🔧 Lancer - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the front brake calipers out of the way, swap the old pads for new ones, then compress the caliper pistons so everything fits back together. This restores safe braking and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.0-2.0 hours

Assumption: Stock front sliding-caliper setup.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🧯 Work on level ground and support your Lancer on jack stands—never rely on a jack alone.
• 🧤 Brake dust is unhealthy—wear a mask and use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot—let them cool before touching calipers/rotors.
• 💧 Watch brake fluid level—pushing pistons back can overflow the reservoir.
• 🔒 Keep your hands clear when lowering the vehicle onto stands.

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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 lug nut socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (10-200 Nm range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake parts cleaner
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• 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 pad hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3 or DOT 4) - Qty: 1 bottle

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, put the shifter in Park, and set the parking brake.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• 🔧 Break the front lug nuts loose 1/4 turn using a 21mm lug nut socket and breaker bar (while the car is still on the ground).
• 💧 Open the hood and check the brake fluid reservoir level. If it’s near MAX, remove a little with a clean towel so it won’t overflow when you compress pistons.

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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 the front of your Lancer at the proper front jacking point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Give the car a gentle push to confirm it’s stable before you work.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Remove all lug nuts using a 21mm lug nut socket and 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Remove both front wheels and set them aside.

Step 3: Locate the caliper and remove the caliper slide bolts

• Turn the steering slightly to give yourself room (hand-turning the steering wheel is fine with the engine off).
• Find the brake caliper (the “clamp” over the rotor). On the back side are the slide pin bolts.
• Remove the two caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Don’t let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 4: Support the caliper and remove the old pads

• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it from the strut spring using a bungee cord.
• Pull the old brake pads out of the bracket by hand. If they’re stuck, gently pry with a flat-blade screwdriver.

Step 5: Remove and replace the pad hardware (clips)

• Remove the stainless pad clips from the bracket using a flat-blade screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket “pad shelves” with a wire brush and spray with brake parts cleaner, then wipe with shop towels.
• Install the new clips from the front brake pad hardware kit (clips/shims).
• Clean metal helps pads slide smoothly.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old pad against the caliper piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly push the piston back into the caliper. (A C-clamp is a screw clamp that presses the piston in evenly.)
• Go slowly and watch the brake fluid reservoir so it doesn’t overflow.

Step 7: Lubricate contact points (not the pad friction surface)

• Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease (silicone) to pad ears where they touch the clips.
• If your pads include shims, apply a thin layer where the shim contacts the caliper/pad backing (follow the pad maker’s instructions).
• Do not get grease on the rotor or pad friction material. If you do, clean with brake parts cleaner.

Step 8: Install the new pads and reinstall the caliper

• Install the new pads into the bracket (they should slide freely in the clips).
• Lower the caliper back over the new pads.
• Install the caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs)

Step 9: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench (10-200 Nm range).
• Torque to 98 Nm (72 ft-lbs)

Step 10: Pump the brake pedal before driving

• With the engine off, press the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm.
• This seats the pads against the rotor after the piston was pushed back.
• Top off brake fluid if needed (do not overfill).

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✅ After Repair

• 🚗 Do a slow test in a safe area: confirm the pedal feels firm and the car stops straight.
• 🔍 Check for brake fluid leaks around the calipers and confirm no warning lights are on.
• 🛞 Listen for scraping/grinding—light rubbing is normal at first, grinding is not.
• 🧱 Pad break-in: make 6–10 gentle stops from 30–40 mph, leaving space to cool between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $60-$160 (parts only)

You Save: $190-$290 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.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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