🔧 K900 - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the front brake calipers out of the way, swap the old pads for new ones, then reassemble and bed-in the pads. This restores safe stopping power and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a flat, solid surface and support the car with jack stands—never rely on the jack alone.
• ⚠️ Brakes can be very hot; let everything cool before touching the caliper/rotor.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is removed (the piston can pop out and leak).
• ⚠️ Brake dust is unhealthy—use brake cleaner, not compressed air, to clean parts.
• ⚠️ Keep brake fluid off paint; it damages paint quickly.

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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" drive)
• Flat blade screwdriver
• C-clamp piston compressor
• Small wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake cleaner
• 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 kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3 or DOT 4) - Qty: 1 bottle

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the shifter in Park, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind the rear tires.
• Loosen the front lug nuts 1/2 turn using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and loosen the brake fluid reservoir cap (leave it sitting on top). This helps the caliper piston push back easier.
• “Caliper” = the clamp that squeezes the rotor.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the front end

• Lift the front using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the proper front jacking point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) and confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Remove all lug nuts using a 21mm socket and ratchet.
• Remove the wheels and slide them under the rocker area as an extra safety backup.

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

• Turn the steering slightly to give yourself room (left side: turn wheel right; right side: turn wheel left).
• Locate the two caliper slide bolts (these hold the caliper to the bracket).
• Remove the caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• “Slide pins” let the caliper glide smoothly.

Step 4: Support the caliper (do not let it hang)

• Carefully lift the caliper off the pads/rotor.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension spring/arm using a bungee cord.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware

• Slide the old inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the pad clips/shims from the bracket using a flat blade screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket pad lands (where the clips sit) using brake cleaner and a small wire brush.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old pad against the piston face, then use a C-clamp piston compressor to slowly press the piston back into the caliper.
• Go slowly and watch the brake fluid reservoir level so it doesn’t overflow.
• Slow compression prevents seal damage.

Step 7: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new pad clips from the front brake pad hardware kit into the bracket by hand (they should snap/seat flat).
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) to the clip contact points where the pad “ears” slide (not on the pad friction material).
• Install the new pads into the bracket.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper and torque fasteners

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Reinstall the caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 25-35 Nm (18-26 ft-lbs) for the front caliper slide bolts.
• If you removed the caliper bracket bolts (not always necessary for pads-only), reinstall them using a 17mm socket.
• Torque to 100-120 Nm (74-89 ft-lbs) for the front caliper bracket bolts.
• Assumption: stock front calipers/brackets.

Step 9: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench.
• Torque to 110-130 Nm (81-96 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Restore pedal feel

• With the engine OFF, pump the brake pedal slowly 10-15 times until it feels firm.
• Check the brake fluid level and top off with brake fluid (DOT 3 or DOT 4) if needed.
• Reinstall/tighten the reservoir cap by hand.

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✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and confirm the brake pedal stays firm.
• Do a slow test in a safe area: confirm normal stopping, no pulling, and no grinding noises.
• Bed-in the pads: make 6-10 moderate stops from ~35 mph to ~5 mph, with short cool-down driving between stops (don’t hold the pedal hard at a complete stop right after).
• Recheck brake fluid level after the test drive and inspect for leaks around each caliper.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $300-$600 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $60-$180 (parts only)

You Save: $240-$420 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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