🔧 Front Brake Pads - Pad Replacement

The front brake pads on your Ram wear down from normal use and should be replaced before they get thin enough to damage the rotors. This job involves removing the front caliper, swapping the pads, and then resetting the brake pedal feel before driving.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Work on a flat surface and chock the rear wheels before lifting the front.
• Support the truck with jack stands rated for the vehicle. Never rely on the jack alone.
• Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• Front brakes create dust. Wear safety glasses and gloves.
• If your truck has a brake wear sensor on the front pads, disconnect it carefully before removal.
• No battery disconnect is normally required for pad replacement.

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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
• 19mm lug wrench or socket
• Ratchet
• 15mm socket
• 13mm socket
• Torque wrench
• Brake caliper compression tool (specialty)
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Bungee cord or caliper hanger
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner
• Shop rags
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Brake hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease - Qty: 1
• Brake wear sensor, front - Qty: 1 if equipped

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks behind the rear tires.
• Loosen the front lug nuts slightly before lifting the truck.
• If the brake fluid reservoir is already near the top, watch the fluid level while compressing the caliper piston.

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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 raise the front of the truck at the proper lift point.
• Support both sides with jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove the front wheels with a 19mm lug wrench or socket.

Step 2: Inspect the brake assembly

• Look at the caliper, pads, rotor, and brake hose.
• If equipped, unplug the brake wear sensor carefully.
• Take a quick photo first.

Step 3: Remove the caliper

• Use a 15mm socket and ratchet to remove the caliper guide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it with a bungee cord or caliper hanger.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the old brake pads out of the caliper bracket.
• Remove the anti-rattle clips and pad hardware with a flat-blade screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket with brake cleaner and a wire brush.

Step 5: Compress the caliper piston

• Use a brake caliper compression tool (specialty) to push the piston back into the caliper.
• Move slowly and watch the brake fluid reservoir so it does not overflow.
• Compress it evenly and straight.

Step 6: Install the new hardware and pads

• Install the new pad clips from the brake hardware kit.
• Apply a thin layer of brake caliper slide pin grease to the slide pins only.
• Install the new front brake pads in the bracket.
• If equipped, reconnect the brake wear sensor, front.

Step 7: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the guide pin bolts with a 15mm socket.
• Torque to 32 Nm (24 ft-lbs).

Step 8: Reinstall wheels

• Put the wheels back on and start the lug nuts by hand.
• Lower the truck with the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Use a 19mm lug wrench or socket to snug the lug nuts.
• Torque to 176 Nm (130 ft-lbs) in a star pattern.

Step 9: Restore brake pedal feel

• Before moving the truck, pump the brake pedal slowly until it feels firm.
• This seats the caliper pistons against the new pads.
• Never skip this step.

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✅ After Repair

• Check the brake fluid level and top off if needed.
• Start the truck and confirm the brake pedal feels firm.
• Test the brakes at low speed in a safe area.
• Expect some new-pad odor and light noise for the first few stops.
• Bed the pads in with several moderate stops, not hard panic stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $70-$160 (parts only)

You Save: $180-$290 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1-2 hours.

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🎯 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.