🔧 Front Brakes & Rotors - Replacement

The front pads and rotors on your Sequoia can be changed at home with basic hand tools and a safe way to lift the front end. You’ll remove the caliper, swap the rotor, then install new pads and reassemble everything to factory torque.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Lift the vehicle on level ground and support it with jack stands; never work under a vehicle held only by a jack.
• Front brakes get hot; let everything cool before starting.
• Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• Use care around brake dust; do not blow it off with compressed air.
• After reassembly, the brake pedal will feel low until pumped up.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm lug wrench or socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet
• Breaker bar
• Torque wrench
• C-clamp or brake caliper compression tool
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Bungee cord or hook
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner
• Shop rags
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake rotor - Qty: 2
• Brake hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake grease - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels.
• Loosen the front lug nuts slightly before lifting. Do not remove them yet.
• Work one side at a time.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Raise the front of the vehicle

• Use a floor jack to lift the front end at the proper jack point.
• Support both sides with jack stands.
• Remove the front wheels with a 21mm lug wrench or socket.

Step 2: Remove the brake caliper

• Use a 14mm socket to remove the caliper slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket carefully.
• Hang the caliper with a bungee cord or hook; do not let it hang by the hose.

Step 3: Remove the old pads and bracket

• Pull the brake pads out of the caliper bracket.
• Use a 17mm socket to remove the caliper bracket bolts.
• Torque to 196 Nm (145 ft-lbs) during reassembly.

Step 4: Remove the rotor

• Remove the rotor retaining screws if equipped using a flat-blade screwdriver.
• If the rotor is stuck, tap it from behind and around the hub face.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust from the hub so the new rotor sits flat.

Step 5: Install the new rotor

• Clean the new rotor with brake cleaner to remove packing oil.
• Install the rotor on the hub.
• If equipped, reinstall the retaining screw snugly with a flat-blade screwdriver.

Step 6: Prepare the caliper and pads

• Use a C-clamp or brake caliper compression tool to slowly push the caliper piston back in.
• Install new hardware if included.
• Apply a thin layer of brake grease to pad contact points and hardware only.
• Keep grease off the rotor and pad friction material.

Step 7: Reinstall the bracket, pads, and caliper

• Install the caliper bracket using a 17mm socket.
• Torque to 196 Nm (145 ft-lbs).
• Install the new pads in the bracket.
• Reinstall the caliper using a 14mm socket.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 8: Reinstall the wheel

• Put the wheel back on and hand-tighten the lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle and use a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Torque to 131 Nm (97 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Repeat on the other side

• Perform the same steps on the opposite front wheel.
• Replace brake parts in pairs.

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✅ After Repair

• Press the brake pedal several times until it feels firm.
• Check the brake fluid level in the master cylinder.
• Make a slow test drive and confirm normal stopping.
• Listen for rubbing or grinding that could mean a loose pad or hardware issue.
• For the first 200 miles, avoid hard stops when possible to help the new pads seat properly.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $500-$900 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $180-$450 (parts only)

You Save: $320-$450 by doing it yourself!

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

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🎯 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.