How to Change the Front Brake Pads on a Saab 900 Classic

Use a pair of rib joint pliers to seat the caliper piston into its bore.

Saab recommends inspecting the front brakes on your 900 model every six months. As a general rule, you will need to replace the pads whenever the pad lining becomes as thick as or thinner than the back plate. Fortunately, this is a maintenance task you can perform at home without special tools. Still, you need to be careful to prevent dirt or foreign particles into the hydraulic brake system to avoid future operating problems.

Things You'll Need

• Wrench
• Denatured alcohol, if necessary
• Clean shop rag, if necessary
• Clean turkey baster, if necessary
• Container, if necessary
• Lug wrench
• Floor jack
• 2 jack stands
• Rib joint pliers
• Ratchet
• Socket
• Piece of heavy wire, if necessary
• Brake parts cleaner
• Clean lint-free towels
• Wire brush, if necessary
• Anti-squeal lubricant
• New brake fluid, if necessary

Instructions

Remove the Brake Pads

1. Open the hood and disconnect the negative battery cable using a wrench.

2. Clean thoroughly the reservoir and cap of the brake master cylinder using denatured alcohol and a clean shop rag, if the brake fluid level is above the half mark.

3. Take off the brake fluid reservoir cap and remove some of the brake fluid using a clean turkey baster and a suitable container to bring the level below the half mark, if necessary.

4. Leave the reservoir cap loose on the brake master cylinder.

5. Loosen, but do not remove, the front tire and wheel lug nuts using a lug wrench.

6. Jack up the front of your Saab with a floor jack and place two jack stand at each side of the front of the vehicle under the frame for support. Carefully lower the vehicle.

7. Remove both front tire and wheel assemblies and work on one brake assembly at a time.

8. Retract the caliper piston into the cylinder. You can grab the piston through the top caliper opening with a pair of rib joint pliers to force it into its bore.

9. Look at the mounting position of the caliper retaining clip and remove it by hand.

10. Pull off the dust caps from the two caliper guide pin bolts.

11. Unscrew and remove both guide pin bolts using a ratchet and socket. The 1993 Saab 900 comes equipped with one bottom guide pin bolt.

12. Take the caliper off its mounting bracket and brake rotor and secure it to the strut using a piece of heavy wire. This will prevent the caliper from hanging loose and damaging the brake hose connected to it. On the 1993 Saab 900, you can swing the caliper upward to gain access to the brake pads.

13. Remove the brake pads from the caliper.

14. Wipe clean the brake assembly of lining dust and dirt. Use brake parts cleaner and clean lint-free towels. If necessary, use a wire brush to clean the surfaces that come in contact with the brake pads, but do not use the brush on the piston rubber boot.

Installing the Brake Pads

1. Apply a light coat of anti-squeal lubricant to the back plate of the new brake pads.

2. Install the brake pads on the caliper.

3. Untie the brake caliper form the strut and mount it on the caliper bracket and brake rotor, aligning the caliper mounting holes with the holes in the bracket. On the 1993 Saab 900, you can swing the caliper back into position.

4. Install the two brake caliper guide pin bolts by hand or the single guide pin bolt, if you have a 1993 Saab 900. Then, tighten the pin bolt(s) with the ratchet and socket.

5. Install the dust cap(s) on the caliper guide pin bolt(s).

6. Replace the caliper retaining clip.

7. Install the new brake pads on the other front brake assembly, following Step 8 from the previous section through Step 6 of this section.

8. Mount the tire and wheel assemblies on the hubs. Tighten the lug nuts using the lug wrench, just enough to seat the wheels flat against the hubs.

9. Lower your Saab using the floor jack.

10. Finish tightening the wheel lugs using the lug wrench.

11. Pump the brake pedal several times until you feel a firm pedal. This will properly seat the brake pads on the brake rotor.

12. Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir of the brake master cylinder and add new brake fluid, if necessary, to bring the level up to the full mark. Then, tighten the reservoir cap.

13. Connect the battery cable using the wrench.

References

• "Saab 900 (Oct 93 to 98) service & repair manual"; A. Legg and Spencer Drayton; 1999