- Safety Glasses
- Gloves
- Brake Lining Pliers
- Screwdriver
- Jack and Jack Stands
Procedure
Step 1. Loosen the lug nuts.
Don’t remove the lug nuts at this point. Use a lug wrench to turn the lug nuts on each wheel 1/4 to ½ a turn counter-clockwise.
Step 2. Raise the rear of the vehicle and support it on jack stands.
Make sure you do this on a level surface. It’s also important to secure the parking brake and use wheel chocks on the front wheels to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
Step 3. Remove the lug nuts and wheels.
Take the lug wrench or impact gun and remove the lug nuts the rest of the way. Put them in a safe place so they don’t get lost.
Step 4. Remove the caliper and rotor.
- Remove the two caliper mounting bolts.
-Remove the caliper and hang it with a coat hanger or mechanic’s wire by the brake hose so it’s not damaged.
- Slide the old rotor off of the hub if it doesn’t come off with the caliper.
Step 5. Remove the old parking brake pads.
On an OE-style parking brake, there are clips that hold the brake pads in place that need to be removed using brake lining pliers. To remove the spring clip, grab the two ears and press them in toward each other. Slide the clip off by working it to one side. Repeat for the second spring clip.
After the clips are removed, you can pull the old parking brake pads out.
Step 6. Check the parking brake shoes for wear.
While you have easy access, be sure to check the parking brake shoes for wear. This is something that is commonly forgotten during routine brake replacements, and can lead to premature failure of your brand new brake pads.
Step 7. Clean and lubricate the caliper and hardware.
Remove rust and debris from the caliper pins and bracket with a wire brush. Spray the pins with brake parts cleaner, then apply brake caliper grease.
Step 8. Install the new parking brake pads.
Check that the new parking brake friction material is smooth and free of defects. Check that the wear tab is toward the bottom for rear shoes, and toward the front for front shoes. It’s possible to damage the parking brake pads by contaminating them with brake fluid or parts cleaner, so be sure to wipe them with brake parts cleaner before installing them.
Slide the parking brake pads into position, then snap the spring clips into place.
Step 9. Reinstall the caliper.
Reinstall the bolts you took off in Step 5, and tighten to 17 ft/lbs.
Step 10. Reinstall the rotor and wheel.
Slide the rotor onto the rotor hub. Ensure that it is seated completely. If the rotor doesn’t seat correctly, you may have to tap it into place with a mallet.
Step 11. Reinstall the lug nuts and lower the vehicle.
Replace the lug nuts and lower the vehicle. Finish tightening the lug nuts in a “star” pattern to 90 ft/lbs.
*Step 12. Adjust the parking brake shoes.*
You will need to adjust the parking brake shoe when the new parking brake shoes have been installed. Refer to your service manual for the correct adjustment procedure.
