🔧 Forte - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the brake calipers up, swap the pads, then compress the caliper pistons so everything fits back together. This restores safe stopping power and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3.0 hours

Assumption: OEM-style single-piston front calipers (typical for EX).

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a jack.
• 🛑 Brake dust is harmful—wear a mask and avoid blowing dust with air.
• 🛑 Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• 🛑 Keep grease off pad friction surfaces and rotors.
• 🛑 Let brakes cool before starting; parts can be very hot.
• 🛑 Battery disconnect is not required for this job.

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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
• 21mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (20-200 Nm range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp brake piston compressor
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

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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/clip kit - Qty: 1
• Silicone brake grease - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• 🧴 Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep the cap on, but monitor the level during piston compression (fluid can rise).
• 🧰 Set your new pads and hardware out in order so left/right don’t get mixed.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts (before lifting)

• Use 21mm socket with a 1/2" drive breaker bar to loosen the front wheel lug nuts 1/2 turn.

Step 2: Lift and support the front

• Use the floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) to lift the front of the car at the proper front jacking point.
• Place jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum) under safe support points and lower the car onto them.
• Keep the wheel chocks in place.

Step 3: Remove the front wheels

• Use the 21mm socket with the 3/8" drive ratchet to remove the lug nuts, then remove both front wheels.

Step 4: Locate the caliper bolts

• The brake caliper is the clamp that squeezes the pads onto the rotor.
• The caliper is held by two slide pin bolts (the bolts that let the caliper “slide” as pads wear).

Step 5: Remove the caliper slide pin bolts

• Use a 14mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet to remove the upper and lower caliper slide pin bolts.
• If the slide pin spins, hold the pin’s flat area with a 17mm socket while loosening the bolt (if equipped).

Step 6: Support the caliper (do not hang it)

• Lift the caliper off the pads and hang it from the strut spring using a bungee cord.
• Never let the caliper dangle by the hose.

Step 7: Remove old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the old pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless pad hardware clips (the metal guides the pads slide on) from the bracket by hand or with a flat-blade screwdriver.

Step 8: Clean the bracket pad lands

• Spray the bracket with brake cleaner spray and wipe with shop towels.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust where the hardware clips sit (the “pad lands”).
• Clean metal helps prevent pad sticking.

Step 9: Install new hardware clips

• Snap the new clips from the front pad hardware/clip kit into the bracket by hand.
• Make sure each clip seats flat and fully.

Step 10: Grease the correct spots (not the pad face)

• Apply a very thin film of silicone brake grease to the areas where the pad ears touch the hardware clips.
• If your pads include shim/backing contact points, apply a thin film to the pad backing where it contacts the caliper (not the friction material).

Step 11: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old pad against the piston face, then use the C-clamp brake piston compressor to slowly push the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir as you compress; remove excess fluid only if it’s close to overflowing.
• Go slow to protect seals and ABS parts.

Step 12: Install the new pads

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• Confirm the pads slide smoothly in the clips; if they bind, re-check clip seating and bracket cleaning.

Step 13: Reinstall the caliper

• Swing the caliper back over the new pads by hand.
• Install the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Final tighten with a torque wrench (20-200 Nm range): Torque to 28 Nm (21 ft-lbs) for the front caliper slide pin bolts.

Step 14: Repeat on the other front side

• Repeat Steps 4–13 on the other front wheel.
• Always replace pads on both front wheels.

Step 15: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall both wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum).
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench (20-200 Nm range): Torque to 88-108 Nm (65-80 ft-lbs).

Step 16: Pump the brake pedal to seat the pads

• Before moving the car, press the brake pedal slowly 8–12 times until it feels firm.
• This moves the pistons back out to meet the new pads.

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✅ After Repair

• 🧪 With the engine on, test the brake pedal feel at a standstill; it should be firm, not sinking.
• 🔍 Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir and adjust to the MAX line if needed.
• 👂 On a quiet street, do a gentle test drive and listen for grinding or strong pulling.
• 🛑 Pad bedding (break-in): do 6–10 smooth stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, with light cooldown driving between stops.
• 🧾 Recheck lug nut torque with the torque wrench (20-200 Nm range) after 25–50 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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