Successful Brake DIY! Thanks!

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Seabass

dkl, on the fronts, I think it is easier to just remove the guide bolts. They aren't torqued nearly as tight as the carrier bolts so they are much easier to remove. Plus, by leaving the carrier behind, you only have to deal with the weight of the caliper. The front caliper is big, add the weight of the carrier and it will be harder to work with (plus, more risk of dropping it and damaging the brake hose).

Honestly, can't say if JCL is right about being able to remove both guide bolts in the rear. I was following the DIY and didn't even attempt it. I guess I should have tried rather than fighting with the carrier bolts.

I went back to look at the DIY by hayaku. It was years ago when I did the X5 rear brakes, but I do remember taking the rear caliper off before the carrier. Looking at the pictures, instead of a hex socket on that one bolt blocked by the shock absorber, I would have used a very short allen key. As hayaku points out in the article, that would have prevented me using a torque wrench when I put it back together, but typically I would have torqued the other one with a torque wrench, then checked the first torque level manually with the allen key and tighted the other guide bolt to the same.

In my case I had to take the carrier off anyway (to change the rotors) but I wasn't following the DIY myself, I read it later.