🔧 Impreza - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the front brake calipers up, swap in new pads (and hardware clips), then reassemble and torque everything properly. This restores braking performance and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on the jack alone.
• 🛑 Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• 🛑 Brakes get hot—work on a cool brake setup.
• 🛑 Brake fluid can damage paint; wipe spills immediately.
• 🛑 Hang the caliper with a hook/wire; don’t let it hang by the hose.

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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
• 19mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-50 ft-lbs range)
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Brake caliper hanger hook (specialty)
• Wire brush
• Small wire pick
• Brake parts cleaner spray
• 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/abutment clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone/synthetic) - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Loosen the front wheel lug nuts 1/2 turn with a 19mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and remove the brake fluid reservoir cap (loosely). This helps the caliper piston push back easier.
• C-clamp squeezes the piston back in. (The piston is the round part that pushes the inner pad.)

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift the front and remove the wheels

• Lift the front using a floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) at the front center jacking point, then support with jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum).
• Remove the lug nuts using a 19mm socket and 1/2" drive breaker bar, then remove both front wheels.

Step 2: Locate the caliper and remove the slide bolts

• Turn the steering so you can access the caliper bolts (left wheel: turn steering right; right wheel: turn steering left).
• Remove the 2 caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Lift/flip the caliper upward off the pads, then secure it with a brake caliper hanger hook (specialty).

Step 3: Remove old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the inner and outer pads out by hand. If stuck, gently pry with a flathead screwdriver.
• Remove the stainless abutment clips from the bracket using a small wire pick.
• Clean the bracket pad lands (where clips sit) with brake parts cleaner spray and a wire brush.

Step 4: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old pad against the piston face, then compress the piston slowly using a C-clamp (6" minimum).
• Go slow and watch the brake fluid reservoir level under the hood; don’t let it overflow.

Step 5: Service the slide pins (quick check)

• Pull each slide pin out of the caliper bracket by hand (they’re the smooth pins the caliper “floats” on).
• Wipe and apply a thin coat of brake caliper grease (silicone/synthetic), then reinstall the pins.

Step 6: Install new hardware clips and pads

• Install the new abutment clips into the bracket by hand (they should snap into place).
• Apply a very thin smear of brake caliper grease (silicone/synthetic) to the pad ears (the metal “tabs” that touch the clips). Do not grease pad friction surfaces.
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.

Step 7: Reinstall the caliper and torque the bolts

• Swing the caliper back down over the new pads.
• Install and tighten the caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive torque wrench.
• Torque to 27 Nm (20 ft-lbs)

Step 8: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car and torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a 1/2" drive torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range) and 19mm socket.
• Torque to 120 Nm (89 ft-lbs)

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, pump the brake pedal 8–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• Check brake fluid level and reinstall the reservoir cap.
• Do a slow test drive in a safe area; confirm normal stopping and no pulling.
• Pad bed-in: do 6–10 moderate stops from ~30 mph to 5 mph, with light driving between stops to cool.
• Recheck lug nut torque after 25–50 miles using a 1/2" drive torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range).

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

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

You Save: $190-$290 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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