Step 1 — Brake Pads and Rotors 

• It’s a good idea to leave some weight on the tire as you start loosening the lug nuts; if they’re tight, the car itself is holding the tire still for you.
• Make sure you have a jack supporting most of the weight before you attempt to remove the lug nuts. If you take them all the way off with the tire fully supporting the car you will have “issues”.

Step 2 

• After jacking up the car PLACE JACK STAND(S) under the car for safety, THEN take off the wheel.
• Take a 13/16″ socket and take off the bolt holding the entire caliper assembly to the car.
• Take the 13/16″ socket and remove the lower bolt holding the caliper assembly to the vehicle.
• Be ready when the two bolts are backed out enough, as the caliper will be free to fall. The bolts don’t have to come out all the way for the caliper to be free.
• You MUST not allow the brake line to be overstressed. Have a milk crate and wood ready to hold it up.

Step 3 

• Don’t have your work light RIGHT up against the flimsy plastic of the splash-shroud. I was back and forth from the house for tools. Came out to a burning smell. VERY funny. When THIS is the worst thing that happens in your automotive project, you’re doing OK.
• A little souvenir from the incident.
• And a little evidence left on the car.
  

  

  

Step 4 

• This is the caliper freed from the car and supported.
• One should take off the brake fluid resevoir cap, since later we’ll be pushing old pads back, and raising the overall level.
• The cap itself says to clean it first.
• If the fluid has been “topped off” at any time, then one will have to pay attention to overflow during later steps. If the fluid hasn’t been altered since new, then there should be no worries.

Step 5 

• The new pads are thicker than the old, so the piston will have to be pushed back. Leave the old pad in place for now since the piston is hollow. Use the C-clamp to gently push the piston back. Look for rubbery seals around the piston as you push back. Watch for any signs of strain.

Step 6 

• The old pads now come out by hand. Some jiggling may be necessary, but in my application, I didn’t even have to tap them with anything. The pads sit passively in little channels, and come out towards the inside. There should be little clips remaining.
• The new pads are thicker than the old, obviously.

Step 7 

• The pads ride in a carrier that’s free to move in and out. These two shots show fully IN, and fully OUT. We will later have to grease these slides.

Step 8 

• The new pads will come with little clips that help secure the pads in place. Look carefully at the clips as they come out by hand, and match the new ones (that come with the pads) accordingly.
• The 2nd shot shows a new clip peeking out from the near side of the carrier.

Step 9 

• If the carrier can’t move freely back and forth, uneven pad wear can result. The pads should come with a tiny tube of high temperature grease. Carefully ease back the boots from the slides, and grease both rails. There’s 2 for each side of the car, so budget accordingly.

Step 10 

• With the caliper moved aside and supported, the rotor comes right off by hand. In my case, it was not rusted solid in any way.
• A peek at the old rotor alongside for no reason.
• Make sure to use a good quality brake cleaner on the new rotors and do not touch it with your bare hands after cleaning.

Step 11 

• The red/pink goo is Anti-Squeal, which when put on the back of the pad, can later prevent high pitch squealing. It takes a while to dry, so one might put a light coating on the pads before beginning….
• The pad goes into the carrier, inside the channels defined by the clips, and up against the retracted piston. One can see here the tabbed-end of the pad, in the carrier’s channel, and the clip peeking out, keeping order….
• The business end of the new pad.

Step 12 

• The partner-pad also slips in fairly easily. It would angle around a bit trying to get it in right, but not enough to have to pick up a tool to tap it in.
• It’s remarkable the ferocious heat and energy going through brakes, and it’s all in there by ha