Alfa 156 Brakes

Alfa Romeo 156 Brake Replacement

The procedure below was written up for a 1998 2.0 Twinspark with vented front discs but
should be the same for all 156 models. The shape of the pads will differ between vented and
solid discs at the front. Later models have larger rear discs and therefore different pads. It
should not matter if we are talking standard brakes with normal or drilled/grooved discs with
high-speed road pads - the process is the same. The only difference is that some front pads
don’t have the wear indicator so you will need to tie the cable back out of the way if not
required.
Tools Required:
Pads Only Discs

7mm Allen key or hex key socket 12mm socket or spanner for disc retaining
13mm & 15mm spanners and/or sockets bolts
15mm open ended spanner 19mm socket or spanner to remove caliper
mountings
Caliper piston retractor
Torque wrench
Brake Fluid (Dot 4 or Dot 5.1)
Brake Bleeding Kit
Spanners for bleed nipples (smaller on front
than rear)
Copperslip copper-based grease
Brake Cleaner (must dry without leaving a
residue)
Rags
Wire and stiff brushes
I’ve written this in the sequence I replaced my brakes. This was to do the fronts first, then
the rears and finally to bleed of the system completely to change the fluid.
Remember your new brakes will need to be “Bedded in”. This means not using the brakes
hard for around 100 miles or following the recommendations supplied with the pads. High
performance pads often need a special method. Also bedding in new pads on old discs might
take a bit longer as they need to “wear” to fit the old disc shape.
As with all major work like this take your time as you will want these to work properly
afterwards. Its no use realising you’ve forgotten to do something as you hit the brakes for
the first time ....
When working under a car, make sure it is supported securely and do

not rely on the jack provided by the manufacturer. Use axles stands
Warning! under appropriate parts of the car to support it properly.
Page 1 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

Front Pads
FRONT PADS
Clean up the caliper of loose dirt, etc.

Push/pull/lever pads to retract piston. If you are changing the discs, then a little brute force
with a wide screw driver will probably not come amiss, but if you are keeping the discs, you
may want to be a little more careful. Pushing the piston back will displace the brake fluid,
so it has to go somewhere. You can loosen the bleed nipple to do this (make sure brake fluid
is caught through pipe or clean rags). KEEP BRAKE FLUID AWAY FROM PAINTWORK. Tighten
bleed nipple after to avoid air getting in. Alternative is to push fluid back into system but
check level in master cylinder and take action if gets too high. If this proves difficult, wait
until caliper is off. You can then use a G-clamp or similar, or like me, just use the narrow
wooden handle of a hammer.
Remove pad spring (1).
Disconnect brake pad wear indicator (2) (if fitted)
Remove covers from ends of caliper mounting
bolts (not shown in the diagram on the right, but
see 3a in large picture on page 2). Undo the
mounting bolts 3a with 7mm hex key.
Lift off caliper and remove pads (4).
DO NOT LET CALIPERS DANGLE & PUT STRAIN
ON HOSES!
Inner pad has a spring clip mounting that fits into
piston. Clean up the caliper as much as possible,
checking piston gaiter for holes or perishing.
Replace if necessary as this stops dirt and water
getting into caliper and causing corrosion/wear.
Make sure piston is pushed fully back and insert
new pads into caliper, clipping inner pad into
piston. Copperslip the pad backs as you replace
them, as well the edges where they sit on the caliper.
If you are changing discs, move to next section otherwise replace
caliper and refit hex bolts. Replace pad spring and reconnect pad wear
indicator (if fitted).
Repeat on other side.
Hex bolts (3a) torque to 4.8-5.2 Nm.
Page 2 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

Front Discs
FRONT DISCS
Tools Required:
Once caliper assembly is off,

remove the caliper mounting
brackets (4b). Remove the two
bolts (4a) with a 19mm socket/
spanner. These fix to wheel hub
behind disc.
Clean up the caliper mountings
especially where the caliper
locates and slides. Lubricate
with Copperslip or similar.
The remove the small bolt/pin (1b) from the hub area of
the disc (1a in lower image) and remove disc.
Now’s the time to compare the old one with the new
one!!
Installation is reverse of above. Clean up the faces of the
hub, and clean all the traces of oil/grease, etc., before
replacing the disc. Remember the discs will be oiled to
prevent corrosion and all traces will need to be
removed.
Disc mounting pin (1b) torque settings are 0.8-1.3Nm.
Disc caliper bracket bolts (4a) : 13.6-16.8Nm.
Replace the caliper and pads as in “Front Pads” on
page 2.
Fronts: Before and After ... maybe I should have painted them?!?
Page 3 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

