1999-2009 Honda S2000 Brake Job Tools and Torque Specs

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

A brake job on a 1999-2009 Honda S2000 needs ordinary metric hand tools, a torque wrench, a caliper piston tool, a way to bleed the system, and a sealed bottle of fresh DOT 3 fluid. The two numbers that matter on every job come straight from Honda: the five wheel nuts on each corner tighten to 80 lbf-ft (108 N-m), and the brake fluid gets replaced every 3 years regardless of mileage. Caliper and bracket bolt values should come from the factory service manual for your year, not a forum post.

How the S2000 brake system is laid out

Honda's owner's manual describes the S2000 as having disc brakes at all four wheels, a power assist that reduces pedal effort, and an anti-lock brake system (ABS). The hydraulics run in two separate diagonal circuits: the left-front brake shares a circuit with the right-rear, and the right-front with the left-rear. If one circuit develops a leak, the car still brakes on two wheels. That layout matters during a brake job because you bleed both circuits, not just the corner you worked on, whenever air gets into the system.

The rear brakes also do parking-brake duty. The manual warns that driving with the parking brake partially set can overheat or damage the rear brakes, and the maintenance schedule includes a parking brake adjustment check at each brake inspection. If the rear pads are glazed or one rear rotor is blued while the other looks normal, a dragging parking brake is the first thing to rule out.

The car also has a hydraulic clutch with its own reservoir beside the brake reservoir. Honda specifies the same fluid for both, so do not mix up the two caps when topping off after a pad change.

The specs that come from Honda and Brembo

These are the numbers we confirmed from Honda's published S2000 owner's manual and Brembo's S2000 parts catalog. Anything not in this table, such as caliper slide bolt and caliper bracket bolt torque, should be taken from the Honda factory service manual for your exact year.

The minimum thickness that governs your rotor is the one cast or stamped on that rotor. Measure with a micrometer at several points around the disc. A rear rotor at or below its minimum is replaced, not resurfaced.

Tools for a front or rear S2000 brake job

• Floor jack and jack stands. Use the jacking points shown in the owner's manual. Never work under the car on the jack alone.
• Breaker bar and wheel nut socket, plus a torque wrench that covers 80 lbf-ft for reinstalling the wheels.
• Metric sockets and wrenches for the caliper slide bolts and caliper bracket bolts. A second, smaller-range torque wrench is worth having for the slide bolts, which take far less torque than the bracket bolts.
• Caliper piston tool or a large C-clamp to retract the piston so the thicker new pads fit.
• Flare-nut (line) wrench if you are replacing hoses or opening a line. An open-end wrench rounds brake fittings.
• Bleeder wrench, clear hose and a catch bottle, or a pressure or vacuum bleeder.
• Wire brush, brake cleaner and high-temperature brake lubricant for the bracket abutments, slide pins and pad ears.
• Micrometer or rotor caliper to measure rotor thickness against the minimum.
• Sealed DOT 3 brake fluid. Buy a fresh bottle. Brake fluid absorbs moisture once opened.

Step by step: pads and rotors on the S2000

1. Park on level ground. For front work set the parking brake; for rear work chock the front wheels. Loosen the wheel nuts about half a turn before lifting, as the manual describes for wheel removal.
2. Lift the car, support it on stands, and remove the wheel.
3. Check the brake fluid level. If you will be pushing pistons back and the reservoir is near MAX, remove a little fluid first so it does not overflow onto paint.
4. Remove the caliper slide bolts and lift the caliper off. Hang it from the suspension with wire. Do not let it hang by the rubber hose.
5. Remove the pads and their clips. Remove the caliper bracket bolts and the bracket if you are replacing rotors.
6. Remove the rotor. Clean the hub face down to bare metal with a wire brush. Rust on the hub face is a common cause of new-rotor runout and the pedal pulsation that follows.
7. Fit the new rotor, refit the bracket, and torque its bolts to the factory service manual value for your year. Clean the abutments, fit new clips, and lubricate the clip contact points and slide pins sparingly.
8. Retract the piston. On the rear, the caliper also carries the parking-brake mechanism; if the piston will not press straight back under steady force, stop and check the service procedure for your year rather than forcing it.
9. Install the pads and caliper, torque the slide bolts, refit the wheel, and tighten the nuts in a crisscross pattern to 80 lbf-ft once the car is back on the ground.
10. Pump the pedal until it is firm before moving the car, then recheck the fluid and top up to between MIN and MAX with DOT 3.

