Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Step1
Loosen the lug nuts on both front wheels. Jack the front of the car up and lower onto jack stands. Put the emergency brake on and place 4-by-4 inch wooden blocks behind the rear wheels to keep the car from rolling back while jacked up.
Step2
Remove the front wheels to expose the brake assembly on each side of the vehicle.
Step3
Unbolt the mounting bolts holding the caliper and brake pads onto the rotor. Slip the caliper off the rotor. Remove bolts and/or clips—some brake assemblies have one or the other, some have both—attaching the brake pads to the caliper.
Step4
Return the piston in the caliper to the fully-open position. Use a C-clamp or vise grip. As the brake pad wore, the piston moved closer and closer to the rotor. With new brake pads, this piston must be opened all the way before the new pads can be installed.
Step5
Apply grease to the backs of the new brake pads and assemble brakes in the reverse order you took them apart. Repeat the process for the other side of the vehicle.
Comments
91preludesi said
on 9/6/2008 Just a little note...brake pads aren't attached to the caliper, they are attached to the caliper bracket. What do you have to do to become an eHow Cars Editor?! Own a car? Is that it? Seems like it. Most of the car repair articles by the eHow Cars Editor have something wrong in them. This can be something with very little influence, or it could get you or someone else hurt. Also, you can't always use a C-clamp on the inside of the piston to push it in. Some car manufacturers use materials that will crack or shatter if you do this, then you'll need a new set of calipers. You can place an old pad back in the caliper and use a C-clamp to push the old pad against the piston to push it back in however. More bad advise! This is the third article out of four that I have reviewed by the eHow Cars Editor that has mistakes in it. Any chance I can become a cars editor??
heliskiier said
on 6/13/2008 The only time you'll need to bleed the lines is if you get finished and you can't get the pedal back to firm. No need to do it if everything comes out OK (95% of the time). Let's put those brake guys out of business. Oh and Rotor installation is just as easy as pads if you need new ones!
heliskiier said
on 6/13/2008 Something to add. When you squeeze the calipers to make room for the new pads you need to take off the top of the fluid container under the hood, because you'll force fluid back in there. ALSO, VERY IMPORTANT. PUMP THOSE BRAKES UNTIL YOUR PEDAL COMES BACK FIRM BEFORE DRIVING OR YOU'LL HIT SOMETHING IF YOU DON'T. Brake pads are usually very easy to do yourself and you'll save yourself hundreds. I did my Saab pads in 35 minutes. ALWAYS USE JACKSTANDS TOO!
poster said
on 11/28/2007 bleeding the break line gets out the air. If you get a bleeder kit you attach it to the valve by the break line and pump the breaks. When you push the piston back it can get air into the line. if you take off the lid to your break fluid resivor the air can escape there. Bleeding usually has to be done.