How to Replace Your Front Brakes

Driving a car without good brakes is like skydiving without a parachute. Not a good idea!
Luckily, performing regular maintenance on your car's brakes can be done at home if you have the proper tools and help. Follow these directions to change out the front brakes on your light-duty pickup truck.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Measuring caliper
• Tire blocks or bricks
• Lug nut wrench
• Jack
• Jack stand
• Breaker bar or a long ratchet
• Zip ties
• Block of wood and a c-clamp
• Big pan for brake fluid to drain into
• Bolt grease
• Anti-Squeal aerosol spray

1. 
   A new brake rotor

   Before you start, check your rotors for damage or warping with a measuring caliper. Also check for any signs that the sensor is digging into the rotor, which indicates rotor damage. If you do notice any damage take the rotor to a brake shop so they can properly turn (regrind) the rotor.

2. 

   Next, You will always chock the back tires with blocks or bricks. Also make sure that your truck is in Park or 1st gear if it is a manual transmission, and engage your emergency brake to help hold the vehicle in place. Loosen the lug nuts on the tire, jack up the front you'll be working on, and set the frame on a jack stand, and remove the tire.

3. 

   Loosen the lug nuts on the tire. Depending on the make and model of your truck, it could have four, five, six or even eight lug nuts on the wheel. Use your jack to raise the front of your vehicle on the side you will be working on. Make sure that your place the jack on the truck's frame because it is strong and will not bend under the vehicle's weight.

4. 

   Now, set the truck's frame on a jack stand, and unscrew the wheel' s lug nuts. Place the lug nuts in a safe place that you will easily remember. Now remove the wheel.

5. 

   Then remove the bottom 17mm bolt and loosen the top 17mm bolt (your bolt size will vary depending on your specific vehicle). You might have to do a little work to get to the top bolt with the brake line in the way, but take your time and don't damage the brake line. Try a breaker bar or a longer ratchet or wrench to budge the bolts loose. Swing the brake caliper up and zip tie it down to the control arm or whatever is nearby.

6. 

   Remove the brake pads and dissemble. Remember to lay them out in the order of which you took it apart. THIS IS IMPORTANT.

7. 

   After that, get your new pads out of the box. You can use a file and file down the edges of the pads at about a 45 degree angle to keep the pads from squealing as much.

8. 

   Rub anti-squeal spray on the back of the brake pads and put the shims on in the reverse order you took them off at. Try not to get the anti-squeal spray on the front of the brake pads because it would have a similar result to waxing your brake pads. Make sure you put the little sensor back on the edge of the rear brake pad.

9. 

   Take a block of wood and a c-clamp, and squeeze the piston back into the caliper to where it's flush with the boot, if you go too far you have a chance in damaging the boot. Also, make sure your brake fluid reservoir isn't overflowing while you do this, drain the fluid as necessary. Don't get the fluid on your paint! It will remove paint and ruin your car's finish.

10. 

    Place the pads in with the outer tabs going into the clips. Remember to put the pad with the sensor on the back of the brake rotor.

11. 

    Cut the zip ties and lower the caliper onto the pads. Apply some grease around the bolt that you removed, and then tighten up both of the 17mm bolts.

12. 

    Turn your engine on and pump your brakes a few times to make sure the piston now touches the pad. Add or remove brake fluid as needed to get it to the max fill line. One last time make sure all your bolts are tightened down right.

13. 

    Put your tire back on, hand tighten your lugs, lower the truck and torque the lugs to the proper specs.

14. 

    Finally, take a slow drive around to make sure everything is working properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Please take your automobile to a professional mechanic if you do not have the proper time, tools, or knowledge to successfully complete this job.
• Always do repairs on a dry, clean, and level surface so you do and the vehicle do not slip or move.
• Always secure your truck with jack stands when performing under-vehicle maintenance.

[rjpfletcher]

on 6/6/2009 Great article. By the way to: "Soanyway said," if you click on small photos, they become bigger photos.

[soanyway]

on 12/7/2008 I wish I could do this! I have watched them replace my brakes and it takes about 20 minutes and cost hundreds!!! ~thanks~ I might try this if I could get the picturs bigger!