I thought I posted this already but I can't find it?? Anyway I'm planning on doing my front pads on my 99 2wd Rodeo this weekend. My question is on the autozone website it says to disconnect the brake line at the caliper. I was wondering do you have to do this? I've never done this on any other car or truck I've replaced the pads on? I just wanted to check to make sure so I don't mess anything up if I don't disconnect it.

Thanks for a little insight.

Not a lot of us here have experience with the 2WD versions, but I have never had to undo the brake lines on my 4WD.

I've never unhooked the lines on any vehicle to replace brake pads. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Make sure you have the caliper secured in some reasonable way so it doesn't end up hanging from the brake line, and that the line doesn't get a kink or twist in it when you do the work and there's no reason I can think of why you would need to remove the line. I've done a couple changes on the '94 2wd I used to have and never bothered actually disconnecting the lines.

James

Ok Thanks, I didn't figure I had too. I didn't get to do them this weekend because I was fighting with the fuel filter on my wife's 01 Montero Sport.
Another thing with freakin autozone instructions. It said to unhook the wires to the fuel pump relay at the rear of the tank then crank the truck up and let it run til it dies to relieve the pressure. Well I looked for 45 minutes to an hour, and I only saw one connection on that tank. It was the gauge connection. Anyway after more searching on the internet I found out you don't have to relieve the pressure to do this. So what should have been a 30 minute job turned into over 2 hours <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />! By then it was time we had to go do some shopping for Mother's Day.
So with all that long rant said I'll be doing my brakes sometime this week when it isn't raining.

Thanks for the info!

I have a 2001 Rodeo Sport, 2WD, 2.2L fourbanger, auto trans. I just replaced the front pads. No need to disconnect brake lines, two bolts remove the caliper. I believe these brakes were the same as on my wife's old Camaro and my S-10 pick-up truck.

Yea I did them the other day in about 30 minutes, if that long. But I noticed a little sound coming from the drums now in the back so now I'm going to give them a shot. I've never messed with drums before, but I'm gonna try. It doesn't look too difficult, I just need to get me one of those tools for the springs and pins. If you have any tips on the drums let me know!

Thanks.

Jason,

Tips for the rear drums---I have two things, other than the fact that I've never used special tools on the rear drums.

When you get the drum off and the innards exposed, take a good quality picture. This helps immensely when you need to put everything back together.

Never, ever, take both rear drums apart at the same time. Work on one, and finish it. Be sure that things go back together right. If you have a problem, and the picture isn't quite enough, you have the other side to look at.

Hope this helps.

Got em done!! Yay first time ever on drums, and I didn't use any special tools. The hardest part was getting the freakin' drum off! I backed the star adjusters all the way off so I knew the shoes weren't holding it on. It was that the drum had rusted to the axle flange. But after two hours of soaking in PB Blaster and a few wacks with a hammer it was all good. I also replaced some wheel studs that have been broken since 2003. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

I have a little tip about the actuator lever, because I couldn't find a picture anywhere of exactly how it was set up inside the drum. I was using a mirror and a flashlight through that little bitty hole to try to see what was going on back there.
The actuator lever to release the star wheel is on the bottom of the star wheel. So you have to stick a little screwdriver though the access hole in the back of the drum and position it under the adjuster piece to the backside (towards the rear of the truck) of the star wheel and push up on the screw driver which will push the lever down and off the star wheel, this will release it and allow you to back off the shoes.

So now I'm good for a while, I hope. In the past month I have replaced the serpentine belt and now the brakes all the way around. The timing belt was replace two years ago so it still has a lot of miles left on it.