Replace Your Brake Pad In Six (6) Easy Steps

Brake pad replacement is one of the most important aspects of motor vehicle maintenance and is a major contribution towards safe driving. Although many drivers choose to take their vehicle to a garage or service center for brake pad replacement, it is still possible to complete the job yourself, and this should be a relatively simple task for anybody with an intermediate level of mechanical knowledge.

what you'll need

1.     Socket set and ratchet
2.     Wheel brace
3.     Hexagonal, torx or star-shaped keys
4.     New pads
5.     2 blocks of wood
6.     Trolley jack or portable car jack
7.     2 axle stands
8.     A.C. clamp

Step 1: Wheel Removal

Park your vehicle on a flat, even surface and make sure that the parking brake is fully engaged. Place the wooden blocks behind the rear tires to keep the vehicle in position when it is jacked into the air. Loosen the wheel nuts but do not remove them completely.

Locate the jacking points on both sides of the vehicle and use a trolley jack or portable car jack to lift the front end of the vehicle off of the ground. Put the axle stands in place and lower your vehicle onto them. The wheel nuts can now be fully loosened and the wheels can be removed.



Step 2: Brake Caliper Compression
Once the wheels are removed, it should be relatively easy to see the brake calipers that hold the pads in place against the rotor. Take the C clamp and compress the piston of the caliper until it is forced into the brake caliper housing. This allows for the caliper assembly to be removed and also creates the additional space required to mount the new brake pads.

The mounting bolts of the caliper can be unbolted using a ratchet and appropriate sized socket and the caliper should easily come away from the rotor. Occasionally, special keys in hexagonal, torx or star shapes are required to do this. Take care not to bend or break the brake hose.

Step 3: Remove and Inspect
The old brake pads can now be removed. Check for signs of uneven wear as this will indicate that your vehicle has other problems. It also helps to check the condition of the rotor and if they are covered in deep grooves, you will need to get them either turned or replaced.

Step 4: New Pads

Take your new set of pads and install them into the caliper. It is usually easier to place the inner pad into the caliper first and then add the outer pad afterwards. You may need to tighten the C clamp further to depress the piston enough to create space for the new pads. Once the pads are in place, the caliper can be put back on the rotor and bolted into position.

Step 5: Refitting
Once a visual check has been completed to make sure everything is in the correct position, the wheels can be replaced. Tighten them by hand before dropping to the ground and finish tightening with the wheel brace as soon as the vehicle is back on all four wheels.

Step 6: Safety Check
Check brake fluid levels before testing the brakes. It is recommended that you drive slowly and check the brakes in a quiet area before entering traffic again. Remember that you may need to bleed the brakes before moving the car if the foot pedal feels spongy when depressed.