What to replace together

Replace pads in axle sets, never one side. If the rotors are under minimum, deeply scored, or cause pedal pulsation, replace them as a pair along with the pads. New pads on a worn, glazed rotor take longer to bed in and often make noise.

For a street or track-day S2000, slotted rotors such as the DBA 4000 Series T3 slotted front rotor and the matching DBA 4000 Series T3 rear rotor are a common step up, and the DBA Street Series T2 front rotor suits daily driving. Owners who track the car often go further with GiroDisc slotted front rotors or, for a full front upgrade, the Brembo GT-S 6-piston front big brake kit with 355 x 32 mm two-piece rotors. A big brake kit changes wheel clearance requirements, so confirm your wheels fit before ordering.

Inspect the rubber hoses every time; Honda lists brake hoses and lines in the scheduled inspection. On an older S2000, a Russell stainless steel braided brake line kit replaces aged rubber hoses and firms up pedal feel. If you open the lines, plan on a full fluid flush. You can also browse all brake pads, brake rotors and brake hardware kits.

Bleeding and the 3-year fluid change

Honda calls for Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid DOT 3 and warns that other fluids can cause corrosion and shorten the life of the system. DOT 3 or DOT 4 from a sealed container is acceptable only as a temporary replacement, and the manual recommends having the system flushed and refilled with the Honda fluid as soon as possible after that. DOT 5 is not compatible and can cause extensive damage. If you run a higher-temperature racing fluid for track days, understand that it is outside Honda's specification and usually needs changing more often.

Because the circuits are split diagonally, a full flush means bleeding all four corners. Never let the reservoir run dry while bleeding, or you can pull air into the ABS unit, which is much harder to purge. A fluid level at or below MIN is a warning sign: Honda's manual says the system should then be inspected for leaks or worn pads.

Signs your S2000 is due

• Metallic screeching when braking. The manual describes this as the pad wear indicator. If ignored, the pads screech all the time. An occasional light squeal or squeak is normal.
• Pulsation in the pedal during normal stops. Usually rotor thickness variation. ABS pulsation is different: it happens only during hard stops or on slick surfaces.
• Soft or sinking pedal. Old, moisture-laden fluid, air in the lines, or a leak.
• Weak brakes after deep water. Honda advises applying the brakes moderately after driving through water, then gently and frequently until they feel normal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the wheel nut torque on a Honda S2000?

Honda's owner's manual specifies 80 lbf-ft (108 N-m) for the S2000 wheel nuts, tightened in a crisscross pattern. Snug them with the wheel in the air, then do the final torque with the car on the ground.

What brake fluid does the S2000 use?

Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid DOT 3. Honda allows DOT 3 or DOT 4 from a sealed container only as a temporary replacement and warns that DOT 5 is not compatible with the system.

How often should S2000 brake fluid be changed?

Honda's maintenance schedule calls for replacing the brake fluid every 3 years, independent of mileage. Change it sooner if you track the car or the fluid has turned dark.

What are the S2000 caliper bolt torque specs?

Use the value in the Honda factory service manual for your model year. Caliper slide bolts take much less torque than the caliper bracket bolts, and values posted online often conflict, so do not guess.

Can I resurface S2000 rear rotors?

Only if they stay above the minimum thickness after machining. Brembo lists the replacement rear disc at 12 mm new with a 10 mm minimum, which leaves little material to cut, so many owners simply replace them.

Are the S2000 rear brakes discs or drums?

Discs. Honda states the S2000 has disc brakes at all four wheels, and the rear calipers also handle the parking brake.

Sources

1. Honda 2004 S2000 Owner's Manual - Parking and Braking System - four-wheel discs, power assist, ABS, diagonal split circuits, wear indicator sound, parking brake warning
2. Honda 2004 S2000 Owner's Manual - Brake and Clutch Fluid - Honda DOT 3 spec, DOT 4 temporary use, DOT 5 incompatible, MIN/MAX guidance
3. Honda 2004 S2000 Owner's Manual - Maintenance Schedule - brake fluid every 3 years, brake and hose inspections, parking brake adjustment check
4. Honda 2004 S2000 Owner's Manual - Changing a Flat Tire - 80 lbf-ft (108 N-m) wheel nut torque, five nuts, crisscross pattern
5. Brembo Parts Catalog - Honda S2000 (AP) - rear disc 282 x 12 mm, 10 mm minimum, solid; acoustic pad wear indicators; GT 355 x 32 mm front upgrade