Brake pads play a vital role in your car by helping you slow down and stop the vehicle while driving. Over time, the disc brake pads wear out and you notice that your vehicle isn’t stopping smoothly and efficiently. Usually, it means the brake pads have worn out and need replacement. Replacing the brake pads is not a difficult task if you have the right tools and know the procedure. Doing it yourself will save you from a trip to the garage and labor costs.
Most of the cars today have disc brakes on both front and rear wheels. However, many economy and compact models tend to have drum brakes in the rear. The front brakes wear out quicker compared to the rear ones and they need to be changed more often. One of the signs of worn-out brake pads is a squeaking or grinding sound whenever you press the brake pedal. Brake noise may also occur if you are driving without the brakes or can be due to old pads that are worn or misaligned. Although there are several other factors that contribute to this problem, worn-out brake pads are the culprit in most cases. Thus replacing them becomes very important for the vehicle and your safety. This comprehensive and step-by-step guide will help you with the tools and the complete process required to carry out brake pad replacement on your vehicle yourself.
1 Here Are The Steps For Replacing The Brake Pads Yourself:
2 Loosen The Lug Nut
The first step is to remove the wheels so start by loosening the lug nuts with the vehicle on the ground. Ensure that the vehicle is parked on a level surface so it doesn’t roll back or forward. Loosen the lug nuts using a tire iron or a breaker bar about two-thirds of the way but do not remove the wheel yet. If you have ever changed a flat tire, you might be familiar with this step.
3 Lift The Vehicle Using Floor Jack
The next step is to lift the car carefully using a floor jack. You can refer to the car’s owner’s manual to determine the correct position to place the jack underneath the vehicle. Some cars are provided with dedicated spots to place the floor jacks and once you have located them, use the jack to lift the car.
4 Support The Vehicle On Jack Stands
Once the wheel is clear off the ground, place the jack stand under the chassis jacking points. You can refer to the manual for the specific spots. You must use a jack stand while working on the vehicle for safety because the hydraulic jacks can sink over time without warning.
5 Remove The Wheel
With the vehicle safely off the ground, remove the lug nuts and slide the wheel off the hub, and put it under the vehicle for extra safety. Now you have access to the brake caliper and the rotor.
6 Undo Caliper Mounting Bolts
The caliper houses the brake pads that squeeze against the rotors and stop your vehicle. First, you need to loosen the caliper bolts to move the caliper away from the rotor assembly. Choose the correct size of socket and ring spanner to carry out the operation. Calipers come in one-piece and two-piece designs that are secured with two or four bolts and this can vary depending on the vehicle. You can spray penetrating oil to aid in removing them if they do not open easily.
7 Remove The Brake Caliper
After removing the caliper, you will notice that the assembly is attached to the brake line. Do not let the caliper hang by the brake line and gently rest on the top of the rotor or suspend it by a piece of wire. This ensures that the calliper is safely placed aside and is not exerting any stress on the brake hose which can be expensive to fix.
8 Remove The Old Brake Pads
At this point, you have to remove the old brake pads. Noticing how they are attached is crucial as some brake pads are attached by metal clips whereas some just snap on. Gently pop them out without damaging any clips or the brake rotor. Check and remember the orientation of the brake pads as you remove them so you can install the new ones easily. You can also remove the old clips and replace them if your new brake pad set includes clips. Inspect the rotors for warp, damage, or cracks.
9 Adjust The Caliper Pistons
The caliper pistons need to be calibrated (or pushed back in) to accommodate the new thicker brake pads. You can do this with either a brake caliper piston compressor tool or a simple C-Clamp vise. In some vehicles, the piston cannot be manually compressed. Instead, it requires you to electronically signal the pistons to move in order to fit the new brake pads. This can be done with the help of an OBD scan tool.
10 Install New Brake Pads
After removing the old brake pads, the next step is to apply grease to the back of the new brake pads before installing them. The grease helps in reducing the squeaking noise generated by the caliper pistons pressing against the back of the pads. Although be certain not to add any grease to the friction side of the pads or it can cause slipping. Place the new brake pads in the same spot and exactly in the manner, you removed the old ones.
11 Reinstall The Brake Caliper And Fasten The Bolts
With new brake pads in place, it’s time to slide the caliper back over the rotor. Line up the brake caliper and reinsert the bolts to secure it in place.
12 Check The Brake Fluid Level
Open the brake fluid reservoir cap and ensure that the brake fluid level is not low and top up if necessary.
13 Reattach the wheel and secure the lug nuts
Place the wheel back on the hub bolts and tighten the lug nuts by hand to get the wheel snug against the hub.
14 Tighten The Wheel Lugs
Now remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle back on the ground slowly. Once the car is back on the ground, you can remove the jack and place it aside. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern by fastening one nut and then the other exactly opposite to it. This ensures that your wheel is seated perfectly and flat against the hub surface. Check the owner’s manual for the torque values of your vehicle. If you have a torque wrench, use it to tighten the lug nuts to the recommended torque values. This prevents the wheel from wobbling and over-tightening.
The last step is to test and ensure that the brake pads are functioning properly. Start your car and press the brake pedal. At first, it will pose no resistance and the pedal will go all the way down to the floor easily. Repeatedly pump the brake pedal five or six times and the brake system will rebuild the pressure. Now the brake pedal feel will improve and you can test the brakes by driving around. Try to avoid hard braking for the first few miles. You can repeat the same procedure for the other wheel.
