Brake Pad Replacement (5.7L) - Step by Step

[Junior]

Here's the procedure for swapping the brake pads on the 5.7L LX's. I believe the process is essentially the same for the V6's (Here's an excellent write-up JamminWagon did for the V6'ers). The Brembos are different, and I'll do a write-up on those soon. Also, I've added some photos and information about servicing the guide pins in Post #20, below. One more thing I ignored in this write-up is the application of something to the back of the pads to prevent brake squeal. Here's some info on that.

Tools needed:
13mm, 15mm, and 18mm box- and open-end wrenches.
Two Quick-grip clamps, or c-clamps with two small blocks of wood (1x2x2 or so).
12" of some tie-wire or string.
Aerosol brake cleaner.
Hi-temp Brake grease for the guide pins.
Anti-squeal for the back of the pads (brake grease or CRC "Disc Brake Quiet")

Front Brakes - Starting Point:



Here's the top of the caliper assembly. You'll be working on the bottom of the assembly, not the top, but it's easier to see what needs to happen when looking at the top. There's a 13mm bolt that comes from the backside of the assembly, and a bushing that it passes through (called the guide pin), which needs to be held with an 18mm wrench:



Here's the bottom of the caliper, with the wrenches on the fasteners. You need to remove the 13mm bolt, while keeping the 18mm guide pin from spinning:



Once it's loose, remove the bolt:



Then take the end of the 13mm wrench and pry the caliper away from the assembly:



Then rotate the caliper up and away from the assembly. If it's really snug, before you rotate the caliper upwards, pull the caliper towards you firmly for a few seconds, and then back away from you - this should retract the pistons enough to provide the clearance necessary. EDIT: Also, part of the friction here comes from the adhesive they use to prevent brake squeal - you can see it on the pads.



Here's the caliper rotated up. Tie the caliper up and out of the way (I used some copper wire):



Then simply lift the brake pads out of the "caliper adapters" on each side (inside and outside):



If they're grimy, you can take out the "anti-rattle clips" and clean them up.



Wow, I guess it was time, eh?



Because of the obvious difference in thickness from old to new, you need to provide more clearance to get the calipers over the new pads. Here's the pistons as the were:



So you need to retract the pistons in their bore. First, open the brake fluid reservoir up in the engine bay, below the driver's side windshield wiper. DO NOT top off the reservoir at this time, even if it appears low. Retracting the pistons will return ALL of the original fluid to the reservoir.



Then take the Quick-grips and apply pressure to the pistons to retract them - do both at the same time - you don't want one to compensate for the other. If you use c-clamps, you must use a piece of wood (or similar) to protect the faces of the pistons. Quick-grips are the way to go, if you have them:

Here's how they'll go (but remember - wait until both clamps are on there - do both at the same time):



Both clamps on:



Here are the pistons fully retracted:



And the new pads swapped on:




EDIT: At this point, you really should do what I didn't do in this thread, which is apply some anti-squeal to the back of the pads before reassembly. More info on that Here.

[Junior]

OK, once the new pads are seated, untie the caliper and rotate it back down. Guide the pistons over the backside pad, and the caliper into the caliper adapter.



The guide pin bushing has trapped air behind it, which makes it seem spring-loaded, so push it in a little bit as you seat the caliper so it clears:



Reinstall the guide pin bolt, and while holding the guide pin with the 18mm wrench again, torque it down. The FSM says 44 ft. lbs. - but if you don't have a torque wrench that will fit back there, give it a good hearty pull on the box-end wrench, and you should be right there.



Rear Brakes - Starting Point:



These are nearly the same as the fronts, but there's only one piston, and you rotate the calipers down instead of up. Also, the guide pin bolt is a 15mm in the rear - the guide pin is the same 18mm. Here they are:



Hold the 18mm, and loosen the 15mm:



Rotate the caliper down:



Retract the piston (with the brake fluid reservoir cap off):



Swap the brake pads:



Push the guide pin in, while rotating the caliper back up:





Reinstall the guide pin bolt:



...and torque it down. If you lean the 18mm wrench on the knuckle, you can free up both hands for tightening the 15mm:



Here's a situation I ran into on the rear driver's side. The FSM didn't mention this. Due to the routing and the angles of the brake line on this side, I could neither rotate the caliper up or down - the fitting on the brake line hit the fenderwell. No big deal, though - it just meant I had to remove both guide pin bolts and pull the caliper off the assembly.



