🔧 Regal - Front Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, take off the brake calipers, replace the rotors, and install new brake pads. This restores safe stopping power, fixes pulsation/vibration from warped rotors, and prevents metal-on-metal brake damage.

Assumption: Factory-style front brakes (single-piston sliding calipers); torque specs listed are the most common OEM values for your Regal—use them unless your service info/parts kit specifies otherwise.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and chock the rear wheels before lifting the front.
• ⚠️ Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Do not breathe brake dust—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Brake parts can be hot; let everything cool before starting.
• ⚠️ Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose—support it with a hanger.
• ⚠️ Watch brake fluid level when compressing pistons; it can overflow and damage paint.

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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
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (1/2", 20–200 ft-lbs range)
• 17mm socket (lug nuts)
• Socket set (metric, 3/8" and 1/2")
• Ratchet (3/8")
• Caliper hanger hook or heavy zip ties
• C-clamp (6")
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Torx bit set
• Torque angle is not required

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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 grease (silicone or synthetic) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner spray - Qty: 2
• Medium-strength threadlocker (blue) - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to P, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind both rear tires.
• Pop the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep the cap loosely set on top (don’t fully tighten it) so fluid can move as you compress pistons.
• If the reservoir is very full, remove a little fluid with a clean syringe/turkey baster before compressing pistons. Don’t spill brake fluid on paint.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and lift the front

• Use a 17mm socket and breaker bar to loosen (not remove) the front wheel lug nuts about 1/2 turn.
• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the front of the car at the proper front jack point.
• Set the car securely on jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove the lug nuts with the 17mm socket and pull the wheel off.

Step 2: Access the caliper and pads

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself more room (turn left to work on the right side, and vice-versa).
• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to gently pry the caliper outward a little (this creates space to remove it).
• Go slow—don’t tear the rubber boot.

Step 3: Remove the brake caliper (the clamp that squeezes the pads)

• Use your socket set (metric) and ratchet (3/8") to remove the caliper guide/slide pin bolts from the back of the caliper.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Support the caliper using a caliper hanger hook or heavy zip ties so it does not hang by the brake hose.

Step 4: Remove old pads and the caliper bracket (the mount the caliper bolts to)

• Slide the old brake pads out by hand.
• Remove the caliper bracket bolts using a socket set (metric), ratchet (3/8"), and breaker bar (1/2") as needed (these are tight).
• Set the bracket aside.
• Torque reference (reinstall later): Torque to 170 Nm (125 ft-lbs) for the caliper bracket bolts.

Step 5: Remove the rotor

• If your rotor has a retaining screw, remove it using a Torx bit set.
• Pull the rotor off the hub. If it’s stuck, tap the rotor hat with a rubber mallet to break it loose.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust from the hub face (where the rotor sits). A clean hub helps prevent brake pulsation.

Step 6: Install the new rotor

• Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake cleaner spray and wipe clean (removes shipping oil).
• Install the new rotor onto the hub.
• If equipped with a retaining screw, reinstall it using the Torx bit set (snug only—do not over-tighten).

Step 7: Prep the bracket and install new pad hardware

• Remove the old pad clips from the bracket (they usually pull off by hand or with a flat-blade screwdriver).
• Clean the bracket’s pad “lands” (where clips sit) with a wire brush.
• Install the new clips from the brake pad hardware/clip kit.
• Apply a thin film of brake grease (silicone or synthetic) where the pad ears touch the clips. Keep grease off rotor and pad friction.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper bracket

• Position the bracket over the new rotor.
• Apply a small amount of medium-strength threadlocker (blue) to the bracket bolt threads.
• Tighten bracket bolts using a socket set (metric) and torque wrench (1/2").
• Torque to 170 Nm (125 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old brake pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6") to slowly push the piston back into the caliper.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing. Stop if it starts to overflow.
• Slow and steady prevents seal damage.

Step 10: Install new pads and reinstall the caliper

• Install the new pads into the bracket (inner and outer).
• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Reinstall the caliper guide/slide pin bolts using your socket set (metric) and torque wrench (1/2").
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs) for the caliper slide/guide bolts.

Step 11: Reinstall wheel and torque lug nuts

• Put the wheel back on and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench (1/2") and 17mm socket.
• Torque to 140 Nm (103 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Repeat on the other front wheel

• Repeat Steps 1–11 on the opposite side. Always do both front brakes.

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✅ After Repair

• Pump the brake pedal 10–15 times before driving until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotors).
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed (use the correct DOT fluid listed on the reservoir cap).
• Start the engine and confirm the pedal stays firm.
• Test-drive at low speed first; verify no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• Bed-in procedure (common for new pads/rotors): make 6–10 moderate stops from ~35 mph down to ~5 mph, with 30–60 seconds of driving between stops to cool slightly. Avoid hard stops to zero for the first 200 miles.
• Recheck lug nut torque after ~50–100 miles using the torque wrench (1/2").

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $180-$420 (parts only)

You Save: $270-$430 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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