🔧 Altima - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the brake calipers out of the way, swap the old pads for new ones, then reassemble and torque everything correctly. This restores braking performance and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car on jack stands—never rely on a floor jack alone.
• 🛑 Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, don’t blow with compressed air.
• 🛑 Keep grease off pad/rotor friction surfaces; if contaminated, clean with brake cleaner.
• 🛑 Watch the brake fluid level when compressing pistons; it can overflow.
• 🛑 After reassembly, pump the brake pedal until firm before driving.

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🔧 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 (pair)
• Lug nut socket (21mm)
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (1/2" drive, 20-150 ft-lbs range)
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• Socket set (10mm-19mm)
• Wrench (14mm)
• C-clamp (6")
• Flathead screwdriver (medium)
• Wire hook or bungee cord
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

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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/clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the transmission in neutral, set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Crack the front lug nuts loose 1/2 turn with a 21mm lug socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and check the brake fluid reservoir level. Leave the cap on, but be ready to remove a little fluid if it rises too high later.
• Take a quick photo of pad/clip layout.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the front end

• Lift the front of the car with a floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) at the front center jacking point.
• Set the car onto jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum) at the factory pinch welds or front support points.
• Give the car a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Remove lug nuts using a 21mm lug nut socket and breaker bar (or ratchet), then remove both front wheels.

Step 3: Locate the caliper and caliper bracket

• The caliper is the part that squeezes the pads; the caliper bracket is the metal frame that holds the pads.
• Turn the steering knuckle by hand for better access (turn left to work on right side, and vice versa).

Step 4: Remove the caliper slide-pin bolts

• Remove the lower and upper caliper slide-pin bolts using a 14mm wrench.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket. If it’s tight, gently pry with a flathead screwdriver (medium).
• Hang the caliper from the strut spring using a wire hook or bungee cord so the brake hose is not stretched.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the old pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless hardware clips from the bracket.
• Spray the bracket pad lands (where clips sit) with brake cleaner spray and wipe with shop towels.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• The piston is the round part inside the caliper that pushes the inner pad.
• Place an old pad against the piston face, then slowly compress it using a C-clamp (6") until the piston is fully seated.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir level under the hood while compressing. If it gets too high, remove a small amount with shop towels (don’t spill on paint).

Step 7: Install new hardware clips and pads

• Install the new hardware clips from the front brake pad hardware/clip kit into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone-based) to the points where the pad ears contact the clips.
• Slide the new pads into place in the bracket.
• Grease goes on metal-to-metal only.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Reinstall the slide-pin bolts using a 14mm wrench.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench (1/2" drive, 20-150 ft-lbs range).
• Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine OFF, pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm.
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed (use the correct DOT rating shown on the reservoir cap).
• Start the engine and confirm the pedal stays firm.
• Do a cautious test drive: slow stops first, then normal stops.
• Pad bedding (recommended): make 6-8 moderate stops from ~40 to ~10 mph, letting brakes cool a bit between stops. Avoid hard panic stops for the first 150-200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $50-$140 (parts only)

You Save: $200-$310 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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