🔧 Telluride - Front Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, take off the caliper and its bracket, replace the rotor, then install new pads and hardware. This restores safe stopping power and fixes pulsing/shaking caused by worn or warped rotors.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2.5-4.0 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Work on flat, solid ground; support your Telluride with jack stands (never rely on a jack alone).
• Brake dust is unhealthy—wear a dust mask and use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose; support it with a bungee cord.
• Rotors and calipers can be hot after driving; let them cool fully.
• No battery disconnect is required for this front brake/rotor job.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) - Qty: 2
• Wheel chocks - Qty: 2
• 21mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (20–200 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• Socket extension (3")
• Phillips #3 screwdriver
• Impact driver (handheld) (specialty)
• Caliper piston compressor tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord
• Rubber mallet
• Wire brush
• Brake parts cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake rotors - Qty: 2 Replace in pairs
• Front pad hardware/clip kit - Qty: 1
• Silicone brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 4) - Qty: 1 quart

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• Chock the rear wheels with wheel chocks.
• Loosen the front lug nuts about 1/2 turn before lifting (use 21mm socket and breaker bar).
• Open the hood and check the brake fluid level; be ready for it to rise when you compress the pistons.
• A caliper piston compressor tool is a clamp-style tool that pushes the caliper piston back in smoothly.
• A torque wrench tightens bolts to an exact spec so parts don’t loosen or break.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift the front and remove the wheels

• Lift the front with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the front jacking point.
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the front support points and lower onto stands.
• Remove the lug nuts using a 21mm socket and ratchet, then remove both front wheels.

Step 2: Remove the caliper (the moving clamp)

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself room on the side you’re working on.
• Remove the two caliper slide-pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the pads and hang it from the suspension spring using a bungee cord.

Step 3: Remove the caliper bracket (the heavy mount the caliper slides on)

• Remove the two caliper bracket bolts using a 17mm socket, breaker bar, and socket extension (3").
• Set the bracket aside on a clean surface.

Step 4: Remove the old rotor

• If your rotor has a retaining screw, remove it with a Phillips #3 screwdriver.
• If it’s stuck, use a impact driver (handheld) (specialty) to break the screw loose.
• Pull the rotor off. If rusted on, tap the rotor hat with a rubber mallet to free it.

Step 5: Clean the hub surface and install the new rotor

• Clean the wheel hub face with a wire brush and wipe with shop towels.
• Spray the new rotor with brake parts cleaner spray and wipe it dry (removes protective oil).
• Install the new rotor. If a retaining screw is used, reinstall it with a Phillips #3 screwdriver and Torque to 6–8 Nm (4–6 ft-lbs).

Step 6: Reinstall the caliper bracket and hardware

• Install the bracket and start both bolts by hand.
• Tighten bracket bolts using a 17mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 108–127 Nm (80–94 ft-lbs).
• Install the new pad clips/hardware onto the bracket (they snap in by hand).
• Apply a thin layer of silicone brake lubricant where the pad “ears” touch the clips. Keep grease off pad/rotor faces

Step 7: Install the new pads and compress the piston

• Place the new pads into the bracket (they should slide smoothly in the new clips).
• Compress the caliper piston slowly using the caliper piston compressor tool (specialty) until it’s fully seated.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir under the hood while compressing; remove a small amount if it gets too full.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper

• Slide the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the two slide-pin bolts using a 14mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 33–41 Nm (24–30 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Repeat on the other front wheel

• Repeat Steps 2–8 on the other side (always replace pads and rotors as a pair).

Step 10: Reinstall wheels and lower the vehicle

• Reinstall wheels and hand-tighten lug nuts.
• Lower the Telluride off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 107–127 Nm (79–94 ft-lbs).

---

✅ After Repair

• Pump the brake pedal 10–15 times before driving until it feels firm. This seats the pistons
• Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 4 if needed.
• Test at low speed first; confirm normal stopping and no pulling.
• Pad bedding (recommended): make 6–8 moderate stops from 35–10 mph, then drive 5–10 minutes to cool without holding the brake pedal at a stop.
• Recheck lug nut torque after 25–50 miles using a torque wrench.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $550-$950 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $220-$450 (parts only)

You Save: $330-$500 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2.0-3.0 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.