DIY Front Brake Pad Change.

Well, I decided to change my front brake pads today. They were starting to squeal once in a while. I changed to Duralast Gold Ceramic pads ($55 at Auto Zone). They come with everything you will need including grease and spring clips.

This is for informational purposes only, I am NOT responsible if you damage yourself, your vehicle, or anything else. If you are competent, have a professional do it.

Now, with that said you will need. 1-New brake pads 2-Brake Fluid or a recepticle to catch fluid after bleeding (I made my own). 3-Normal tire changing equipement. 4-Flat and hex head screw drivers. 5-Crescent wrench (or other) to open bleeder valve.

Step 1: Set your emergency brake and chock the wheels.
Step 2: Remove your tire (one at a time or all at once it doesn't matter).
Step 3: Observe your caliper and brake pads. Check your rotor for damage.


Step 4: Remove the pins holding the brake pads by taking off the retaining clips in the back of each pin. Be careful with the large retaining pin holding the two pads together. It can fly away if you aren't cautious. You can save your clips to reuse or use new ones.





Step 5: Clean up the caliper some (I painted mine). Open bleeder valve and spread the caliper apart some (I used a wooden dowel to press it open). Be sure to catch the brake fluid other wise you have a mess on your hands. This is what I used.



Step 6: Grease your pads and slide them into place. Make sure the pad with the little metal bar is to the inside. When you replace your pins, ensure that the lower pin goes through the large retaining clip. Make sure you close the bleeder valve.



Step 7: Replace your tires. Refill your brake fluid reservoir to factory specs.

Now, that's it. If you all see that I did something wrong. Please feel free to point it out. After all, this was my first time on a Tacoma. Pretty damn easy.

 

Doing mine tomorrow, thanks for the info

 

Welcome. Oh, I ordered my Flowmaster 50 today. Whoo hoo

 

Nice write up,

Your calipers look rusted to death for an 06, do they salt the roads there as bad as WI?

 

Yes, they surely do. Plus, I drive in ALL kinds of mud and muck on a regular basis. That is the main reason I slapped a coat of Rustoleum wheel paint on'em. To help stop the rust a little.

 

Well, I wouldn't put grease on my brake pads. Did you grease the sides that are contacting the Rotor... scary...

You can avoid opening the bleed valve if you take the caliper off and pressing the piston back with a C Clamp so you don't have a mess or have to bleed you brakes.

 

nice write up

 

I found it easier to just bleed them, then to go through removing the calipers. Seemed faster.

 

yup... more than one way to skin a cat... nice write up BTW

 

Greetings From Parfleet hailing from Pensacola, FL.

I have an 05 Tacoma PreRunner and I'm doing the breaks tomorrow morining, Sunday, September 13, 2009. I must say you did a super job on explaining how to do the front brakes on the 05 Tacoma. I just have a couple of questions.

*First-Do I really have to remove the caliper if I'm replacing the pads?

*Second-If the answer to removing the caliber is no, the what is a wooden dowel that you mentioned to press the caliper pistons back in? Just a wooden handle, say a wooden hammer handle?

*Third-If I do not have to remove the caliper, then would I remove some fluid from the master cylinder, and then push the caliber pistons all the way in, one at a time?

I guess my questions could be confusing. I guess I could just remove the caliper, open the bleeder valve, push in the pistons with a "C-Clamp" while leaving the old inside pad inplace and then mount the new pads, and remount the caliper?

Waiting for you advice.

Thanks!

 

Subscribing

 

Is that a 4 piston caliper? If it is then these brakes are better than I thought.
Bleeding the brakes is only necessary if you open up the system to let air get in it. Hard wood shims between the pad and rotor should push the pistons back and fluid back into the reservoir.

 

I guess my questions could be confusing. I guess I could just remove the caliper, open the bleeder valve, push in the pistons with a "C-Clamp" while leaving the old inside pad inplace and then mount the new pads, and remount the caliper?
Change pads when they are the same thickness as as the backing plate. Take the top off the master cylinder. Put C Clamp on the back of caliper and face of inside pad. Tighten up the

 

Yes, the PreRunner has 4 piston calibers and a 6-lug pattern.

 

Change pads when pad is the thickness of the backing plate. Take the top of the master cylinder off. You shouldn't have to mess with the bleeder. Put a C Clamp on the back of the caliper and inside pad. Tighten C Clamp which will push the piston in. Use marine grade antisize on sliding parts like pins pads slide on and where backing plate slides on caliper. When you take the caliper off hang it with a old wire coat hanger so it's not hanging on the hose. Put it back together and don't for get to put the cap back on the master cylinder. This is probably clear as mud but should help once you get into it. Like he said, if you screw up it's not my problem and if you are not comfortable doing this kind of work you probably shouldn't. Work safe be safe.

 

I just have one final question----this is my first time at doing brakes on an ABS system. I have been told that you can't back brake fluid up into the system like you could on a vehicle without ABS and the reason is that you could damage the ABS Power Module which is about a $1200 unit on the TRD and PreRunner. I just don't know if this is so. You are about the third person that has told me to just remove some fluid from the master cylinder and use a "C-Clamp" and just push in the caliper piston. I have been told by others just to open the bleeder valve, atach a bleeder hose to it, and push the piston in with a "C-Clamp." This does two things. First it removes possible sediments from the caliper and secondly, you don't damage the ABS Brake Module by bleeding this way.

What is your opinion and others that may be reading this.

Thanks!

Parfleet from Pensacola, FL.

 

totally agree i've never done it like that.but some like to

 

You'd better check with chris4x4, he's the resident mechanical guru. I have a 08 SRS and don't know if it is the same as a TRD or Pre Runner. I haven't had 2 do brakes on that yet. I had a 2000 and did brake jobs on that with no problem. I don't remember if it had ABS or not. I'll ask Chris to check this post out. I wouldn't want you to mess up on my say so. I've been doing my own brakes for ever but I know nothing of $1200 modules and don't want 2 B responsible for a $1200 mistake.

 

abs does not matter.i worked at caddillac dealership for 6 years and a independent garage for 3. never once did i ever see or hear of a problem with abs when changing pads.so you would be just fine compressing the piston without opening the bleeder.and as far as having to remove fluid from the resivor,as long as someone didn't ad fluid you will be fine.which brings me to a point DO NOT ADD FLUID if the resivoir is low.if the fluid level is low it means you have a leak or you pads and or shoes need replaced.