theres no way im gonna pay a shop to do this for me... i know i can do it... so throw me a bone here... i need to know how to change em... (rear pads only) if you don't mind i need detailed instructions here... (you can leave out info on how to take the wheel off... obviously... but this IS the kinda detail im looking for) i don't wanna screw up a $500 brake caliper or die in a crash...

twanks!

 

CAKE!

Take off the wheel.


Take off the caliper. It is held on from the back by two bolts. Should be obvious which two it is. One at the top and one at bottom.

Make sure you dont let the brake caliper hang from the line. Coat hanger maybe to hold it up.

Now the rotor should just slide right off. Either get it turned, buy a new one, or if its good re-use.

Next take the pad off which wits closer to the outside of the car.

Then take a big C-clamp, and set it up so it is pushing in against the other pad. Compress it so that the brake piston slides in as far as it will go.

Take off the c-clamp. Remove inside pad. Install new pads (they are different, pay attention to which is inside/outside.

Re-install in same order!

Cake dude. 20 min job.

 

Hi,

I just did this for the first time two weeks ago. After you get the wheels off, leave 2 lug nuts on to retain the rotors. Then put a c-clamp on the hole in the front of the caliper and somewhere on the back; 5 or 6 inch clamp should be fine, crank it down enough so that you can loosen the retaining bolt that is right in front of you, the big one in the upper right hand "corner." Once you take that out, you can undo the c-clamp and the caliper should be easy to swing down. The old pads may be stuck in place, just remove them.

Take out the old pads, and the "h" shim that is on the bottom of the outboard pad. Note which pad (the inboard one) has the metal wear tab on it, and the side it's on (the leading edge if the wheel is turning). Put the new pads in so the little wires on the bottom straddle the slot in the caliper. Also the new "h" shim's legs should face outboard, outboard of the "w" wire on the outboard caliper, as close to the caliper wall as you can get it.

Once they are in place, slide the whole caliper back up onto the rotor. If it doesn't want to go don't force it, make sure the pads are where they are supposed to be, on either side of the rotor. They SHOULD look like they are right on the rotor, with little or no space between them. Lock the caliper in place with a new retaining bolt if your pad kit cam with it. Put the wheel and tire back on, and do the other side. The new pads might squeek a little at first but this will diminish after a few days.

Good luck, hope that was helpful. It's pretty intuitive and easy, I think I could do it now in just a few minutes.

 

Oh yeah, forgot about the rotor. My rear ones were fine, the front ones needed resurfacing. I left the rear ones as they were without removing them, but only do this if they are not pitted/scratched etc. A little rust is fine...

 

Before you compress the piston in the caliper, open up your master cylinder cap. I compressed my caliper pistons this way without taking the cap off and it blew the seals out... my pedal feels kinda odd and you really have to get on the brakes to stop.

 

Buy the Hanyes manual! There is a ton of info in one. Not the least... "How to change brake pads."

 

it's real easy like everyone says. If you need pictures and such, i'd highly recomend getting a chiltons or haynes manual from your local auto store. It will tell you how to do the job, and most of the tim eit has pics of what your doing. Enjoy

 

Wanna start a back and forth conversation on this one too?! LMAO


Like everyone has said, it's a really easy job... If you can't figure it out just by looking at it, bue a Haynes Manuel, or something of the sort.

 

thanks a mil for the replies guys!!!

you guys ,


any recommendations on the pads i should use?

any aftermarket ones that are better than stock?

 

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that the GM guidelines say you should take 2/3 of the brake fluid out of the master cylinder. Use a turkey baster, works fine

 

I would recommend HAWK pads over the POS Bendix pads, or maybe GM Durastops, but I hear they dust like crazy.

 

BENDIX SUCKS! go to autozone and get the powerstop pads or whatever they're called... they don't hardly dust, stop good, and have a lifetime warranty.

 

A couple of you guys are replying with stuff like "just buy a Haynes manual" or "if you can't figure it out on your own, buy a Haynes manual" and stuff like that. Let us not forget what this forum is here for... to help others out. If you guys ask a more difficult question, do you want me to reply with "Juts buy a GM Factory Service Manual"???

While I realize none of you probably meant anything "bad" by your responses, it just struck me odd with the number of "just buy a manual" responses I saw.

I actually have taken several pictures of changing the brakes and was going to make a guide but just haven't got around to it yet. This question is asking if somebody has a guide or real life experience... at least that's the way I read it. Lets try not to discourage people from asking questions and I'm afraid with so many "buy a manual" responses that some may take it the wrong way

I just uploaded some pics that I took while doing my brakes. There are no descriptions, nothing... just pics. It might help you or it might not

http://www.extreme-z.com/brakes/