A common niggle with the A500 is squealing rear brakes, most owners will get this problem sorted under warranty usually they just require a strip and clean, sometimes though
the problem can be worn pads due to sticky/dirty callipers.
For those of you who want to upgrade/change the pads heres a quick guide on how iI did mine
IMPORTANT If you have never changed your own brake pads before, or your unsure about anything that follows in the guide below seriously consider
getting them replaced by a professional, Remember brakes shouldn't be messed with unless your sure about the task you are undertaking!!!
Tools you will need from top L to R
Axle stands
Trolley jack
17mm Wheel wrench
Lock nut key
17mm spanner
13mm socket/ratchet
Extension bar
calliper rewind tool
Flat blade screwdriver
Copper slip
Brake cleaner
Gloves
Dont forget your new pads
and always wise to wear gloves.
For safety complete this task on level ground then chock the front wheels.
Slacken wheel nuts then lift the rear using the jack, I lifted at the bottom of the trailing arm.
Insert your axle stand somewhere secure then remove jack,
Complete this again for the other side, and remove wheels, always wise to check tread for depth and damage while removed.
Release the handbrake completely
Remove brake fluid cap.
Place kitchen towel around open cap to catch any fluid.
Heres what the rear brakes look like.
Use the 10mm socket/ratchet to remove the slider bolts using the 17mm spanner to hold them secure.
Remove the two slider bolts.
Piston is now free to be removed from the carrier.
Leaving the pads exposed in the carrier.
Pull out the pads from the carrier.
Now the pads have been removed check them against your new ones to ensure they are the same fitment.
Also note on the pic how little these pads have worn.
Now is a good time to clean the brake assembly, I used a general degreaser nothing too strong.
OK its always worth checking to see if the slider pins are well lubricated
Get a flat blade screwdriver at the end of the rubber gaiter, taking care not to damage it, separate it from the end of the slider pin
Pull out the slider pin from the carrier, as you can see this one is fine with lots of lube still on it.
Replace pin, slide it home, and rubber gaiter will pop back into place.
Now its time to rewind the piston.
Get the ratchet,extension and rewind tool and place on the end of the piston
My pistons wound back in clockwise WARNING not all A500 callipers wind in this way, some may wind in a Anti clockwise position
even on the same car so TAKE CARE and check before you completely wind out the piston by accident!!!
So the piston is now wound in time to fit the new pads.
I always clean off the new pads with brake cleaner (some people dont) then dry and dab a little copperslip to the rear face.
slip pads back into carrier
The place piston assembly back onto the carrier and refit slider bolts
Thats one side done now repeat for the other side!
Look at the pads from the other side, see how worn these are, its fairly common problem on 500 to get one side wearing more quickly
These were changed just in time
Ok so assuming you have complete the pad change on both sides and everything is reassembled
the next step is to adjust the handbrake, do this by pulling up on the handbrake a few times until
the mechanism self adjusts and feels secure.
Replace brake fluid cap.
And refit wheels and remove axle stands
Dont forget to tighten your wheel nuts once the car is back on the ground.
And thats it
Took me less than an hour and that with taking pics
I always go for a very short low speed ride around the block after working on the brakes, just to give them a try
And remember to try the hand brake out before leaving your car on a slope unattended
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