Can't fit the front brake pads. Is it meant to be this difficult?

Remove wheels. Remove calpers and extract worn pads. Open bleed screw on calper and using suitable tool ( G clamp ect) push the piston all the way back in. Close of bleeder screw. Check that the disc (rotor) is in good condition and fit pads in reverse to the way you removed them taking care that all antireattlle devices are correctly fitted., REfitting is reverse to dissasembly. Rear pads are more difficult to do because of the hand brake mechanism

remove caliper, push disc all way home, put wheel nut on to hold home, retry fitting them the disc may be slightly scued. If no go try diffrent brand of pad I had same prob with a diffrent car last week & diffrent brand pad was 2mm thiner. If can't exchange pads get piece of emery paper on flat surface & sand away top part of pad material in round motions both ways till they fit. :-)

The 2009 Ford Focus seems difficult to install the non-caliper side brake disk due to integral springs on the pad steel backing. Looks like the outer cage of the brake, the part that straddles the rotor, needs to be removed for pad installation, then reassembled onto the caliper system with brake pads installed. Haven't attepmted this yet, but it appears to be the only alternative given geometric constraints. This is a lot more difficult than other front disk brake systems where the pads virtually slip right into place.

Hi.

Park securely the car on a plain surface engage first gear and pull the emergency brake.
Raise the front of the car with a jack.
Remove the wheel.





Undo the two rods that hold the caliper closed.
Lift the caliper off the disk. You may need to use a tool. Make sure you do not damage the brake hose connected to the caliper.
Pull out the brake pads.
Compress the piston back into the cylinder. There are several way to do that. The piston seal is quite delicate. A safe way to do the job is using a brake piston retractor .
Fit the new pads inside. If you have done it before you can use a file on the pads surface to help adherence with the disk.
Perform operations in reverse order to reassemble.

Brake maintenance is quite delicate. Even if the procedure is not difficult it should be performed by a trained technician.



Refit

Brake Pads Removal & Installation Front

To Remove:

1. Drain brake fluid to ½ full level in reservoir.
2. Remove the front wheels.
   
   
3. Remove the front brake caliper assembly.
4. Remove the 2 anti-squeal shims from each of the 2 brake pads.
5. Remove the wear indicator from each of the 2 brake pads.

To Install:
NOTE: When replacing worn pads, the anti-squeal shims must be replaced together with the pads.

1. Using a large C clamp or equivalent press piston into the caliper.
2. Apply disc brake grease to the inside of each anti-squeal shim.
3. Install the anti-squeal shims on each pad.
4. Install the pad wear indicator clip to the pads.
5. Install the pads with the pad wear indicator plate facing upward.
6. Install the brake caliper with the 2 mounting bolts. Torque the bolts 25 ft-lb (34 Nm).
7. Install the front wheels.
8. Fill the master cylinder with new clean brake fluid.
9. Pump the brake pedal several times to seat the brake pads.

Rear TMC made rear brake components

TMMK made rear brake components

To Remove:

1. Drain the brake fluid to ½ full level in reservoir.
2. Remove the rear wheels.
3. Remove the caliper slide pins.
4. Remove the caliper slide pin bushings (TMMK made) (Kentucky).
5. Remove the rear brake calipers.
6. Remove the 2 brake pads with the anti-squeal shims.
7. Remove the anti-squeal shims and pad wear indicators from brake pads.

To Install:

1. Using a large C clamp or equivalent press the piston into the caliper.
2. Coat both sides of the outer anti-squeal shim with pad grease.
3. Install anti-squeal shims to each pad.
4. Install wear indicators on the 2 brake pads.
5. Install the caliper slide pin bushings (TMMK made) (Kentucky).
6. Install the rear brake caliper with the slide pins. Torque the slide pins as follows:
   • TMC made (Japan): Torque the caliper slide pin 25 ft-lb (34.3 Nm)
   • TMMK made (Kentucky): Torque the caliper slide pin 34 ft-lb (47 Nm)
7. Fill the master cylinder with new clean brake fluid.
8. Pump the brake pedal several times to seat the brake pads.
9. Install the rear wheels.

Brake Rotor Removal & Installation Front To Remove:

1. Remove the front wheels.
2. Remove the front brake caliper assembly.
3. Remove the front brake pads.
4. Remove the 2 bolts and caliper mounting bracket.
5. Place match marks on the disc and axle hub.
6. Remove the front wheel disc.

To Install:

1. Align the match marks and install the front disc.
2. Install the brake caliper mounting bracket. Torque the bolts 79 ft-lb (107 Nm).
3. Install the brake caliper. Torque the bolts 25 ft-lb (34 Nm).
4. Install new gaskets and connect the brake hose to the caliper with the banjo fitting bolt. Torque the fitting bolt 22 ft-lb (29.4 Nm).
5. Fill the reservoir with brake fluid.
6. Bleed the brake system.
7. Install the front wheel.

Rear To Remove:

1. Remove the rear wheels.
2. Remove the brake caliper assembly.
3. Remove the brake pads.
4. Remove the 2 bolts and the caliper mounting bracket.
5. Place match marks on the disc and axle hub.
6. Remove the rear disc.

To Install:

1. Align the match marks and install the rear disc.
2. Install the rear brake caliper mounting bracket. Torque the bracket bolts as follows:
   • TMC made (Japan): Torque the bracket bolt 46 ft-lb (61.8 Nm)
   • TMMK made (Kentucky): Torque the bracket bolt 34 ft-lb (47 Nm)
3. Install the rear brake caliper with the slide pins. Torque the slide pins as follows:
   • TMC made (Japan): Torque the caliper slide pin 25 ft-lb (34.3 Nm)
   • TMMK made (Kentucky): Torque the caliper slide pin 32 ft-lb (43 Nm)
4. Install new gaskets and connect the brake hose to the caliper with the banjo fitting bolt. Torque the fitting bolt 22 ft-lb (29.4 Nm).
5. Fill the reservoir with brake fluid.
6. Bleed the brake system.
7. Install the rear wheel

Actually, changing the front rotors is not that difficult and they are relatively in-expensive. Anytime you change the pads on the front of your vehicle i would recommend having the rotors resurfaced or replaced. Especially if you are getting a brake pedal pulse when applying the brakes. Here is a step by step guide that will help you in removing your Front rotors.

First off have you worked on brakes before, if you have not, carefully consider your options. Yhe caliper has to be removed, piston reset and new pads fitted. The most difficult part of the procedure, is R/R of the anti-rattle spring without breaking it.

It sounds like you have managed to get them onto the caliper. Before you can put the caliper onto the front fork you need to force the piston back into the caliper. You can do this with a screwdriver. Use the caliper as a fulcrum and push it back in with the screwdriver tip. It can take some work. Make sure your paintwork is protected under the brake fluid reservoir as excess fluid can come out and damage the paint work. Once you have opened it, the caliper will slide into place. Pump the brakes a few times as you will have no brakes until the new pads seat and don't pump the brakes until the caliper is back in place or thepiston will fall out and it is difficult to put back in plus you will need to bleed the brakes.

may have siezed caliper slide pins suggest buy reman loaded caliper assembly

after removing the wheel, remove the 2 bolts on the brake caliper. place a clamp on the flexy brake line to stop fluid loss. remove the caliper then remove the pads. undo the bleed nipple and push the piston back into the caliper. do up the nipple. undo the front wheel bearings and remove the disk. pack the wheel bearings and fit the front hubs. fit the brake pads then the caliper. remove the clamp check the fluid levels and pump the brakes brakes should be done by a professional because if the fail you can only die once
happy motoring