Tie it up so it's not hanging on the brake line, and proceed:



And there you have it:



Be sure to replace the cap on the fluid reservoir before doing anything else.

After driving on the new pads for a few miles, you can check the brake fluid reservoir level, and top it off if necessary - though it's unlikely that it will be down at all.

Within a week or so, it's a good idea to bed in the brakes. Here's the proper procedure for doing that, from Dave Zeckhausen:

http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

Cheers!

[FloridaRT]

Good write....................nice photos.

Bob

[fnkychkn]

great write-up Junior. bucket-o-beans for you
KB submission perhaps?

just for clarification; the guide pins are not spring loaded, trapped air makes it feel that way. also, it's a good idea to clean/lubricate the guide pins.

[Braddah Jay]

Very good useful write up! Gotta bookmark this for future reference.

[RobAGD]

Great write up Mike !

Beans man.

Damn went the squeakers going nuts ? not much pad left at all.

As a personal preferance I add new fluid to the rez and bleed out the calibers of the older stuff that has a higher chance of being slightly burnt You know from those tire wall avoidance manuvers that maybe you know maybe over heated the fluid a tad

-Robert

[charginscott]

Great write up man - May I add one thing....

The safest way to compress the caliper pistons would be to do it with the old pad against the pistons with one clamp in the middles of them.

Cudozzz for a good write up

[JamminWagon]

Dang it Funky beat me to it, you should also lube the guide pins.

Here is a pic from the V-6 right up I did showing the guide pin re-lubed


The rest of the V-6 brake/rotor change.

Front Rotor and pad change with pics.

[bipto]

Dude - how long did you have to search to find brake pads to match your car..?

Seriously man - great tutorial!

[MAGFX]

Wow, another good write up.

Junior, I love too read these, even if they do not pertain to my vehicle.

[Junior]

Wow, some great suggestions for additional info up there! Thanks fellas - I'll make some edits after the game.

[MattRobertson]

Junior, get it the way you want it and I'll put it into the Knowledge Base. Great work!

[Junior]

just for clarification; the guide pins are not spring loaded, trapped air makes it feel that way. also, it's a good idea to clean/lubricate the guide pins.

Thanks Pete - do those just pull out from the rear once the caliper is removed?

Damn went the squeakers going nuts ? not much pad left at all.

Yeah, they were squawking for a few days before I got the pads in!

As a personal preferance I add new fluid to the rez and bleed out the calibers of the older stuff that has a higher chance of being slightly burnt You know from those tire wall avoidance manuvers that maybe you know maybe over heated the fluid a tad

I was tempted, but didn't do it - but I suspect you're right and I further suspect half of my stock pad material was left behind at that precise location...!

So do you add just enough to replace the volume from the calipers, or is it a complete fluid change?

Great write up man - May I add one thing....

The safest way to compress the caliper pistons would be to do it with the old pad against the pistons with one clamp in the middles of them.

That's a great idea. I may take some more pictures and update this in the next week - if so, I'll take some of that idea...

Dang it Funky beat me to it, you should also lube the guide pins.

Thanks man, I think I'll take them apart again and do that - the wear was incredibly uneven on my stock pads (inside was way down vs. outside had plenty left). I suspect (and others suggested) that this was likely due to the guide pins sticking. I have some "Disc Brake High-temp bearing grease", or...?

Here is a pic from the V-6 right up I did showing the guide pin re-lubed
<snip>
The rest of the V-6 brake/rotor change.

Front Rotor and pad change with pics.

Thanks again, I missed it (a couple weeks ago? dang!) - I linked to it at the top of my first post above.

Dude - how long did you have to search to find brake pads to match your car..?

Seriously man - great tutorial!

Thanks Bill - They're EBC TopBanana Stuff pads.

Junior, get it the way you want it and I'll put it into the Knowledge Base. Great work!

OK! Give me a few days to get answers from above and work them in with some more pics...

[RobAGD]

Junior - I ended up doing a full flush but when its a "normal" pad replacment I just replace whats need to refill what I squeese out from the bleeder.

-R

[Junior]

Junior - I ended up doing a full flush but when its a "normal" pad replacment I just replace whats need to refill what I squeese out from the bleeder.

Which is what, usually? A pump or two on the brakes, or...?