How to Change Front Brake Pads

When your front brake pads are worn out, you will hear a metal on metal squealing noise. This is a clear indication that you should replace your front brake pads immediately. If your front brakes are not operating properly, this presents a potentially dangerous situation.

How to Change Front Brake Pads:

Step 1: Drive your front tires up tire ramps. Ensure that the car is in park and the parking break is raised. If your car is a stick shift, put it in first gear and then pull up the parking break. Place blocks underneath your front and back tires. Ensure that these blocks are behind all tires. Place blocks behind your front tires until they reach the underneath side of your car, which will secure the front end of your car and stop it front falling.

Step 2: Remove your wheel covers and remove the tire lug nuts on the side you will begin working. Remove the tire from this side.

Step 3: Open your hood and inspect the master cylinder. Clean off any debris you find. Use the vacuum pump with adapter to remove all brake fluid from the master cylinder. Refill the master cylinder with Dot 4 brake fluid.

Step 4: Open the bleeder hose about 1/2 turn. Create suction with the vacuum pump. Fill the bleeder bottle and then close the valve. Repeat this step twice.

Step 5: Torque your bleeder screw to thirteen pounds. Replace the dust cap. Top off the brake fluid in the master cylinder and check for leaks. Tighten the bleeder screw.

Step 6: Remove the brake caliper by unscrewing the top and bottom bolts. Remove the caliper carrier bolts. Clean the mounting points and the slide pins. Apply caliper slide grease to both the mounting pins and slide pins. Clean the caliper carrier mounting surface and the pad seats with sandpaper.

Step 7: Remove the rotor hold-on screw. Clean the hub with sandpaper. Apply anti-seize compound onto the hub face. Install the new rotor. Coat the hold-on screw with grease and re-install it. Torque the screw to eleven pounds. Re-install the caliper carrier and torque the bolts. Reconnect the vacuum pump to the caliper bleeder valve.

Step 8: Place the brake pad against the piston of the caliper and screw in the bolt. Apply an anti-squeal compound to the brake and allow it to dry. Re-install the caliper to the carrier and secure it with the bolts you removed.