Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

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rmunns
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Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by rmunns »

It looks relatively easy to change the front pads, but I am a little concerned about the procedure to do the rears.

This is the paragraph that concerns me:

2. Precautions to be taken
Before any operations ; Place the electric parking brake in the removal position ; Using a diagnostic tool.
After any adjustment ; Carry out the electric parking brake calibration procedure ; Using a diagnostic tool.


Could someone give me some guidance before I start, please? Any tips about the front procedure would also be appreciated. I already had a trial run and know that I'm going to have a problem re. the tightness of the caliper bolts.
rmunns
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2018 C4 Pic2 Spacetourer auto. Seems nice so far.
2019 C4 Cactus manual. Didn't like it, lots of niggling points. sold.
2011 C4 Picasso excl. - shaping up to be a disaster, bought June 2019. P/X'd
2009 Citroen C5 X7 exclusive, auto, LHD, 207500km (129000miles) now sold
Citroen Xsara Picasso excl. 2004 2.0 Hdi, RHD, 64000miles. (sold)
Citroen C3 Picasso excl. 2016. sold.
Two Xantias, one petrol, one diesel. sold.

In the past: Renault 16 (in about 1977, for a year). With front pass. seat out transported full bathroom suite from Cambridge to Derby!)
Renault 4TL (in 2011, for a year)
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by rmunns »

?
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by bobins »

Might be worth reading through John's posting on his trials and tribulations on fitting new rear pads on his X7 with auto handbrake:

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=54815
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by GiveMeABreak »

I take it you have a Lexia / Diagbox and the procedure (as you seem to have taken an extract from it) to do the rears - if not and you want the document let us know.
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by jgra1 »

Hi.. will try to answer tomorrow but it's a straightforward job mostly.

Lexia need is a tough call . Having one didn't make much difference (so far) to my handbrake calibration so my jury is out on this. But if you have a lexia it wont hurt

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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by leocitroen »

Hi,
Yesterday replaced the rear brake pads. I did not use the procedure, but I'm all done manualy.
- I switch off the handbrake on the switch on the console
- I switch off the car and pulled out a key, (handbrake remain deactivated)
- I took the wheel off, uncouple cable from the handbrake
- I replaced the brake pads
- A reverse order all back into place
- Started the car, lightly squeeze the brake pedal a couple of times, drove a car, try the handbrake and everything works right.

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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by GiveMeABreak »

I think the important thing to remember here is not to switch the ignition on accidentally or otherwise whilst undertaking the procedure, which is why they say to deactivate the handbrake first then disconnect the battery to prevent it from engaging, when you could end up with the cables retracting too far back into the housing. As for the callibration procedure, it doesn't say why or what it does, just that it's there to do - so got to be down to individual choice whether to follow or not I think :wink:
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by jgra1 »

Basically my findings are as Leo.. deactivate handbrake.. there are 3 ways to do this* .. remove pads.. wind pistons in** and change pads..

A few presses on pedal. Start car .. a few more presses ..then use handbrake

* deselect auto handbrake on console *(if this option is available)

Deselect handbrake using the lever or

Use lexia and follow a procedure in there ..

** I have read of undoing bleed nipple.. partly to remove old fluid in caliper and also to not put pressure on master cylinder and forcing fluid back into it and contaminate those seals.

Don't forget to undo hydraulic reservoir cap when lifting a hydraulic x7

John
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2011 C4 Picasso excl. - shaping up to be a disaster, bought June 2019. P/X'd
2009 Citroen C5 X7 exclusive, auto, LHD, 207500km (129000miles) now sold
Citroen Xsara Picasso excl. 2004 2.0 Hdi, RHD, 64000miles. (sold)
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by rmunns »

I've finished the job of replacing the rear brake pads on the X7.

Really, very easy - worst bit is lifting and replacing the heavy (for someone in his 70's) wheels. Electric handbrake auto disabling easy, releasing / replacing cables from calipers was easy. I wound back the calipers using mole grips (careful not to damage the rubber seals) and that was fine.

At the front and rear there is really no need to disconnect the brake hydraulics. At the front I supported the caliper on an axle stand. At the rear it could be wedged while the pistons were wound back.

I am a little unsure about using the suspension hydraulics when taking off wheels (less work using the jack). Any tips? I did try this with the first side rear (pressed the button in the boot and raised the car) but part way through the job I lifted the bonnet to check the master cylinder and then the lifted-up wheel moved.
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by Stickyfinger »

When jacking the car....always remove/loosen the reservoir cap....FYI, the tank can explode
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by leocitroen »

"When jacking the car....always remove/loosen the reservoir cap....FYI, the tank can explode"

Is this really true? My friend mechanic told me that the latest model x7 no need to open the cap, but it is important that the car is not hydraulically raised to the highest level. I am rising a car on jack, one at the wheel, and also when I changed tires the car was on the crane completely in the air, without loosening or removing cap.

Wrong or..
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by Stickyfinger »

was informed by the dealer that "whenever" a wheel/wheels are "hanging" that you should loosen the cap.
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by leocitroen »

Ok, the procedures in service documentation also said that. Maybe will be better for me to stick to that, before some explosion or similar ;-)
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Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by GiveMeABreak »

It's ok on a ramp, as long as the wheels are not suspended, i.e. hanging freely. It can also cause additional vacuum in the circuit beyond the normal travel, which can cause strain on the seals / leaks. Removing the cap stops the vacuum forming in the tank. Was told this also by my technician - and yes, repeatedly mentions to remove the cap when suspending with wheels off the ground in the service docs too.

@RMUNNS: Re the jacking. Suspension on high, insert jack at one of the 4 jacking points, unwind jack until it reaches the ground, undo caps and slacken wheel nuts, then continue to extend jack until wheel clears ground, then remove nuts and wheel. Reverse to refit. You should only use the switch in the boot for assisting with loading stuff into the boot - not for jacking!

There may of been some confusion of the jacking procedure, as with the DS they raise the car suspension up to max, insert the jack, loosen the wheel nuts, then they lower the suspension and the car then sits on the jack and wheels retract up allowing the wheel to be eassily removed. I haven't tried this approach on a newer hydraulic car, and wouldn't recommend it either as it is a different design obviously - but worth a mention to note the difference -video showing it below:

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2018 C4 Pic2 Spacetourer auto. Seems nice so far.
2019 C4 Cactus manual. Didn't like it, lots of niggling points. sold.
2011 C4 Picasso excl. - shaping up to be a disaster, bought June 2019. P/X'd
2009 Citroen C5 X7 exclusive, auto, LHD, 207500km (129000miles) now sold
Citroen Xsara Picasso excl. 2004 2.0 Hdi, RHD, 64000miles. (sold)
Citroen C3 Picasso excl. 2016. sold.
Two Xantias, one petrol, one diesel. sold.

In the past: Renault 16 (in about 1977, for a year). With front pass. seat out transported full bathroom suite from Cambridge to Derby!)
Renault 4TL (in 2011, for a year)
x 9

Re: Brake pad renewing - C5 X7 Excl. auto 2009

Post by rmunns »

Oooops!

I wonder if I've been lucky then? My last hydraulic cars were Xantias and the 'instruction' there was to raise and lower the car every couple of weeks to keep everything in order. I've been doing this on the X7, not every 2 weeks, but maybe 10 times in the past year. I've never taken off the cap.

However:

When replacing one side front (opposite driver, LHD car) I did see that there has been / is a fluid leak. I did say I'd describe just where the leak appears to come from, so I'll post a picture today of that suspension region.

But it does seem rather strange that nothing is said in the handbook about releasing the cap when it is describing moving the car up or down with the hydraulics.
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