What's involved in changing rear disc brake pads on a 2006 Impala?

Question

I've done many brake jobs, but never a newer Impala. I know many newer cars have calipers that s***w (adjust) out for the e-brake. Is the Impala like this? Any thing else weird I should know about?

Answer 1

These calipers do not s***w back inside. The rear brake discs are very deep dished as there is a set of drum emergency brake shoes inside the rotor. You can release the tension at the bottom by simply clicking back the tiny star adjuster.

Answer 2

Not sure which kind a 2006 Impala would have, (they still have the all-in-one type caliper as of 2005) but it's going to be one or the other of two kinds.

The older style (30+ years now) uses a caliper piston that needs to be screwed in to retract them. But they do not s***w out as the pads wear. A jack-s***w behind the piston pushes them out to take up the slack as the pads wear. A k**b on the inner pads that should be placed in one of the notches in the piston when you replace them is meant to keep the piston from spinning.

(btw, you do not need to buy the "special tool" if you have these kind. Just stick the tips of a needle-nose pliers in the notches and turn. Be careful not to slip and stab yourself. And don't grab the outside of the piston.)

Many newer vehicles use a "drum-in-hat" style rotor, where doing the caliper pads is just like doing the front. Then the inner part of the rotor has a big bulge in the center which contains parking brake shoes, very similar to drum brakes, except without a wheel cylinder.

These shouldn't normally need replacing, unless they've been dragging, or you do a lot of "drifting".  ;-)

Edit; Yep, they must have changed over to drum-in-hat for 2006. I posted some pics on my blog if you want to take a look at them. You need to be logged into a Yahoo account when you go there. Note there is no star-wheel if drum/rotor is tight. Normal cable adjustment would be needed if so, but shouldn't be a problem.

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-OKVKas41c...

Answer 3

Get a Hayne's Manual.  I got one for the first brake job I ever did and have never looked back.  The one for the '06 Impala is most likely the best one to get, but they also have a Brake Manual for all types of brake setups used today.  The manuals are only like $20, and the first time you catch a little tip in there that you never thought of really helps make it worth it.