🔧 Altima - Front Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

On your Altima, replacing the front brake pads and rotors means removing the wheel, unbolting the brake caliper and caliper bracket, swapping the rotor, and installing new pads with proper lubrication and torque. Doing it right prevents noise, vibration (brake “shake”), and uneven pad wear.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• 🧤 Brake dust is harmful—wear gloves and a dust mask, and use brake cleaner (don’t blow dust with compressed air).
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot—let everything cool before starting.
• 🧴 Keep brake fluid off paint; it damages paint quickly.
• 🪝 Do not let the caliper hang by the hose—support it with a hanger.
• 🔋 Battery disconnect is not required for this job.

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🔧 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
• 21mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (20–150 ft-lbs range)
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• Socket set: 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 22mm
• Combination wrench set: 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 22mm
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6")
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Small bungee cord
• Drain pan
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Dust mask

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake rotors - Qty: 2 Replace in pairs
• Brake pad hardware/clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin boots (if damaged) - Qty: 1 set
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 2 cans
• Brake grease (silicone or synthetic) - Qty: 1
• DOT 3 brake fluid - Qty: 1 quart Top-off as needed

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• 🔧 Loosen the front wheel lug nuts 1/2 turn using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting the car.
• 🧴 Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir. If it’s near “MAX,” plan for fluid to rise when compressing the piston (remove a little with a clean syringe if needed).
• 🧠 A C-clamp compresses the caliper piston (the round part that pushes the pad). Go slow so you don’t overflow the reservoir.

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🔨 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 at the front center jacking point.
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the proper front support points and lower the car onto them.
• Remove the wheels using a 21mm socket and set them aside.

Step 2: Remove the caliper (do not stretch the hose)

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself space at the side you’re working on.
• Remove the caliper slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket (use a 14mm wrench to hold the pin if it spins).
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it with a brake caliper hanger hook. Never hang by the hose.

Step 3: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the pads out of the bracket by hand; use a flathead screwdriver gently if stuck.
• Remove the pad hardware/clips from the bracket using a flathead screwdriver.

Step 4: Remove the caliper bracket

• Remove the two caliper bracket bolts using a 17mm, 19mm, or 22mm socket (use the one that fits your bolts) with a breaker bar.
• Set the bracket on a clean surface.
• During reassembly, bracket bolts: Torque to 98 Nm (72 ft-lbs).

Step 5: Remove the rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub. If it’s stuck from rust, tap around the rotor “hat” with a rubber mallet.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush and spray with brake parts cleaner. A clean hub helps prevent vibration.

Step 6: Install the new rotor

• Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake parts cleaner to remove packing oil.
• Install the rotor onto the hub. If it wants to wobble, hold it in place with one lug nut hand-tight (use the 21mm socket).

Step 7: Service the bracket and slide pins

• Remove the slide pins from the bracket by hand.
• Wipe old grease off, inspect the rubber boots, and apply fresh brake grease to the pins.
• Reinstall the pins and make sure they glide smoothly (they should move in and out easily).

Step 8: Install new pad hardware and pads

• Install new hardware/clips onto the bracket by hand (use a flathead screwdriver carefully if needed).
• Apply a thin film of brake grease where the pad “ears” touch the clips (metal-to-metal contact points only).
• Install the new pads into the bracket.

Step 9: Reinstall the bracket

• Position the bracket over the rotor and start the two bolts by hand.
• Tighten using the correct-size socket and a torque wrench: Torque to 98 Nm (72 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Compress the caliper piston

• Place the old inner pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6") to slowly push the piston back into the caliper.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir as you compress; remove excess fluid if it approaches overflow (use a drain pan under the reservoir area).

Step 11: Reinstall the caliper

• Set the caliper over the new pads and align the slide pin holes.
• Install the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket.
• Tighten with a torque wrench: Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Reinstall wheels

• Install the wheels and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the stands using the floor jack.
• Torque the lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench: Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 Pump the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm before moving the car.
• 🧴 Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 brake fluid if needed.
• 🔍 Look around both front calipers for any leaks or twisted hoses.
• 🚗 Do a cautious test drive. Start with gentle stops.
• 🛣️ Pad bedding (common method): make 8–10 medium stops from ~40 to ~10 mph, allowing a little cool-down between stops. Don’t hold the pedal hard at a stop.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$850 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $160-$380 (parts only)

You Save: $290-$470 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?

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