🔧 Altima - Front Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the front brake pads restores safe stopping and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin or noisy. On your Altima, you’ll remove the front wheels, swing the brake caliper out of the way, swap the pads/hardware, then reassemble and bed-in the pads.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-2.5 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Work on level ground and use jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• Brake parts can contain dust—avoid blowing it with compressed air; use brake cleaner.
• Do not press the brake pedal while the caliper is off the rotor.
• Support the caliper so it doesn’t hang by the brake hose.
• Keep grease off pad friction material and rotor faces.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 6" extension (3/8" drive)
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Wire hook or bungee cord
• Small wire brush
• Shop rags
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake hardware kit (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Silicone brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the transmission in 1st gear, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind the rear tires.
• Crack the front lug nuts loose before lifting the car (about 1/2 turn).
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep the cap sitting on top (not tightly sealed) so fluid can move as you compress the pistons.
• If the reservoir is very full, remove a little fluid with a clean rag (don’t overflow when pistons are pushed back).

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift the front end and remove the wheels

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen lug nuts 1/2 turn.
• Lift the front using a floor jack at the front jacking point, then set the car down on jack stands.
• Remove the lug nuts with the 21mm socket and pull both front wheels off.

Step 2: Locate the caliper bolts

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself room (left for right side, right for left side).
• Find the two caliper slide pin bolts on the back of the caliper.
• Use a 14mm socket with a 3/8" ratchet and extension to loosen and remove the bolts.

Step 3: Swing the caliper up and support it

• Carefully lift the caliper off the rotor.
• Hang it from the strut spring using a wire hook or bungee cord so the brake hose is not stretched.
• If it’s stuck, wiggle—don’t pry the hose.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand. If tight, use a flathead screwdriver gently.
• Remove the stainless “abutment clips” (hardware) from the bracket.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust from the bracket pad lands (where the clips sit).
• Spray the area with brake cleaner and wipe with shop rags.

Step 5: Compress the caliper piston

• A C-clamp is a screw clamp that slowly pushes the piston back in.
• Place one old brake pad against the piston face, then use the C-clamp to press the piston in slowly until it bottoms out.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; do not let it overflow.

Step 6: Install new hardware clips and lubricate contact points

• Install the new abutment clips from the hardware kit into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of silicone brake lubricant where the pad ears slide on the clips (metal-to-metal contact only).
• Thin layer only—too much attracts dirt.

Step 7: Install the new pads

• Slide the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• If your pads include shims, install them exactly as the old ones were oriented.
• Make sure the pads can move slightly by hand (they should slide, not bind).

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper and torque bolts

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Reinstall the caliper slide pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 14mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the slide pin bolts: Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Put the wheels back on and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Use a 21mm socket and torque wrench to tighten lug nuts in a star pattern: Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

---

✅ After Repair

• Before driving, pump the brake pedal slowly 10-15 times until it feels firm.
• Check the brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 if needed.
• Do a slow test in a safe area: confirm normal pedal feel and straight braking.
• Bed-in the pads: make 6-10 moderate stops from ~30 mph down to ~5 mph, with 30-60 seconds between stops for cooling.
• Recheck for leaks, odd noises, and that both front wheels spin freely when lifted (no heavy drag).

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $250-$450 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $60-$180 (parts only)

You Save: $190-$270 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.5 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.