🔧 BRZ - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the front calipers out of the way, swap in new pads, then reassemble and torque everything correctly. This restores safe stopping power and prevents metal-to-metal rotor damage when pads get low.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.0–2.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands before working under or near the wheels.
• 🛑 Brake dust is harmful—wear dust mask and use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Brakes can be hot—let everything cool before touching the caliper/rotor.
• 🛑 Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• 🛑 Keep grease off pad friction material and rotor surfaces.
• 🛑 Battery disconnect is not required.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (2-ton minimum pair)
• Wheel chocks
• 19mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (10–150 ft-lbs range)
• C-clamp brake piston compressor
• Caliper hanger hook (specialty)
• Flat trim tool
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• 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
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Front brake pad hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 bottle

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, leave it in gear, and set the parking brake.
• 🧱 Chock the rear wheels with wheel chocks.
• 🛠️ Crack the front lug nuts loose 1/2 turn using a 19mm socket and breaker bar (do not remove yet).
• 🧴 Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir. If it’s near “MAX,” remove a little fluid with a clean syringe (not required, but helps prevent overflow when compressing pistons).
• ℹ️ A “caliper” is the clamp that squeezes the pads; “slide pins” are the small bolts that let the caliper move smoothly.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the front of the car

• Use a floor jack to lift the front at the factory front jack point.
• Place jack stands under the left and right front pinch welds (or factory stand points), then lower the car onto the stands.
• Give the car a firm shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 19mm socket and ratchet.
• Remove both front wheels and set them aside.

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

• Turn the steering to give yourself room (left side: turn steering right; right side: turn steering left).
• On the back of the caliper, remove the two slide-pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• If the slide pin spins, hold it steady with your flat trim tool while loosening the bolt.

Step 4: Swing the caliper up and support it

• Carefully swing the caliper up and off the pads.
• Hang the caliper from the strut spring using a caliper hanger hook (never let it dangle by the brake hose).
• Tip: Take a quick photo before removal.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the inner and outer pads out by hand. Use a flat trim tool if they’re stuck.
• Remove the pad clips/hardware from the bracket if you’re replacing them.
• Clean the bracket “pad lands” (where pad ears touch) using a wire brush and brake cleaner spray.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp brake piston compressor to slowly push the piston back into the caliper.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; stop if it gets too full.

Step 7: Install new hardware and new pads

• Install the new pad clips/hardware onto the bracket (if included) by hand.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) to:
  • Pad “ears” where they slide in the clips
  • Pad backing plate contact points (where the caliper touches)
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• Tip: Pads must slide freely—no forcing.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper and torque bolts

• Swing the caliper back down over the new pads.
• Install the two slide-pin bolts by hand first, then tighten with a 14mm socket.
• Torque to 27 Nm (20 ft-lbs) for the front caliper slide-pin bolts.

Step 9: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the car to the ground using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench.
• Torque to 120 Nm (89 ft-lbs) for the lug nuts.

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 With the car on the ground, pump the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm.
• 🧴 Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 if needed (do not overfill).
• 👀 Look through the wheel spokes to confirm pads sit flat and the caliper is fully seated.
• 🛣️ Bedding-in (recommended): do 6–8 moderate stops from ~40 mph down to ~10 mph, then drive 5–10 minutes to cool without holding the brake at a stop.
• 🔎 If you hear grinding, feel pulling, or the pedal stays soft, stop and recheck your work.

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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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