How to Change Discs and Pads on a Vehicle in Five Easy Steps!

Ok. 

For starters I myself am I mechanic and once you understand how something works ( In this case the braking system) it becomes easy to work on, and you will save lots of money on the excessive hourly rate.

Tools you will need:

• 1/2 long bar with Impact socket according to your wheel bolt size (17, 19 or 21 mm)

• Car Jack

• 3/8 Ratchet with 7mm Allen Key Socket

• And Possibly Hammer and Pry Bar (No image needed)

Step 1:

• With your correct impact socket size and breaker bar, pull off your hub cap (not for alloys) and slacken each wheel bolt off (if alloy wheel, attach locking wheel bolt socket over existing socket). Once this is done, grab your jack and look under the seal for an arrow pointing to the jacking point, or this could be a raised/rubber section indicating the jacking point. Once found, make sure your jack is locked on and start pumping until the wheel is raised but not fully off the ground. Then, fully slacken the wheel bolts until it is possible to remove with fingers, once this is done fully jack the wheel up until it is clearing the ground, and remove the wheel bolts.

Step 2:

• Now, with the wheel removed you will be looking at your brake disc with a caliper located on a carrier with the pads inside. On the back of the carrier you will see two black plastic clips. Remove them with your fingers and underneath you will find 7mm allen bolts. Use your 7mm allen key socket and 3/8 ratchet to slacken the bolts off, but DON’T remove them. Now, for some vehicles there is a locking clip clearly visible which looks like a wire bent over the carrier onto the caliper, use the pry bar gently underneath and pull it out.

Step 3:

• Once the locking clip is removed, fully undo the 7mm lugs and remove them, as they later need to be cleaned and greased. Grab your pry bar again and wedge it between the piston inside the caliper and the wall of the caliper fully compressing the piston. The caliper should now be loose and you can just lift it off, removing the pads at the same time. Use the 7mm allen key again to slacken off the one bolt holding on the disc to the hub, then remove the disc. Use some emery paper to clean the areas where the brake pads sit, the hub, and the 7mm lugs removed earlier, and grease each area with copper or LM grease.

Step 4:

• Check to see that your new disc matches your old one in dimensions and do the same for the pads. Remove stickers and give the disc a good scrub beforehand. Now attach the disc to the hub and put the one bolt back in and tighten. Now put a bit of grease on the holding toes of the brake pads and slide them back onto the carrier. If you pressed in the caliper earlier it will now just slide back into place. Put locking clip back in and also the 7mm newly greased lugs.

Step 5:

• Tighten everything to the best of your ability including the wheel once put back on. Pump out your foot brake and that should be it! Check your brake fluid level isn’t too high, then repeat on the other side.

And thats it!

Note: All vehicles vary slightly, so if you are stuck please just leave a comment and I will reply A.S.A.P