Instructions for How to Change Toyota Brake Pads

There are two main parts of a braking system: hydraulic and friction.

Changing the brake pads on your Toyota yourself can save several hundred dollars. This repair is one of the more common repairs needed, as brake pads wear out after about 25,000 to 45,000 miles. The task itself is not difficult. It's mainly just knowing what steps are required to complete it properly.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

things you'll need:

• Basic hand tools
• Micrometer
• Caliper piston tool
• Torque wrench
• Floor jack
• Jack stands
• Repair guide

1. • 1

     Jack up the vehicle on a secure metal part of the vehicle and place jack stands in the same area.

   • 2

     Lower the jack until the weight of the car is solely on the jack stands.

   • 3

     Loosen the lug nuts and remove the wheel from the vehicle, exposing the brake system.

   • 4

     Loosen the caliper slide pins from the rear of the caliper and slide the caliper pins out of the caliper.

   • 5

     Remove the caliper from the brake system and remove the old brake pads.

   • 6

     Secure the caliper to a part of the suspension with a bungee cord to avoid it hanging by the rubber brake hos, where it could be damaged or start leaking.

   • 7

     Loosen the two bolts that hold the caliper bracket to the vehicle and remove the caliper bracket.

   • 8

     Pull the rotor from the vehicle.

   • 9

     Measure the thickness of the rotor with the micrometer. Compare the measurement to the "minimum thickness" stamp on the rotor or the manufacturer specifications in the repair manual.

   • 10

     Take the rotors to a machine shop to have them resurfaced if they are above specification and need resurfacing. Verify the manufacturer's recommendations in the repair manual, as rotors do not always need to be resurfaced or replaced.

   • 11

     Reinstall the rotor on the vehicle.

   • 12

     Place the caliper bracket back on the vehicle and hand tighten the bolts on the back of it.

   • 13

     Torque the bracket bolts down to the manufacturer specifications in the repair manual.

   • 14

     Place a new hardware kit in the caliper bracket and set the pads in the hardware.

   • 15

     Press in the caliper piston with the caliper piston tool to allow the caliper to fit over the new brake pads.

   • 16

     Slide the caliper over the brake pads and reinstall the caliper slide pins.

   • 17

     Torque the caliper slide pins to the manufacturer's specifications.

   • 18

     Replace the wheel on the vehicle and torque it down to manufacturer specifications located in your repair manual.

   • 19

     Lift the vehicle off of the jack stand with the floor jack and remove the jack stands.

   • 20

     Lower the vehicle to the ground and remove the floor jack.

   • 21

     Press the brake pedal several times to pressurize the brake system before test driving the vehicle.

   • 22

     Drive the vehicle, performing several hard stops to make certain the brakes are operating properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Use brake pad grease to prevent vibration noise.

• Use the brake pad recommended for your Toyota.

• Clean and lubricate the slide pins to prevent them from seizing.

• Replace the rotors if they are close to the minimum thickness to avoid causing damage.