How to Change Disc Brake Pads

Doing your own basic maintenance on your vehicle can be rewarding in two ways. First you will feel a sense of accomplishment and second you will save money. Changing your own disc brake pads is one of those jobs you can easily do yourself with a little know how.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Chilton's or Haynes manual for your make, model and year
• Jack
• 2 Jack stands
• New disc brake pads or shoes
• Wrenches

Preparation

1. Assemble the tools of the trade. The necessary tools you will need to do the job can be found first at the auto parts store.

2. Find a dry garage and prepare the area. Check your car jack to make sure it is working properly and set your jack stands beside your car by the jack up points specified in the manual.

3. Read the brake section of the manual to learn precisely what tools and parts you will need. In general this will include new brake pads and shoes, wrenches, brake fluid, jack and jack stands and Chilton's or Haynes manual for your year, make and model for your car or truck.

Execution

4. Loosen the lug nuts and raise the car with the jack onto the jack stands. After placing car upon jack stands, test the sturdiness of the jack stands by shaking the car. This way, you will not be underneath the car if it falls.

5. Take off the wheels by removing the lug nuts. This will expose your brake rotor and shoe assembly. Study this assembly and make sure the directions in your manual make sense before continuing.

6. Remove brake pads or shoes per specific instructions in your manual. This may include removing the brake shoe from the rotor, then removing the brake pad from the brake shoe.

7. Replace brake pads. You might need to push in the calipers to accomplish this. You will need to install a brake quieter if it doesn't come with the brake pad.

8. Put both front end wheels on and loosely tighten lug nuts and gently lower the car off the jack stands. Always torque your lug nuts in a star wheel pattern. If the manual does not show you how to do this, ask the parts personnel when you are at the parts store.

9. Go easy on the brake pedal for the next two weeks to make sure you do not glaze your new brake pads. After installation, proper bedding of the brakes may include several heat and cool cycles. This means use your brake pedal firmly, don't drag your brakes and try to avoid panic stops and stops from higher speeds.

Tips & Warnings

• Always do just one wheel at a time so you can go to the other side of the car if the manual's illustration is difficult to understand. The mirror image of the mistakes you may have made and the way to rectify them are on the other side.
• It will probably take you two or three times as long as your mechanic. The cost of the tools will be paid for many times over the life of your car.
• The staff at the auto parts store often suggests helpful accessories such as disc brake quieter, mechanics hand protector and a hand solvent to clean up after the job is done.
• Your car's brakes are a safety item on your car. If you are not comfortable or do not understand the directions in the manual, let someone who is skilled with car repair do the job for you.
• Follow the instructions in the manual carefully to avoid injury to your car and yourself.
• Jacking a car up is dangerous. After placing car upon jack stands, test the sturdiness of the jack stands by shaking the car. This way, you will not be underneath the car if it falls.

Resources

• Find your Chilton's manual at chiltonsonline.com.
• Find your Haynes manual at haynes.com.

[chewsykind]

on 5/13/2009 I just chaned my own brakes on my 2000 mistu eclipse and now when I brake It vibrates or Pulsates eratically can any one help?