🔧 Regal - 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 and pump the brake pedal to restore a firm pedal. This matters because worn pads reduce stopping power and can damage the rotors.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support your Regal with jack stands—never rely on a jack alone.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is irritating—wear nitrile gloves and safety glasses, and use brake cleaner (don’t blow dust with compressed air).
• ⚠️ Don’t let the caliper hang by the brake hose—support it with a hanger.
• ⚠️ If brake fluid is near the “MAX” line, it may overflow when compressing pistons—watch the reservoir.

---

🔧 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
• Torque wrench (10-200 Nm range)
• Breaker bar (1/2" drive)
• 19mm socket
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Ratchet (1/2" drive)
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Brake caliper hanger hook (specialty)
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake hardware kit (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake lubricant (silicone ceramic) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to P, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind the rear tires.
• Pop the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep the cap sitting loosely on top (helps vent while compressing pistons).
• Assumption: common GS front caliper hardware; torque specs may vary slightly by brake package.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the front wheel lug nuts

• Use a 19mm socket with a breaker bar (1/2" drive) to loosen each front wheel lug nut about 1/2 turn while the car is on the ground.

Step 2: Lift and support the front of the car

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift at the proper front jacking point.
• Set the car down on jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) and gently shake the car to confirm it’s stable.
• Remove the wheels using a 19mm socket.

Step 3: Inspect and prep the caliper area

• Turn the steering to give yourself room (wheel pointed outward on the side you’re working on).
• Spray the caliper and bracket area with brake cleaner spray and wipe with shop towels.
• Use a flathead screwdriver to gently pry the outer pad/anti-rattle spring area if needed to create a little clearance.

Step 4: Remove the caliper guide pin bolts

• Locate the two caliper guide pin bolts on the back of the caliper.
• Use a 13mm socket with a ratchet (3/8" drive) to remove the upper and lower guide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and support it using a brake caliper hanger hook (specialty). A caliper hanger is a simple hook that holds the caliper so the rubber hose isn’t strained.

Step 5: Remove the old pads and hardware clips

• Slide the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless pad abutment clips (hardware) from the bracket.
• Use a wire brush to clean the pad “shelves” (where the clips sit) until they’re smooth.
• Spray with brake cleaner spray and wipe with shop towels.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one of the old pads against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly press the piston back into the caliper until it bottoms out.
• Keep an eye on the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; remove a little fluid only if it’s about to overflow.
• Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 7: Install new hardware clips and lubricate contact points

• Snap the new abutment clips from the front brake hardware kit into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of brake lubricant (silicone ceramic) where the pad “ears” slide on the clips (metal-to-metal contact only).
• Do not get lubricant on pad friction material or the rotor.

Step 8: Install the new pads

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• If the inner pad has a wear indicator, it typically goes on the inner pad (orientation can vary by pad design).

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper and torque the guide pin bolts

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Reinstall the guide pin bolts using a 13mm socket.
• Use a torque wrench (10-200 Nm range) to tighten: Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 10: If you removed the caliper bracket, reinstall and torque it

• Some pad jobs don’t require bracket removal; if you did remove it for extra room, reinstall the bracket bolts using an 18mm socket.
• Use a torque wrench (10-200 Nm range) to tighten: Torque to 155 Nm (114 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Install the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car to the ground using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench (10-200 Nm range): Torque to 140 Nm (103 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Restore pedal feel before moving the car

• With the engine off, pump the brake pedal 8–12 times until it feels firm.
• Check the brake fluid level and top off only if needed.

---

✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and press the brake pedal—confirm it stays firm and doesn’t sink.
• Do a slow test in a safe area: light braking first, then moderate braking.
• Check for abnormal noises (grinding, constant scraping) and recheck for any fluid leaks.
• Pad bedding (break-in): make 8–10 moderate stops from ~40 mph down to ~10 mph, with 30–60 seconds between stops to cool slightly. Avoid hard stops for the first 200 miles.
• Recheck lug nut torque after ~50 miles using a torque wrench (10-200 Nm range).

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

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

You Save: $90-$390 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.8 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.