🔧 Altima - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front calipers, swap in new brake pads (and hardware clips if included), then reassemble and torque everything correctly. The key is supporting the caliper safely and compressing the caliper piston so the new, thicker pads fit.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• 🛑 Do not inhale brake dust; wear a dust mask and use brake cleaner (don’t blow with compressed air).
• 🛑 Never let the brake caliper hang by the rubber hose; support it with a bungee cord.
• 🛑 Keep grease off pad friction material and rotor surfaces.
• 🛑 Battery disconnect is not required for this job.

---

🔧 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
• 14mm socket
• 19mm socket
• Ratchet
• Breaker bar
• Torque wrench (10-150 ft-lbs range)
• C-clamp (6-inch)
• Bungee cord
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wire brush
• Brake parts cleaner
• Shop rags
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

---

🔩 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 parts cleaner - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind the rear tires.
• Crack the front lug nuts loose 1/4 turn using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; you’ll monitor fluid level as you compress pistons.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and remove the front wheels

• Lift the front of your Altima with a floor jack using the front center jacking point.
• Set the car down securely on jack stands at the factory support points.
• Remove lug nuts with a 21mm socket and ratchet, then remove both front wheels.

Step 2: Remove the brake caliper (the “clamp” that squeezes the pads)

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself more room to work on one side at a time.
• Locate the two caliper slide bolts on the back of the caliper.
• Remove the slide bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket and rotor.
• Support the caliper with a bungee cord so the brake hose is not pulled or twisted.
• Tip: Hang it from the spring/strut.

Step 3: Remove the old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the old pads out of the bracket by hand. If stuck, gently pry with a flathead screwdriver.
• Remove the stainless hardware clips from the bracket (these are what the pads slide on).
• Clean the pad “lands” (the metal surfaces where clips sit) using brake parts cleaner and a wire brush, then wipe with shop rags.

Step 4: Compress the caliper piston

• Check the brake fluid reservoir level under the hood; fluid may rise when you compress the piston.
• Position an old pad against the piston face, then use a C-clamp (6-inch) to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Go slowly and evenly; stop if it feels like it’s binding.
• Tip: Slow compression helps protect seals.

Step 5: Install new hardware clips and new pads

• Install the new hardware clips into the bracket by hand.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) where the pad ears touch the clips (metal-to-metal contact points only).
• Install the new pads into the bracket (make sure they slide freely).
• Use brake parts cleaner and shop rags to remove any grease that got onto rotor/pad friction surfaces.

Step 6: Reinstall the caliper and torque fasteners

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the caliper slide bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten slide bolts using a 14mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 26 Nm (19 ft-lbs).
• If you removed the caliper bracket for any reason, tighten bracket-to-knuckle bolts using a 19mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).

Step 7: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

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

---

✅ After Repair

• Before moving the car, pump the brake pedal 8–12 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotors).
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed (do not overfill).
• Test at low speed first; confirm no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• Pad break-in: make 6–10 moderate stops from ~30–40 mph with cool-down time between stops; avoid hard panic stops for the first 150–200 miles.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $40-$120 (parts only)

You Save: $210-$330 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.