How to Install New Brake Pads & Rotors
Changing your brake pads and rotors is a step that will save you money and improve the safety of your vehicle. It can be done with relatively simple tools and in a few hours. Changing your pads and rotors will also save you a lot of money, because a complete brake job will cost anywhere from $300 to $600 dollars, and much of that expense is labor.
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Things You'll Need
- Tire jack or lift
- Wheel blocks
- Tire iron
- Screw driver
- C-clamp
- Mallet or hammer
Instructions
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Changing Your Brake Pads
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1
Jack up your car a few inches. If you are using jacks, be sure they will support the weight of your car, and put blocks behind the rear wheels for added safety. Most brake replacements will be front brakes, since these receive most of the braking stress.
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2
Loosen the lug nuts on the front tires just enough to break them free, then jack up your car to a comfortable height, and place a jack stand under the axle, before you remove the front tires. If you have hubcap covers, you will have to remove these first to get to the lug nuts. Use a tire iron for both tasks.
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3
Loosen the caliper bolts to remove your pads. These are located at the corners of most calipers and are usually fairly large. The caliper is the piece of equipment that squeezes the two pads together against the rotor, that shiny silver disc around the wheel mounting. Each caliper should slide free fairly easily, with some persuasion from a rubber hammer or wood mallet.
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4
Remove the pads from the caliper itself. They are held in place by little metal clips or screws, depending on the type of vehicle. We are assuming they need to be changed; to be sure, measure them -- they should be between 1/4" and 1/8" thick. Pads worn down to 1/8" need to changed. If your pad has bolts in it and these bolts are coming in contact with the rotor disc, they are damaging it.
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5
Install the new pads on the caliper. Slide them into the caliper and secure them with clips or bolts. Follow your particular pad and brake instructions carefully to ensure these are attached correctly. Then set the calipers aside for now.
Changing Your Rotors
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6
Remove the caliper mounts completely by taking off the bolts and mount hardware. Then slide the rotor disc off the wheel mount over the wheel's bolts. Use your mallet or oil to loosen and free the disc if necessary.
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7
Slide the new rotors onto the wheel and inspect the ABS sensor for cracks.
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8
Depress the brake piston on the caliper using a C-clamp. Place it over the piston, slide a piece of wood or old brake pad between the clamp tooth and brake piston, and then tighten. You may need to open the master brake cylinder to drain off excess fluid to do this.
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9
Put the caliper mount back on the wheel in reverse order of the steps you used to remove it.
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10
Install the brake calipers with new pads in the mounts. The caliper slides should be aligned and the brake pads have to be installed with close tolerances. If you are changing brakes on an older car, you may want to bleed your brake system by opening the brake bleeder valve on top of the caliper, after a friend pumps and depresses the brake. Be careful, because sometimes this creates more air bubbles in the system, if not done correctly.
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11
Put the wheel back on and lower your car. Test your new brake pads to ensure there is pressure on the pedal. Then turn the car on and with your hand on the emergency brake, put the car in neutral. Now tap the brakes as the car inches forward. Decrease or increase the play in your brakes as needed.
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Tips & Warnings
Give yourself plenty of time to do this job if it is the first time you are doing it. You can find cheap rotors and even new calipers if needed at your auto parts store, so check there first. Usually, a newer brake system does not need to be bled frequently, but it will prevent the build up of unnecessary air bubbles in your system, and a better functioning brake line.
Brakes are important for safety and must be installed right, if you are unsure about your installation, be safe and go to a mechanic to have them checked out. It doesn't hurt to ask for help!
