🔧 K900 - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll be removing the front wheels, unbolting the front brake calipers, swapping the old pads for new ones, and then reassembling everything correctly. This restores safe stopping power and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin.

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

Assumption: stock front brakes; torque specs may vary by package.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support the car with jack stands before going under or pulling wheels.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Brake parts get hot—let the brakes cool before starting.
• ⚠️ 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 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" or 1/2")
• Flat trim/pry tool
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• 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 pad hardware/clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Front brake pad wear sensor - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on a level surface, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir. Do not remove the cap yet, but keep an eye on the fluid level during piston compression.
• Loosen the front wheel lug nuts 1/2 turn before lifting the car.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the front end

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen lug nuts (do not remove yet).
• Lift the front using a floor jack at the approved front jacking point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands and gently shake the car to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Remove lug nuts with a 21mm socket and take both front wheels off.
• Set wheels under the rocker area as an extra safety backup.

Step 3: Access the brake caliper and pads

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself more room to work on the caliper.
• Use a flat trim/pry tool to gently pry the caliper outward a tiny amount if it’s tight on the rotor. Small movements only.

Step 4: Remove the caliper slide pin bolts

• Locate the two caliper slide pin bolts on the back of the caliper.
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the upper and lower slide pin bolts.
• Hang the caliper using a brake caliper hanger hook. (This supports the caliper so the brake hose isn’t strained.)

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the old pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the pad clips/hardware from the bracket using the flat trim/pry tool.
• Spray the bracket areas with brake cleaner spray and wipe with shop towels.

Step 6: Service the caliper bracket and pad contact points

• Use a wire brush to clean rust from the pad “tracks” where the clips sit.
• Install the new hardware/clip kit by hand, pressing it fully into place.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone-based) to the pad ears where they slide on the clips. Grease only on metal-to-metal.

Step 7: Compress the caliper piston

• Check the brake fluid reservoir level before compressing. If it’s near MAX, be ready to remove a little fluid to prevent overflow.
• Place one old pad against the piston face, then use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly press the piston back into the caliper.
• Go slowly and evenly until the piston is fully seated.

Step 8: Install the new pads

• Slide the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• If your pads include a wear sensor (or the car uses one), install the front brake pad wear sensor onto the correct pad location and route it like the original.
• Make sure pads move freely in the clips (they should slide, not bind).

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads and rotor by hand.
• Install the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Tighten slide pin bolts with a torque wrench: Torque to 30-35 Nm (22-26 ft-lbs).

Step 10: If removed, reinstall the caliper bracket

• If you removed the bracket (some pad jobs don’t require it), reinstall bracket bolts using a 17mm socket.
• Tighten bracket bolts with a torque wrench: Torque to 110-130 Nm (81-96 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall wheels and hand-thread 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 110-120 Nm (81-89 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Restore brake pedal and fluid level

• With the car on the ground, press the brake pedal slowly 8–12 times until it feels firm.
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• Visually confirm there are no leaks around the calipers.

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✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and confirm the brake pedal stays firm while holding pressure.
• Do a slow test in an empty area: verify the car stops straight with no grinding.
• Pad break-in (bedding): make 6–10 moderate stops from ~35 mph down to ~5 mph, letting brakes cool a bit between stops.
• Recheck the brake fluid level after the test drive.

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💰 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 1.5-2.5 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.