Rear Pads
REAR PADS
OK. All the usual stuff (again). Jack up car, take off wheels, make sure car is supported on
axles stands, etc.
Release the handbrake and loosen the adjusting nut underneath to allow lots of slack on the
handbrake cables. You will have to release the handbrake cables from the caliper. These
hook into the handbrake mechanism on the back of the caliper. Pull the outer cable through
the mounting flange and keep them clear of the brakes.
Clean up the caliper as much as possible.
Using 13mm and 15mm open ended
spanner, remove the caliper mounting bolts
and lift the caliper away from the disc.
Mine had been fitted using some sort of
“loctite” as they had blue threads. Remove
the old pads.
DON’T LET IT HANG ON THE BRAKE PIPES
AND STRAIN THEM.
Pushing the caliper back involves PUSHING
AND TURNING at the same time. I used a
Draper Piston Retractor which didn’t fit
perfectly but did the job albeit much more
slowly (see picture), but you can use pipe
pliers and rags. But be careful. You don’t want to scratch the piston surface as this could
affect the seal and allow fluid to leak ... new caliper! As with the front, either loosen the
bleed nipple or keep a watch on the master cylinder levels as you push the piston back and
displace the fluid.
Clean up the caliper, check the piston seal, etc., as you did at the
front. Replace the pads and, if you are not changing the discs, refit.
Copperslip to pads especially where the inner pad touches the piston.
Caliper mounting bolts torque (1a): 4.8-5.2 Nm.
Reconnect the handbrake cable and when both sides are completed,
re-tension the handbrake using the adjuster under the handbrake
lever.
Draper Piston Retractor Tool: CWT1
This cost me around £6.90 from my local motor factors. Fits on

a 3/8” socket. It has five different side with different shaped
and numbers of pins to locate in the piston I used the side with
two small round pins, but this didn’t fit the piston perfectly.
The pins were a little bit too narrow to fit in the cut-outs in the
piston. It worked, but a correctly fitting tool would be quicker.
I pushed the front piston back by levering the pad with a
screwdriver against the disc. But this was because I was
replacing the discs. I’d be more careful if only replacing pads.
Alternatively you could use the wooden handle of a hammer or
a g-clamp. You may be able to lever the pads to do this.
Page 4 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

Rear Discs
REAR DISCS
Parts Required:
If you are using the opportunity fit new discs, you

don’t have to remove the caliper mountings. But
might be wise and give them a good clean at the
same time. You’ll need a good strong 19mm ring
spanner or narrow socket though as it’s impossible
to get a thick socket on the lower bolts due to the
suspension mountings. Luckily the disc will come
off with this in place. Torquing the bolts will be
difficult with a ring spanner, so guess work may be
needed and some Loctite.
Remove the disc mounting bolt/pin from the hub

face and lift the disc away, angling it to clear the hub
and the caliper brackets.
My discs were hard to remove and I had to resort to
tapping the disc from the back with a hammer while
turning it. The discs were the originals, so after 6 1/2
years they tried to remain part of the hub!
As with the fronts, give the hub a good clean and remove
all traces of oil and grease from the new disc before
replacing.
If you do remove the caliper mountings, the bolts torque
setting is 4.7-5.8 Nm.
The disc pin (1a) is 0.8-1.3 Nm.
Copperslip all the moving parts and bolt everything back
together.
Page 5 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

Bleeding the Brakes
BLEEDING THE BRAKES
If you release fluid from the calipers through the bleed nipple when you pushed the pistons
back, you might have inadvertently got air in the system. This will lead to “spongy” brakes.
BUt there is also the possibility that you have got old brake fluid in the system and this may
be starting to get contaminated with dirt and water. Brake fluid is hygroscopic which means
it will, over time, draw in moisture. This will reduce the fluids boiling point under heavy
braking and may lead to you losing braking power at the worst possible moment.
The recommended interval between complete changes is 2 years.
To bleed the brakes you will need either a one-man kit that connects to a tyre valve and
forces fluid into the master cylinder and through the system when you open the bleed
nipples. Alternatively you can get a simpler kit with a one-way valve on the tube. With this
method you need to take care to ensure that the nipple is not too loose or air gets back in as
the pressure stops. I use one of these but get someone to sit in the car and pump the brakes.
That way I can watch the fluid for colour and bubbles and also make sure the reservoir on
the master cylinder doesn’t get too low.
If you use the simpler system, pump the brakes slowly, especially when bleeding the rears.
The master cylinder may incorporate a brake balance valve which can trigger and prevent
the proper flow of fluid to the rears. Alfa brakes are balanced to put most of the braking to
the fronts.
There are a number of different ways in which you sequence the brakes:
• Front first, rear last
• Diagonally (n/s/f, o/s/r, o/s/f, n/s/r) or in reverse.
• Working around the brakes, closest to master cylinder first (ie n/s/f, o/s/f, n/s/r, o/s/r)
• The same, but starting furthest from the master cylinder (ie o/s/r, n/s/r, o/s/f, n/s/f)
What is probably going to work here is to bleed the brakes as you finish each wheel or end
as I did. Otherwise you will spend most of the time jacking the car up and down and removing
wheels more often than you need to.
Page 6 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

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Alfa Romeo 156 Brake Replacement

Alfa Romeo 156 Brake Replacement

Pads Only Discs

When working under a car, make sure it is supported securely and do

Page 1 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

Clean up the caliper of loose dirt, etc.

Page 2 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

Once caliper assembly is off,

Page 3 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

Draper Piston Retractor Tool: CWT1

This cost me around £6.90 from my local motor factors. Fits on

Page 4 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

If you are using the opportunity fit new discs, you

Remove the disc mounting bolt/pin from the hub

Page 5 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

BLEEDING THE BRAKES

Page 6 of 6 18 April 2005 11:54 am

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