🔧 Altima - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the front brake calipers out of the way, swap in new pads, then reassemble with the correct torque. This restores stopping power and prevents metal-to-metal rotor damage when pads are worn.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and chock the rear wheels.
• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• 🛑 Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• 🛑 Brake dust is harmful—avoid blowing it with compressed air.
• 🛑 Brake fluid can damage paint; wipe spills immediately.
• 🛑 Keep grease off pad friction material and rotor faces.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Tire iron or 21mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• Breaker bar (1/2" drive)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Torque wrench (10-150 ft-lbs range)
• C-clamp (6")
• Flathead screwdriver
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• Disposable 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 pad hardware kit (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🧰 Park your Altima on flat ground, set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks behind both rear tires.
• 🧰 Loosen the front lug nuts 1/2 turn using a 21mm socket before lifting.
• 🧰 Open the hood and check the brake fluid level in the reservoir. If it’s near “MAX,” remove a little with a clean syringe/turkey baster so it won’t overflow when you compress the pistons.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the front end

• Lift the front using a floor jack at the front center jacking point.
• Place jack stands under the left and right front pinch welds or factory support points.
• Lower the car onto the stands and give it a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Remove lug nuts using a 21mm socket and take both front wheels off.
• Do one side at a time to compare parts.

Step 3: Remove the caliper bolts

• Turn the steering wheel to give you room to work (left for right side, right for left side).
• Locate the brake caliper (the clamp that squeezes the pads on the rotor).
• Remove the two caliper slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.

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.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the rubber brake hose.
• Slide the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand. Use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.

Step 5: Replace pad hardware (clips) and clean the bracket

• Remove the old abutment clips from the bracket by hand or with a flathead screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket pad contact areas using a wire brush and brake cleaner spray.
• Install the new abutment clips from the hardware kit into the bracket.

Step 6: Check and lubricate the slide pins

• Pull the slide pins out of the bracket by hand (they’re the smooth pins the caliper moves on).
• Wipe them clean and apply a thin coat of caliper slide pin grease (silicone-based).
• Reinsert the pins and confirm they move smoothly.

Step 7: Compress the caliper piston

• Position an old pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6") to slowly push the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; stop if it starts to overflow.
• Go slow to protect seals.

Step 8: Install the new pads

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• If your pad set includes a wear indicator, place it in the same position/orientation as the old one on that wheel.

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the caliper slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 28 Nm (21 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Repeat on the other front wheel

• Repeat Steps 3–9 on the other side.

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

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

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✅ After Repair

• 🧪 Pump the brake pedal 10–15 times with the engine off until the pedal feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• 🧪 Check brake fluid level and top off if needed with the correct DOT brake fluid shown on the reservoir cap.
• 🧪 Test at low speed first. Confirm the car stops straight and there are no strange noises.
• 🧪 Pad bed-in (typical): make 5–8 moderate stops from ~40 mph to ~10 mph, letting brakes cool a bit between stops. Avoid hard stops for the first 150–200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

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

You Save: $130-$410 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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