How to Change Rear Restriction Pads

Maintaining disc brakes is a perfect opportunity for DIYers to go their hands dirty and salvage a few hundred dollars.

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Introduction

Learning how to change rear restriction pads on your disc brakes isn't hard. Allow'south become started!

Project stride-by-step (11)

Footstep 1

Remove the Rear Wheel

Start the process by placing wheel chocks in forepart of the front end wheels. (Don't set the emergency brake; engaging information technology makes it harder to remove the calipers.)

Ready the jack in place and lift just enough to put some pressure on the jack. Apply a lug or impact wrench to loosen the lug nuts on the wheel. Lift the vehicle until the cycle comes off the ground, and then spin the lug basics off the lugs and remove the wheel.

Step ii

Remove Bolts from Caliper Pins

Use a box-end wrench to loosen the bolts property the caliper in identify. Remove the bolts and use mechanics wire or a short bungee cord to hang the caliper up and away from the work area to avoid putting tension on the brake line.

Footstep iii

Remove Bolts from Caliper Brackets

Use a box-terminate wrench to loosen the two bolts property the caliper bracket in identify. You may need a longer-handled wrench to get more torque on reluctant bolts. If yous don't have 1 handy, skid a length of pipe over the box-stop wrench handle to fashion an extension. Remove the bolts and lift the caliper free of the rotor.

Step 4

Lubricate Caliper Guide Pins

As long as you lot have removed the caliper, take the time to lubricate the ii caliper guide pins. Wipe each off with a clean rag, then brush with silicone paste lubricant. Replace them in their sockets and twist to distribute the lubricant.

Stride 5

Remove the Brake Pads

Slide the brake pads out of the caliper subclass. Pull the old stainless steel servant clips free from the grooves that concur them in place, paying attention to their orientation (snap a quick picture if you call back you might forget), and and then clean the dust off the bracket using a wire castor.

Stride 6

Reattach Caliper Bracket

Slide the pads to the outsides of the bracket, leaving as much room equally possible to become them over the rotor. Ready the subclass into position and twist the two anchor bolts with your fingers until snug. Tighten each firmly with a long-handled box-end wrench. Be careful non to over-torque and strip the threads.

Step 7

Seat the New Restriction Pads

Snap the new retainer clips into place, positioning them the same mode as the old ones. Some pads come up with a packet of brake grease, otherwise break open a new pouch of brake grease and utilize a sparse coat to the within of each clip holding the brake pad ears.

Find the new brake pad with the metal flange attached to its dorsum. This flange is the squealer that signals heavy pad wear and should exist mounted on the inside pad. Slide this pad into the clip-lined grooves in the caliper bracket with the friction textile facing the rotor. Fit the matching outer pad into the other side of the bracket, once again with the friction material facing the rotor.

Stride viii

Reattach Caliper

Retract the piston. If the piston face is hollow, any tool large plenty to shrink the piston will suffice, taking care not to break through the thin metallic that comprises the back face of the piston. You tin protect the piston past laying one of the old pads across the piston as you lot push button it back. Many newer models require a special tool chosen a restriction caliper wind-back tool. Identify these pistons by looking for a solid surface (not hollow) on the piston face that has 2 or 3 recesses for the winding pins to grip and turn.

If you get the brakes pulled apart and don't have the tool, yous can still complete the job with a needle-olfactory organ vise-grip wrench or pliers. Grip the piston face with the tip of the wrench and turn it clockwise to retract the piston.

Reposition the caliper, fitting it over the new brake pads. Insert the anchor bolts through the caliper and into the slider pins. Finger-tighten until snug, then tighten each firmly with a box-stop wrench.

Step nine

Remount Wheel

Seat the wheel on the lugs and thread the nuts onto the lugs using your fingers. Rather than working around the hub in a circle, work in a star design, jumping across the hub. In one case all the lugs are threaded, snug them by hand before tightening firmly with a lug or impact wrench, again working in that same star blueprint. Make a signal of rechecking the lugs after driving your vehicle for a few days.

Footstep 10

Pump the Brake Pedal

After installing the wheels, make sure to pump the restriction pedal to reengage the caliper piston to the brake pads. Failure to exercise and then will result in no brakes when the pedal is pushed the get-go time.

Stride 11

A Note on Rubber

At that place is no way to determine whether brake pads contain asbestos just by looking at them, and many aftermarket suppliers still utilise the material. When changing brake pads, never use compressed air to clean any of the parts. Instead, utilize a spry-blazon brake cleaner; this volition trap the dust and prevent it from condign airborne. E'er wear a grit mask when working on brakes.

Originally Published: March 25, 2020