[deguzi]

2016 Mazda 3 i Sport Hatchback
46,000 miles

My rear pads are sitting at 2mm and rotors need replacing. I took it to my local auto shop for a quote. They are quoting $850 for new rear rotors, new pads, fluid flush, and new calipers.

I'm not sure why I need new calipers, but they said it's their policy to replace the calipers with rotors and pads. Is this necessary?

At this current quote, won't be able to afford this, so I'll be doing this on my own. I've replaced pads and rotors before on my '95 mx-5, but I'm sure this job will be slightly different. Is there anything I need to be aware of with ABS? Is there a particular process I should follow with replacing the fluid? I figured I would just bleed driver rear, passenger rear, passenger front, then driver front in that order.
Any recommendations on aftermarket parts?

Any help will be very much appreciated. Thank you

 

[arathol]

New calipers? No.....just clean up the ones you have, paying close attention to the channels that the pads move in.
Doing the fluid, suck out and refill the master cylinder first, then bleed out the lines one at a time. Make sure you keep the master cylinder full to avoid getting air in the ABS box.
Brakes are pretty easy and straight forward, not that different from the Miata. You will need a brake compressor tool to retract the piston. Don't use a C clamp.......

 

[deguzi]

Thank you @arathol

Those instructions are very helpful. Do you happen to know where I can find the torque specs?

 

[arathol]

Thank you @arathol

Those instructions are very helpful. Do you happen to know where I can find the torque specs?

They are in the instructions above.....

 

[deguzi]

@arathol 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ smh, sorry about that.

In the first diagram, it only shows the torque for the 2 caliper bolts. Will this spec be the same for the pad/rotor assembly bolts?

 

[deguzi]

Hi @arathol I forgot to mention that mine a 6-speed manual transmission. My understanding is that the clutch uses the same fluid reservoir. Should I be bleeding the clutch as well to get a complete flush?

 

[RocketmanKarl]

Two tips for the brakes:

The caliper bracket bolts need to be quite tight (that's why they're a large bolt), but the caliper bolts (that go into the slide pins) don't need to be overly tight. I have torque wrenches, but rarely use them when doing brake jobs. I pay attention to how much force it takes when removing them, then duplicate it when reinstalling. I'm not the biggest gorilla (more of a chimpanzee, really) and I tighten the caliper pin bolts by snugging them up with a ratchet, then a couple of palm-strikes and it's done, while the caliper bracket bolts need several whacks with a rubber mallet.

The other thing to be aware of is the caliper pistons are different than most. You don't compress the piston with a clamp. Doing that would break these calipers. You have to turn them in like a screw. The calipers have a couple of holes in the piston face. The instructions say to use a special service tool, but you don't need the tool. A beefy set of needle nose pliers like these will work just fine. Stick the points of the pliers into the holes in the piston, then just turn it in. Those 90-deg pliers give you lots of leverage.

 

[zero_gravity]

first, a few links for you:
service manual (it's for 2014 but your 2016 is the same)
my experience with seizing rear brakes (might not apply to you)
example of piston tool (you can get these anywhere)

first and foremost i highly recommend using a torque wrench. the engineers that built your car didn't make the numbers up during a drinking game some fine evening. if you choose not to use the specs, hey that's your business but for someone new to this i'd do the job right the first time. the rear brake caliper mount bolts have a much lower torque than the front calipers but it's not insignificant. the mount bolts aren't terrible to get at, but it's a little tight in there. i use a 3/8" drive deep socket for those and a small extension bar. anti-seize lubricant on the mount bolts is a good idea, do not use it on the slide pins. you need a good caliper lube for that. as for cleaning the calipers out read my post about the seizing brakes.

to retract the piston turn it clockwise using the piston tool. just put a 3/8" drive extension bar in it and use a socket wrench. as you turn it, you're going to find that the seal will bind up and wrap around the piston so go slow. as it wraps up, just back it off a little (turn counter clockwise) to get it back to normal and then continue to turn it in. you'll have to do this a few times. inspect rubber boots for wear and tear as you do the job.

