Here is a quick write up (if I leave anything out feel free to add)!
Tools and parts needed:
Brake pads (front and rear)
Jack
Jack Stands
Ratchet (extension optional, for rear)
12mm Socket
12mm Wrench (optional for rear)
Screw driver or small pry bar (for rear pads)
Large C-Clamp or Caliper Compressing Tool
Anti-seize compound or grease (not spray lubricant)
Brake cleaner spray
Front pads are a cinch (Difficulty scale 1-10, I rate it a "2")!
*Do one side at a time, this way you can look at the other side if you forget how something goes (use assembled side for reference if needed)!**
Put car in gear if manual tranny or park if auto. Jack up front of car and support on jack-stands. Remove Both front wheels . Open hood and remove your brake fluid reservoir cap (Do not under any circumstances press your brake pedal with this cap off). Now using a 12mm socket loosen the 2 caliper mounting screws (located on the backside of the caliper, one on top and one on bottom). Use a rubber mallet if needed and gently tap the left and right side of the caliper outward to loosen it if it seems stuck (Mine came right off, no problems yours probably will too). The Caliper is the only thing that will come off (the pads will stay behind in the carriage).
When the caliper is off the mounting bracket I place it behind the wheel hub (rest it on lower control arm or anywhere so it isn’t hanging there). **It is very important not to let the caliper dangle by the
brake hose (hose damage can occur)**!
Now Use the Brake cleaner spray and spray your caliper and rotor generously (use a drain pan to catch the spray). Now examine all your brake components (Especially the hose). Also this is a good time to pull the slider pins out (these are little sleeves that the mounting bolts went through when you took the caliper off). Grab the little boot twist and pull. A little boot attached to a metal sleeve will now be in your hand (this is the slider pin) remove both of these. Wipe off any old lube with a rag and apply new anti-seize compound to it (this is so your pads slide freely when the brakes are applied)! After you have cleaned and lubed both slider pins, slide them back into the hole in the caliper and using your thumb and index finger twist the boot while pushing in. They should slide right back on!
Now pull the old pads out of the carriage (looking at the pads and carriage you will see how they are held in). Mount the new pads into the carriage in the same orientation that the old ones were in.
Now you need to compress the caliper piston back into it bore. To do this you can either use a caliper compressor (My compressor I bought at AutoZone through their loan-a-tool program, it has like 10 different piston adapters...I love it that much I never took it back, I lost my refund but it was worth $30). If you don't have a caliper compressor a large C-Clamp works fine.
I'm assuming you will be using a C-Clamp. Mount the Clamp on the caliper so the base end of the Clamp is resting against the backside of the caliper and the threading handle part of the clamp is against the "brake pad" covered caliper piston and start turning the clamp closed (place the old brake pad between the caliper pistons so both pistons go in at the same time as you turn the clamp, you don't need to do this but it will probably make it easier). The reason you removed the reservoir cap earlier is to allow the fluid in the brake line a place to escape while you compress the piston. When the Piston is bottomed out in the caliper bore you can take off the clamp and slide the caliper back into the carriage over the new brake pads. I use a little bit of anti-seize on the caliper mounting screws so they don't rust and seize up (that's up to you though)! Align the caliper mounting holes with the bracket mounting holes and thread your 2 screws back into the caliper bracket, tighten the screws and your done with this side !
Repeat this procedure for the other front side!
The rears are slightly harder than the fronts, but not too bad! (Difficulty scale 1-10, I rate it a "3")!
The rears basically get done the same as the front with two major differences. The pads are a lot tougher to remove and put on, and the caliper piston doesn’t simply push into its bore as the front did, it needs to be turned back in!**
Remove the caliper as you did the front (2 screws same as front). The e-brake spring will try to impede your progress on the lower caliper screw (make sure the e-brake isn’t applied), use either a 12mm wrench or your 12mm socket with extension to get to this tough screw. I used a 12mm socket with a medium sized extension (about 2” or 3”) a ¾” to ½” adapter and a ½” ratchet (big ratchet was for leverage)! I’m sure there are other ways around this but it was pretty simple this way and took about 2 minutes to get it out!
Once the caliper is un-mounted do the same thing with these slider pins (remove, clean, grease and re-install)! Also don't forget to spray the caliper and rotor with brake cleaner!
Now for the Caliper piston….. It was very easy for me because of the caliper compressor I have (it has a piston plate that fits into the notches of the calipers piston). So all I did was tighten the compressor onto the caliper then spun the compressors handle backwards and it turned and compressed the piston into its bore! You could use a pliers and turn it “COUNTER CLOCK-WISE” and get the same results I’m sure! Once the piston is back in its bore it’s time to remove the old pads (I had to pry them off). Don’t lose the little metal clips that are mounted on the old pads, you will need them for the new ones (observe the little metal clips orientation on the old pad so you know how to mount them on the new pads). Install the little clips on the new pads then install the pads in the mounting carriage. I used some anti-seize on the outside edge of the metal clips to help with getting them back in the mounting carriage (It is a very tight fit but they do go back in)!
Once the pads are installed it’s time to mount the caliper. You need to really apply pressure when pushing the caliper on to get the screws in the mounting bracket (once the first one is installed the second one will seem easy) It sounds harder than it is…just use patience.
After it's mounted....do the other side the same way!
AFTER YOU ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED DON'T FORGET TO PUT THE RESERVIOR CAP BACK ON!
I'm sure i'm missing some stuff here but this is atleast a start!
Good Luck, pretty easy as long as you take your time, and use the other side for reference if you need it!
I have the dual piston PBR calipers and need to know if there's any trick to removing them; how many bolts need to be removed; how to compress the pistons (ie, do they need to be compressed at the same time/ do I need a special tool?), etc. Thanks in advance to anyone willing to take the time to help!!
