DIY: Brake Pad Change (56k, grab a Snickers)

[nort0188]

I figured I'd do something useful, so here's a DIY on changing the front brake pads on a Gen3 V6.

Before work: Apply e-brake, jack up frontend, support it with jackstands, remove the wheels, all that common sense stuff. Big tip, only do one side at a time. If you get confused, you can use the other side as a reference to how it should be.

1. Undo the upper caliper mounting bolt. The bolt itself is a 14mm, and you will need to hold the part it screws into still to keep it from spinning with the bolt. I used a small vise-grips because all of our wrenches were too wide to fit in the small space. Apply WD-40 or Liquid Wrench before trying to remove the bolts.




2. Undo the the lower caliper bolt in the same manner as the upper one.




3. The caliper should be free to come off of the mounting bracket now, so remove it. Do not let it hang by the brake hose.




4. Your old pads should pull right out. Place one of your old pads on the inside of the caliper and use a c-clamp or similar tool to push the piston back into the caliper. If you don't do this, the caliper won't fit back on with the new pads. Remove the cap on your master cylinder for this step so that you don't build up pressure when you push all the fluid back into it.






5. Put the new brake pads in where you took the old ones out... pretty easy.




6. Put the caliper back on, bolt it all up just like you took it off, and pump the brakes to get the piston back up to the caliper. Follow the break-in instructions that came with your pads. If none came with them, search online and you should be able to find some.





Here's my old TRD pads... pretty damn worn.


And the old TRDs compared to the new Hawk HPS pads

[WhiteRabbit]

nice

[skewe]

Sticky!!!!!!!!

[Cammy4U2NV]

Originally Posted by skewe

Sticky!!!!!!!!

x2! should go in the Camry FAQ!, i probably need to change my brake pads cuz i squeak..but i don't think im skilled enough mechanically...

[leasaunce]

nice job

im not a mechanic dude.....so i just leave those work for my mechanic hahaha..... im too lazy.

[foompla]

dont forget to reuse the shims, applying a fresh layer of high temp grease to the back of the new pads. Whenever i do brakes i take a wire brush to the little clips that hold the pads do they can slide back and forth more easily.

If you can, you should have your rotors cut. Toyota rotors are expensive tho - make sure teyre not too thin already.

[Stealth]

Now show me how to do my goddamn rear drums!

[skewe]

Originally Posted by foompla

dont forget to reuse the shims, applying a fresh layer of high temp grease to the back of the new pads. Whenever i do brakes i take a wire brush to the little clips that hold the pads do they can slide back and forth more easily.

If you can, you should have your rotors cut. Toyota rotors are expensive tho - make sure teyre not too thin already.

yup. what he said

sticky sticky

[Tercel GTS]

I bought new rotors for $20 each but they are right. Another 2 bolts and the rotors will slide off so you can take them to be cut. Makes a big improvement over just swapping the pads.
Very nice DIY and good pics.
Also mention only do one side at a time so you don't blow the piston out the caliper on the other side.

[Mike Gerber]

Nice write-up.

If you take the rotors off to be cut, mark them so you can put them back on the same side they came off of.

I also clean up the clips where the pads go in with some sand paper and then use a little bit of synthetic high temperature disk brake grease at these points before inserting the new pads.

Mike

[d0rkiishchris]

If you guys don't do that on your own you're gonna spend a lot more money than just pads. Then you got some sales jerk trying to sell you things you don't need.

[Super Kaioken]

ahhh sticky! i always needed a DIY for changing pads. Thanx! i'll change my own pads next time! it'll save me $50!

[88 LE]

Originally Posted by foompla

dont forget to reuse the shims, applying a fresh layer of high temp grease to the back of the new pads.

Actually you want to use disc brake quiet goop on the back of the pads. You can buy it in little packets, a bottle, or spray can.

The high temp grease is for the guide/slider pins.

I also like to clean everything off with brake parts cleaner.

If you can, you should have your rotors cut. Toyota rotors are expensive tho - make sure teyre not too thin already.

I also recommend having the rotors turned whenever you install new pads.

[88 LE]

Added to Camry FAQ and gave you credit.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t6831.html

^ Bottom of the first post.

[Brujo]

Originally Posted by Stealth

Now show me how to do my goddamn rear drums!

The next time I change my rear brakes I'll do a write-up. Rears are a bigger pain in the ass.