🔧 Edge - Front Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing your front brake pads restores safe stopping power and prevents metal-on-metal damage to the rotors. On your Edge, this is a straightforward job: remove the caliper, swap pads, compress the piston, and reassemble with the correct torque.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the Edge with jack stands before working under/around the wheel.
• 🛑 Do not press the brake pedal while the caliper is off the rotor.
• 🛑 Brake dust is unhealthy—avoid blowing it with air; use brake cleaner.
• 🛑 Watch the brake fluid level when compressing pistons; siphon excess if needed.
• 🛑 Let brakes cool before starting; hot parts can burn you.

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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
• 21mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (20–200 ft-lbs range)
• 7mm hex bit socket
• 15mm socket
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp piston compressor
• Brake parts cleaner spray
• Wire hook or bungee cord
• Small wire brush
• Shop towels
• Nitrile 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 brake hardware/abutment clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake lubricant (pad backing/anti-squeal) - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 4) - Qty: 1 quart

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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.
• Loosen the front lug nuts slightly before lifting (do not remove yet).
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep the cap sitting on top (not tightly screwed) so fluid can move back when you compress the piston.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the front of the Edge

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen each front lug nut about 1 turn.
• Lift the front with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the proper front jacking point.
• Set the Edge onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) and confirm it’s stable before removing the wheel.
• Remove the lug nuts with a 21mm socket and take the wheel off.

Step 2: Locate the caliper and remove the slide pin bolts

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself room (turn left for right-side work, and right for left-side work).
• On the back of the caliper, remove the 2 slide pin bolts using a 7mm hex bit socket and 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Slide pins are the small bolts the caliper “slides” on.

Step 3: Remove the caliper and support it

• Use a flathead screwdriver to gently pry the caliper outward a little if it’s tight.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper with a wire hook or bungee cord so it does not hang by the brake hose.

Step 4: Remove old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless hardware/abutment clips from the bracket (they usually pop out) using a flathead screwdriver.
• Clean the pad “shelves” on the bracket using brake parts cleaner spray and a small wire brush.

Step 5: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old pad flat against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp piston compressor to slowly push the piston back into the caliper until it’s fully seated.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir level; remove excess with shop towels if it rises too high.
• Go slow to avoid spilling fluid.

Step 6: Service the slide pins

• Pull each slide pin out of the bracket by hand.
• Wipe old grease off with shop towels.
• Apply a thin, even coat of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) and reinstall the pins so they move smoothly.

Step 7: Install new hardware clips and new pads

• Snap the new hardware/abutment clips into the bracket.
• Apply a very light film of brake lubricant (pad backing/anti-squeal) to pad backing plates where they touch the caliper/bracket (do not get any on the pad friction material).
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper and torque fasteners

• Set the caliper back over the new pads.
• Install the slide pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten slide pin bolts using a 7mm hex bit socket and torque wrench: Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).
• If you removed the caliper bracket bolts (only if needed), reinstall using a 15mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 184 Nm (136 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall the wheel

• Reinstall the wheel and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the Edge off the jack stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Repeat on the other front wheel

• Repeat Steps 1–9 on the remaining front side.
• Always replace front pads as a pair.

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, press the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm. This seats the pads against the rotors.
• Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 4 if needed (do not overfill).
• Start the Edge and verify the brake pedal feels normal.
• Do a cautious test drive at low speed and confirm no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• Pad break-in (recommended): make 8–10 smooth stops from ~40 mph down to ~10 mph, letting brakes cool a bit between stops.

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💰 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 1.0–1.5 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.