i find it easier to remove the slide pins and pop the piston off before removing the mount bracket and pads. as you remove the slide pins, take note of which one goes where. one has a rubber ring on it and they cannot be swapped as it can cause the caliper to seize.....past experience here.

bleeding the brakes is very easy and yes i'd bleed the clutch cylinder. i just did this job last fall and used a long piece of 1/4" tubing. put it into my waste container and worked very well. as mentioned, don't go below the reservoir. usual method is furthest to nearest to master cylinder. so start with rear passenger, rear driver's side, front passenger, front driver's side and finally the clutch cylinder.

although you probably need a flush at this point, shops often upsell this when it's completely unnecessary. we flush fluid for moisture and contaminants. you'll see the fluid get dark as it gets full of any contaminants from the pistons and moisture can easily be tested for: test tool

usually rotors should be replaced but i have quite a few times replaced just pads after evaluating condition of rotors. if they're not too beat up, you can just swap pads. however my experience with the rear brakes on these cars is the opposite...they don't hold up as well as other cars i've had. i'm sure i'll get flamed as usualy for this one, but i machine my rotors once before throwing them away. this is after ensuring that there's still plenty of thickness there to work with. keep in mind that most of my driving is highway so my brakes aren't heavily used. so far working great for me and it allows me to have a spare set of rotors on hand ready to go.

and i have to say...their "policy" that they replace calipers is an utter joke. that's just a cash grab. wouldn't be going back there if i were you.

 

[villassr]

These responses are right on - I didn't see any one mention the caliper compression tools that can be rented for free at most auto parts stores - Orielly in particular - you have to pay a deposit but they return it when you bring the tool back. The tool both compresses and turns the piston much easier than just the tool used on a ratchet

Link to Amazon - only $23.95 but as I said free at Orielly or other auto stores where you might buy the pads - probably close to same price if you want to add to your tool box.

Amazon.com: 8MILELAKE Disc Brake Caliper Compressor Wind Back Tool 24pc Professional Disc Brake Caliper Tool Set : Automotive

Buy 8MILELAKE Disc Brake Caliper Compressor Wind Back Tool 24pc Professional Disc Brake Caliper Tool Set: Brake Spreading Tools - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

.

 

[teshaffer]

It sounds like your mechanic needs money. I have a 2015 3, and use power stop rotors and premium pads. Cost of pads and rotors around $140 total. Unless you have excess rust of wear at 46k miles. Your calipers are no-where near needing replaced. As far as the fluid, would not do that either but that's just my opinion. I am at 136k, I have replaced the rotors/pads 4 times as I have a lead foot. Good luck, I do my own brakes also, it's a pretty easy job..

 

[Biff_Hendrix]

A little late to this party, but I'll add my 2 cents...
My wife's 2016 Mazda 3 iTouring was recently at the dealer for some routine stuff. The service rep came back with a laundry list of "critical" repairs he said were needed immediately. Lots of overpriced repairs, some of which I am doubtful were critical. Anyways, rear brakes were one of those repairs and they truly were bad. Metal on metal. Dealer wanted $450 for install of new pads and rotors. No calipers or line flush.

I decided to do this at home, which for me means on the street (no driveway). I was able to replace pads and rotors on both sides in about 2 or 3 hours. No impact wrench or special tools. Just a jack, jack stand, and hand tools. Pretty straightforward.

As others have noted, you want to rent the caliper compressor from your auto parts store (AutoZone will lend it at no charge, but you need to put a deposit down). I struggled for 30 minutes or so trying to compress the caliper by hand (I had seen in a video someone saying you could do this by rotating the caliper piston clockwise while pressing inward). I got nowhere with this and then went back to the auto parts store to borrow the compressor tool. Way easier and probably less likely to cause any damage. Was able to compress each caliper in about 1 or 2 minutes. Once that is out of the way, pad replacement was simple. Just pay attention to the orientation of the worn pad "squeaker".

This is not a difficult or expensive job. Dealer wanted $450. I did it for $180 in parts plus a few hours of time.