTube video I could find either don’t have the clip on the pad and just fell off when you remove the caliper or it could easily pop off by hand.
This video kind of helped- not sure if you've seen it.
Had to use another smaller screwdriver on the two ends since they were not flexing much by hand.
Ximian wrotemiata.nut wrotehttps://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1513739Trying to change the front pad and rotor first time on my 2011 e92 M3 today but the front pad with a clip seems to be glued onto the caliper super tight. I couldn’t pry it away using a flat head screwdriver. What’s the trick in getting the pad off? Every YouTube video I could find either don’t have the clip on the pad and just fell off when you remove the caliper or it could easily pop off by hand.
That one?
Use the screwdriver between the clip and caliper and push it out and up so that part that sticks out in the middle rests on the caliper. Then you can pull out the top and bottom tabs with the screwdriver easier.
BMotorenWerke wroteI didn't have problem removing the clip though it flew off dangerously when I pried it off. LOL
This video kind of helped- not sure if you've seen it.
Had to use another smaller screwdriver on the two ends since they were not flexing much by hand.
Ximian wroteI was having difficulty removing the pad. Turns out the original factory pad is taped to the caliper using a super strong double sided tape. I had to pry the pad off using considerable amount of force. Never seen brake pad taped to caliper in my life. BMW is special! 🤣
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1513739
That one?
Use the screwdriver between the clip and caliper and push it out and up so that part that sticks out in the middle rests on the caliper. Then you can pull out the top and bottom tabs with the screwdriver easier.
I prepared to swap the rear brake pads after getting the idrive warning : "brake pads at minimum thickness go to the nearest BMW center ... "
Bought new pads, got all prepared and read this DIY thread then found that the pads still had plenty of thickness at least 5 millimeters (see both pics below are the old pads) ! Tried to pull the sensor and it broke. Bad advice on some videos to remove the sensor at the beginning, it's better to remove it from the pad after removing the pad itself if you want to reuse the sensor. I actually ordered the sensor but FCP Euro shipped me wrong parts not from my order (Volkswagen ignition coils !!), i emailed them about their error, they didn't even apologize and first thing they worried about is the ignition coils. We'll see how they handle this, but based on sofar i do not recommend them. Then it also rained and i couldn't do the other wheel (yeah no garage for some of us ). I feel like i wasted my time due to poor sensor design (my car is my own factory delivery, this is the first brake job so all parts are oem).
Bought new pads, got all prepared and read this DIY thread then found that the pads still had plenty of thickness at least 5 millimeters (see both pics below are the old pads) ! Tried to pull the sensor and it broke. Bad advice on some videos to remove the sensor at the beginning, it's better to remove it from the pad after removing the pad itself if you want to reuse the sensor. I actually ordered the sensor but FCP Euro shipped me wrong parts not from my order (Volkswagen ignition coils !!), i emailed them about their error, they didn't even apologize and first thing they worried about is the ignition coils. We'll see how they handle this, but based on sofar i do not recommend them. Then it also rained and i couldn't do the other wheel (yeah no garage
for some of us ). I feel like i wasted my time due to poor sensor design (my car is my own factory delivery, this is the first brake job so all parts are oem).
There are a couple good reasons for it to trigger that early:
Pad wear can be uneven side to side and even across the pad
Most people keep driving for weeks after the warning
The thinner the pads, the more heat gets transmitted to the caliper seals and fluid
When I was regularly tracking my e36 I just zip tied the sensors out of the way since I was swapping between street and track at least once a month
Pad wear can be uneven side to side and even across the pad
Most people keep driving for weeks after the warning
The thinner the pads, the more heat gets transmitted to the caliper seals and fluid
When I was regularly tracking my e36 I just zip tied the sensors out of the way since I was swapping between street and track at least once a month
///My5UV wrotei posted pictures of the worn pads above. I don't see any part of them that looks worn out to the point of justifying the warning. It looks like half of the pad thickness is still there.There are a couple good reasons for it to trigger that early:
Pad wear can be uneven side to side and even across the pad
Most people keep driving for weeks after the warning
The thinner the pads, the more heat gets transmitted to the caliper seals and fluid
When I was regularly tracking my e36 I just zip tied the sensors out of the way since I was swapping between street and track at least once a month
First, great information and tips in this thread.
Second, a potential issue I'm having. I'm swapping to a pair of track/summer pads, and I noticed that on the front calipers, the top caliper pins seem loose inside the bushings. There's a bit of radial play, as if the bushing inner diameter is slightly too big. The bottom pins, on the other hand, are a tight fit as I would expect. The pins on the rear calipers have no play either. There's no unusual wear on my street pads.
It doesn't seem right for the top pins to have play like that, am I correct, or is it actually typical on our cars? I'm thinking I should replace the bushings.
Thoughts?
Second, a potential issue I'm having. I'm swapping to a pair of track/summer pads, and I noticed that on the front calipers, the top caliper pins seem loose inside the bushings. There's a bit of radial play, as if the bushing inner diameter is slightly too big. The bottom pins, on the other hand, are a tight fit as I would expect. The pins on the rear calipers have no play either. There's no unusual wear on my street pads.
It doesn't seem right for the top pins to have play like that, am I correct, or is it actually typical on our cars? I'm thinking I should replace the bushings.
Thoughts?
jm1234 wroteThank you for this tip! I was scratching my head for a while about how to pry on the caliper to retract the piston without the C-clamp. I think I'll buy one anyway.I want to add that when the brakes are cool you can retract the piston by simply pulling firmly outward on the brake caliper for 60-90 seconds. I didn't have a C-clamp big enough so I tried and it's wasn't very hard. I didn't have to worry about the metal C-clamp scratching anything either and it's one less thing to carry out to the car.
The whole brake pad process wasn't too bad, but it was annoying enough to remind me that I'm kind of done with swapping brake pads for track events. It's just not worth the time.
