How to Change the Rear Brakes on a Honda Prelude

Brake pads are an important part of your Honda Prelude's braking system. They are the replaceable friction pads that pinch the brake disc when the brakes are applied. You should replace the brake pads before they wear beyond a quarter inch or risk damaging your Prelude's brake discs.

Things You'll Need

• Car jack
• Blocks
• Lug nut wrench
• Turkey baster
• Heavy-duty plastic container
• Allen head, star head, or 6-point socket wrench
• Penetrating oil
• Small bungee cord or wire coat hanger
• New brake pads
• Silicone grease
• Brake fluid

Instructions

Remove the old Brake Pads

1. Park your car on a level surface. If you have a stick shift car, make sure the car is in gear. Place blocks in front of the front tires so the car does not move while you are working on it.

2. Open the hood of your car. Locate the master cylinder and brake fluid container. If necessary, remove brake fluid until the level in the container is less than half full. A turkey baster is a good tool for this. Put the brake fluid in the plastic container and dispose of it the way you dispose of motor oil.

3. Raise the rear end of your car with your car jack. Remove the rear tire or wheel assembly.

4. Disconnect the dust shield that is on top of the caliper. For most cars there are two bolts on the dust shield, one on top of the shield and one on the back of the shield.

5. Use the socket wrench to remove the caliper bolts from the back of the caliper. Slide the caliper off of the disc brake and suspend it near the disc brake with a small bungee cord or coat hanger. Suspend the caliper housing so that you do not damage the brake hose.

6. Remove the brake pads, pad shims and retainers from the caliper. The shims are on the outer edges of the caliper and the retainers are at the top and bottom of the caliper.

Install the new Brake Pads

1. Reconnect the caliper retainer. Grease the shims and the backs of the new brake pads with a thin coat of the recommended assembly paste. Insert the pads and shims into the caliper.

2. Turn the caliper piston clockwise. There is a cutout in the piston that you need to align with the tab on the inner pad. Adjust the piston so the piston is flush with the caliper. Use silicone grease to lubricate the caliper boot (the outer ring of the caliper piston) so that you don't twist the piston boot.

3. Use the socket wrench to attach the caliper to the disc rotor. Tighten the caliper bolts to 17 feet lb. (23 Nm). Reattach the caliper dust shield.

4. Replace the tire wheel assembly. Lower the car to the ground. Pump the brake pedal a few times to seat the brake pads.

5. Add fluid to the master cylinder container to replace any you removed before you removed the old brake pads.

6. Season the brake pads by making only gentle stops when you are driving for the first week after you install the new brake pads. Try not to do any hard stopping when you are seasoning the brakes.

Tips & Warnings

• The master cylinder is a metal cylinder located in front of the steering wheel on the metal "firewall" that separates the engine from the body of the car. On top of the cylinder there is a plastic container that holds brake fluid for the system. When you work on the brakes you adjust the level of fluid so that the container is less than half-full.

• The caliper is the arc-shaped, cast iron piece attached to the brake rotor. It is usually on the upper-rear of the brake rotor. Caliper bolts are located on the back side of the caliper. The caliper piston is the large, round piston that presses on the inboard brake pad, which is the pad closest to the inside of the car.

• Be careful using brake fluid. It is an eye irritant and is hazardous if swallowed. Always wash your hands thoroughly after you have been handling brake fluid. If brake fluid does get in your eyes, immediately use clear, running water to flush your eyes for 15 minutes. If your eyes are still irritated after you rinse them or if you swallow any brake fluid, get medical assistance immediately.

• Be careful when you are handling used brake parts. The dust and dirt on the brake parts may contain asbestos fibers that can be hazardous to your health if they are inhaled.

• When you clean brake parts, always use a damp cloth, not compressed air, wire brushes, scouring pads, or anything else that could move the dust and dirt particles around. Throw away any cleaning cloths that you use and swept up dirt and dust in a sealed, impermeable container. For more information, visit the library or go online to view the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines and procedures for handling or throwing away anything that might contain asbestos fibers.