DIY: The Front Brakes of a 1998 Chevy Venture
The front brakes on the 1998 Chevy Venture are the most important part in stopping the van. The front brake pads are located inside of the brake caliper that sits on top of the brake rotor. Whenever the brakes are compressed, the brake-caliper cylinder pushes the brake pads toward the brake rotor. Once the brake pads are compressed to the brake rotor, the 1998 Chevy Venture will come to a stop.
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Things You'll Need
- Jack
- Jack stands
- Lug wrench
- Large flat-head screwdriver
- 1/2-inch drive ratchet
- Socket set
- C-clamp
- New brake pads
Instructions
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1
Drive the 1998 Chevy Venture onto a level surface and turn the engine off. Open the hood.
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2
Locate the brake-fluid reservoir on top of or near the brake master cylinder. The reservoir is on the driver's side rear of the engine. Remove the cap from the reservoir to relieve the air pressure from the fluid when compressing the caliper cylinder.
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3
Loosen all of the lug nuts from the lugs on the front driver's side wheel with the lug wrench that came with the 1998 Chevy Venture.
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4
Jack the front end of the 1998 Chevy Venture up in the air. Locate the frame rail directly behind each front tire and slide the jack stands securely under the frame rail. Release the jack so that the 1998 Chevy Venture is sitting evenly and securely on top of the jack stands.
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5
Finish unscrewing the lug nuts from the lugs and pull the wheel off of the hub. Set the wheel off to the side.
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6
Locate the brake caliper that is on top of the brake rotor. The brake pads are inside of the brake caliper. Slide the flat-head screwdriver between the back brake pad and the rotor. Pry the back brake pad towards the back side of the caliper just enough to be able to remove the caliper from the rotor.
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7
Remove the two mounting bolts on the back side of the brake caliper. One of the bolts is on the top and the other bolt is on the bottom of the caliper. Loosen and remove the caliper-mounting bolts with the ratchet and socket.
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8
Rotate the brake caliper upward and then slide the caliper off the rotor. Hang the brake caliper to the front springs or the frame rail of the Venture with the bungee cord. This will prevent the caliper from hanging by the brake-fluid hose.
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9
Remove the front brake pad from inside of the brake caliper. Leave the rear brake pad inside of the caliper. Slide the C-clamp inside the brake caliper and compress the rear brake pad against the caliper cylinder. This will push the caliper cylinder inward. Continue compressing the rear brake pad until the caliper cylinder is fully compressed. Pull the rear brake pad out of the caliper.
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10
Put the new brake pads inside the brake caliper. Make sure that the new brake pads are seated inside the brake caliper in the same direction that the old brake pads were seated.
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11
Remove the bungee cord from the brake caliper. Push the brake caliper over the top of the brake rotor. Line up the brake-caliper mounting bolt holes up with the brake-caliper bracket holes. Screw the two bolts back in the rear of the caliper. Tighten the bolts down tight with the ratchet and socket.
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12
Slide the wheel back onto the studs and onto the hub. Screw the lug nuts on and tighten the lugs down with the lug wrench until the wheel starts to turn.
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13
Jack the front of the 1998 Chevy Venture back up and pull the stands out. Lower the Venture back to the floor. Finish tightening the lug nuts with the lug wrench. Follow these same exact steps for replacing the brake pads on the passenger-side front tire.
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14
Screw the cap back onto the brake-fluid reservoir and close the hood.
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15
Crank the engine and pump the brakes five or six times to adjust the new brake pads to the brake rotor. Turn the engine off.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Always have the brake rotors turned or replaced each time that you replace the brake pads. Worn-out brake pads can cause the brake rotors to become warped and grooved and this will cause uneven braking.
Wear safety glasses when replacing brake pads to keep from getting dust and debris in your eyes.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit brake calipers image by Tom Oliveira from Fotolia.com
