Brake Repair - How to Change Your Own Brake Pads

Changing your brake pads is something that is necessary for the health of your car. It is a very important type of brake repair. However, taking it to the shop to get this done can cost you time, more money and can be a big inconvenience. Changing your own brakes can save you time and money. It is a relatively easy process and requires few tools and a do-it-yourself attitude.

Buy the new brake pads - You can usually find a variety of these at your local automotive store. You need to make sure that you know what kind of brake pads your car needs. You can find this out either by looking it up on the internet or by referencing your car's owner's manual.

Make sure that you have the right tools - The first step in any do-it-yourself project is to make sure that you have all of the necessary tools. To complete this brake repair project, you will need some tools. Most of them you should be able to find in your toolbox already in your garage. These tools include a set of wrenches, a c-clamp, a lug wrench, gloves and safety goggles, and of course, the new pads.

Safety First - You need to make sure that the car will not move, so it is important o secure it. Make sure that the parking break is engaged and that you block the back wheels so that the car does not roll backwards.

Jack the car - The next thing you are going to want to do is raise the car using a jack. For safety reasons, do not leave the car on the jack, but place it on jack stands so that it is secure. This will give you a safe place to work.

Remove the tire - In order to access the brake pads, you will need to remove the wheel by loosening the lug nuts using your wrench set.

Use the C-Clamp to remove the brake pads from the caliper - There will be some bolts that you will need to loosen in order to get the brake pads off of the rotor.

Inspect the rotor - You will need to look at the rotor for any deep groves or markings, which are caused by worn out brake pads. If the rotor looks worn, you may need to replace the it. This is something you would most likely take to a mechanic.

Install the new brake pads - This is the point in the brake repair job that you will attach the new pads to the Caliper. It is a possibility that you will have to completely depress the piston in order to fir the new pads on the caliper. Once this is done, you can put the caliper back on the rotor.

Put it back together - If everything looks good, you can go ahead and put the wheel back on, making sure to completely tighten the lug nuts upon getting the wheel back on.