How to Put on Brake Pads

Brakes are one of those items on a car that need to be replaced occasionally for safety. It can be expensive to have them done by a professional mechanic. Anyone with some basic mechanical skills can save some money and replace the brake pads on a vehicle themselves.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 blocks for preventing the vehicle from rolling
  • car jack
  • jack stands
  • set of wrenches
  • set of allen wrenches
  • C-clamp
  • brake lubricant
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Park the car in a flat area. Set the parking brake. Place blocks behind both wheels on the end opposite of which you will be working. Jack the vehicle up to a point that the wheel can be removed. Place two jack stands under the axle at each end. Use the tire iron to remove the lug nuts on the wheel and take the tire and wheel off.

    • 2

      Remove the bolts holding the brake caliper in place. Slide the caliper assembly off of the rotor. Remove the clips and/or bolts that hold the brake pads in place on the caliper assembly. Take the old brake pads off. Keep the pad that was against the piston in the caliper assembly and discard the other.

    • 3

      Remove the rotor (it just slides off) and inspect it. If it has any unusual wear or grooves that have come from excessively worn brake pads, replace it.

    • 4

      Compress the piston all the way back into the caliper assembly. Lay the used brake pad saved from step 2 against the round face of the piston. Place a C-clamp around this pad and the back of the caliper assembly and slowly tighten it to compress the caliper.

    • 5

      Apply brake pad lubricant to the backs of the new brake pads. It should be applied to the pads in the spots where they will make contact with the caliper assembly, NOT on the opposite side that makes contact with the rotor.

    • 6

      Reassemble the pads and caliper assembly in reverse order from step 2. Put the wheel back on and tighten the lug nuts to the torque rating specified by the car manufacturer. Repeat this process for the brakes on the other side of the vehicle and you are finished.