How to Replace Brake Pads

Update time:2022-06-02

Braking is the most important action your car performs. It doesn't matter how fast your car can accelerate in seconds. If your brakes aren't working, a beast of a machine that can do 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds is probably the best way to get yourself into trouble. Just as important as this feature is that our brakes sometimes fail, usually due to negligence.

To ensure your brakes are always working, you must maintain maximum pad depth to ensure full performance of your braking system. In other words, you have to replace the brake pads. Before replacing them, you need to know what kind of brakes you have. There are two different types of braking systems: disc brakes and drum brakes. Both have their pros and cons, but we won't delve into them. You just need to know that on most cars, the disc brakes are in the front and the drum brakes are in the rear. And, since 90% of the brake pads you'll replace in your lifetime are in the front; this will be our focus area.

Disc brakes are the most effective system for stopping a vehicle. They use calipers to apply brake pads on both sides of the rotor to stop wheel movement. You can see them through the spokes on the wheel unless blocked by the rim. This is your first way to tell if your brake cable needs to be replaced. If the pad is less than 1/4 inch thick, it will need to be replaced as soon as possible. Remove tools immediately if they are less than 1/8 inch thick. Another way to tell you that you need to retune your brakes is to listen to them. Noise-generating devices are built into the pads to let you know when it needs to be replaced. If you hear a screeching sound when you hit the brakes, it's time to change the cable. If this sounds more like metal scratching metal, you'

First, you'll need a basic kit, a tire iron, a jack and jack stand, and new brake pads. Consult your owner's manual to find out which type is required for your vehicle. Once you have all these things, we can start.

Park the car on a flat, smooth surface, preferably in the shade. This process takes a while.

Once it's in the parking space with the parking brake on, block the tire and loosen the lug nuts on the wheel with a tire iron. Do not remove the lug nuts completely.

Jack up your car and move the jack stand into place. Slowly release the car from the jack and place it on the jack stand. Make sure they are in good condition and working properly. Your hands will be under the car. Do this for both sides so you can replace both front brake pads without jacking up the car twice. The front end is what we're after, so make sure the two jack mounts are set to the same height and centered on the front of the vehicle.

After the car is up, remove the wheels. Work on one wheel at a time and use the other as a reference to ensure proper rebuilding. Calipers are designed to squeeze the brake pads against the rotors to create friction and stop motion. The brake pads hover over the sides of the metal plate. They attach to the inside of the caliper with clips, bolts, or both. The rotors are shiny metal discs where you should be able to see yourself. If the surface of the rotor doesn't even have a faint sheen, it should be repaired or replaced.

Remove the bolts that hold the caliper in place. Gently slide it out and away from the rotor. Now check the inside of the caliper. The pads will be held in place by bolts or a series of clips. Remove the bolt or clip, then remove the gasket. Check the shims for excessive wear to help you determine how much the rotor is wearing. If they wear down to the bolt, look for excessive scars and scratches on the rotors. Run your fingernail along the surface of the rotor, being careful to make sure it hasn't gotten hot yet. If there are any grooves on the rotor, they must be replaced. If you're short on money, a mechanic can "turn" the motor for you; that's scraping off the metal until it's smooth and shiny again. However, this is not recommended as it reduces the thermal capacity of the rotor and may shorten the life of the brakes. If your rotors are okay, let's move on.

Remove the spacer from the caliper. Lubricate the back of the new brake pads with a small amount of grease. This grease flows between the metal plate attached to the caliper and the back of the brake pads. If you skip this, you'll hear an extraordinary squeal every time you hit the brakes. After lubricating the back of the pad, attach it and the metal plate back to the caliper.

Now, you pretty much just put everything back. Be sure to replace parts lightly, as the rotors and other parts of the braking system are semi-sensitive.

Brake linings are probably one of the most important maintenance you can provide to your vehicle. If you're not sure how to do this process properly, leave it to a professional. As I said at the beginning, braking is the most important action your car performs. Proper replacement of brake system components is essential to avoid emergency roadside assistance.

If your brakes fail, stay calm, put your car in neutral and apply the brakes. Hopefully this pumping of the brake pedal will build up pressure in your brake line and give you at least some stopping power. If possible, pull onto a non-smooth surface like grass or sand. Doing so will naturally make it harder for your vehicle to maintain momentum and the car will slow down significantly. If you find yourself in an urban area with other vehicles around, apply the emergency or parking brake after putting the car in neutral. Remember to also depress the brake pedal when doing this. It will illuminate your taillights to continue to alert other drivers that you are braking. If your speed drops to about 5 mph and still does not come to a stop, park your vehicle in a hard parking space. Prepare yourself and your passengers as this will bring the vehicle to a stop immediately. Once parked, call an emergency roadside assistance vehicle to tow the vehicle to a mechanic. Never drive without the ability to stop completely.