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This page covers replacement of front brake pads and rotors.

FrontBrake

1997 Front Brakes with ATE calipers[]

Jack up one side and remove the wheel. For safety, place a jack stand under the lower control arm. Remove the protective caps for the caliper guide pins (located on the inside of the caliper). Remove the brake pad retaining spring. The spring is removed by shifting it sideways, holding it there, and then tilting it out. If you examine the spring very closely, you can see an arrow stamped into the surface of the spring showing the direction in which to shift the spring.

SpringMarking

Careful positioning of a C clamp can provide the forces needed to free the spring.

PadSpring

Remove the two guide pins using a 7mm Allen wrench.

CaliperPins

Attach a piece of bailing wire to something in the wheel well and to the caliper housing so that the weight of the housing will not burden or damage the brake hose when the housing and caliper are removed.

StrainRelief

If there is any risk of brake fluid overflowing the reservoir when the piston is compressed, remove some fluid.

ExcessFluid

Compress the piston at least enough to allow the pads to clear the lip which will have formed at the outer edge of the rotor. Do not perform this compression by jamming something between the old pad and rotor disc. Instead, use a large C clamp and apply it to the entire caliper/rotor/pad stack. The calipers float and are designed to be compressed this way. Do not attempt to compress a rear caliper piston in the same way.

CompressPiston

Remove the two 25mm bolts holding the caliper to the hub. Unscrew the single bolt holding the rotor disc in place. Remove the rotor and clean the mating surfaces.

CleanMating

Replace the rotor. The ears on pads for ATE calipers will travel along channels in the caliper housing through their life. Clean these channels and lubricate lightly with brake grease.

CleanChannels

Clean mating surfaces for the new pads.

CleanCaliperSurf

Peel the adhesive backing from the new pads.

PeelBacking

Reassemble. Use brake lubricant on the guide pins.

ReinstallCaliper

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