🔧 Patriot - Front Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, take off the brake caliper and bracket, replace the rotor, then install new pads and reassemble with the correct torque. This restores safe braking and fixes issues like grinding, squealing, or steering-wheel shake when stopping.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-3 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and chock the rear wheels.
• ⚠️ Support the Patriot on jack stands; never work under a floor jack.
• ⚠️ Do not let the caliper hang by the rubber brake hose.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Keep grease/oil off the pad and rotor friction surfaces.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 19mm socket
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8")
• Ratchet (1/2")
• C-clamp (6")
• Flat trim/pry tool
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Brake cleaner spray

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake rotors - Qty: 2
• Front brake pad hardware/abutment clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 quart

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the transmission in 1st gear, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind both rear tires.
• Crack the front lug nuts loose about 1/4 turn before lifting.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir so you can watch the level.
• Slide pins are the bolts the caliper “slides” on.
• A C-clamp pushes the caliper piston back in.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the front end

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the front of the Patriot.
• Set jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under solid front support points and lower onto the stands.
• Confirm stability with a gentle shake.

Step 2: Remove both front wheels

• Use a 19mm socket and breaker bar (1/2") to remove lug nuts.
• Remove the wheels and set them aside.

Step 3: Remove the caliper

• Use a 13mm socket with a ratchet (3/8") to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Support it with a bungee cord so the hose is not strained.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and caliper bracket

• Remove the brake pads from the bracket; use a flat trim/pry tool if they’re stuck.
• Use an 18mm socket and breaker bar (1/2") to remove the two caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the bracket.

Step 5: Remove the rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub.
• If rusted in place, tap the rotor “hat” area with a rubber mallet until it loosens.

Step 6: Clean the hub and clean the new rotor

• Use a wire brush to clean rust off the hub face so the new rotor sits flat.
• Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake cleaner spray and wipe clean (removes shipping oil).
• Flat hub surface helps prevent pulsation.

Step 7: Install the new rotor and reinstall the bracket

• Slide the new rotor onto the hub.
• Install the caliper bracket bolts using an 18mm socket and ratchet (1/2").
• Torque to 169 Nm (125 ft-lbs) for the caliper bracket bolts.

Step 8: Install new hardware clips and new pads

• Remove the old hardware clips from the bracket and snap in the new ones by hand.
• Install the new pads into the bracket (they should slide smoothly).

Step 9: Push the caliper piston back in

• Check the reservoir level; brake fluid may rise when you compress the piston.
• Place an old pad against the piston face, then use a C-clamp (6") to slowly push the piston fully in.
• Compress slowly to protect the seals.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper

• Set the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide pin bolts using a 13mm socket and ratchet (3/8").
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs) for the caliper slide pin bolts.

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the Patriot off the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Use a torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range) with a 19mm socket to tighten lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs) for the lug nuts.

Step 12: Pump the brake pedal before driving

• With the engine off, press the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm.
• Recheck brake fluid level and top off with Brake fluid (DOT 3) if needed.
• Do a very slow test stop in a safe area before normal driving.

---

✅ After Repair

• Do a careful road test: no pulling, grinding, or vibration.
• Bed-in the pads: make 6-8 medium stops from about 30 mph down to about 5 mph, with short cool-down time between stops.
• Recheck lug nut torque with a torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range) after 25-50 miles.
• Look for any brake fluid seepage around the caliper.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$750 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $160-$320 (parts only)

You Save: $290-$430 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-3 hours.

---

🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.

Assumption: Front caliper hardware uses common 13mm/18mm heads; match socket if different.