🔧 Impala - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the front brake calipers up, replace the pad set, and compress the caliper pistons so everything fits back together. This restores safe stopping power and prevents metal-on-metal damage to your rotors.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support your Impala on jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is irritating—wear a dust mask and avoid blowing dust with compressed air.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• ⚠️ Keep brake fluid off paint; it can damage the finish.
• ⚠️ If the brake fluid reservoir looks full, remove a little before compressing pistons to prevent overflow.

---

🔧 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
• Lug wrench or 19mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• Socket set (10mm-21mm)
• 14mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp brake piston compressor
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• Small suction syringe or turkey baster
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Brake pad hardware/abutment clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 (as needed)

---

📋 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. If it’s near the “MAX” line, use a small suction syringe to remove a little fluid.
• A piston compressor is just a tool to push the caliper piston back in.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and lift the front

• Use a 19mm socket (or lug wrench) to loosen the front wheel lug nuts about 1/2 turn while the car is on the ground.
• Use a floor jack to lift the front of your Impala at the proper front lift point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands and confirm it’s stable before working.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 19mm socket.
• Remove both front wheels and slide them under the rocker area as a backup safety block.

Step 3: Access the caliper and remove the caliper slide bolts

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself more room on the side you’re working on.
• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to gently pry the caliper outward a tiny bit (this helps relieve pad tension).
• Remove the caliper slide/guide pin bolts using a 14mm socket.

Step 4: Lift off and support the caliper

• Lift the caliper off the bracket by hand.
• Hang the caliper from the strut spring using a bungee cord.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (hardware) from the bracket by hand or with a flat-blade screwdriver.
• Use brake cleaner spray and a wire brush to clean pad contact points on the bracket (where the clips sit).

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old pad against the caliper piston.
• Use a C-clamp brake piston compressor to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir level while you compress. Remove fluid with a small suction syringe if it starts to overflow.
• Go slow to avoid damaging the piston seal.

Step 7: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new pad clips into the bracket by hand.
• Apply a thin film of brake grease (silicone-based) to the clip “rails” where the pad ears slide (do not get grease on pad friction material).
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper

• Set the caliper back over the new pads.
• If the caliper won’t fit, re-check that the piston is fully compressed using the C-clamp brake piston compressor.
• Reinstall the caliper slide/guide pin bolts using a 14mm socket.
• Torque to 31 Nm (23 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 9: Repeat on the other front side

• Repeat Steps 3–8 on the other front wheel.
• Replace pads as an axle set (both fronts together).

Step 10: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench: Torque to 140 Nm (103 ft-lbs).

---

✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, press the brake pedal slowly 8–12 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 if needed.
• Test drive in a safe area: verify normal stopping, no pulling, and no grinding.
• Pad bed-in (recommended): do 6–10 moderate stops from 30–40 mph, letting brakes cool a bit between stops; avoid hard panic stops for the first 200 miles.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $60-$180 (parts only)

You Save: $190-$270 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.