How to Change Disc Brake Pads

Jefferson Bryant

April 11, 2025

8 min read

PROJECT DURATION
30 to 60 minutes
SKILL LEVEL
Beginner

Jefferson Bryant

April 11, 2025

8 min read

Replacing brake pads is an easy DIY task requiring minimal tools and skills. Once you've assembled your replacement parts and tools, it typically takes about 30 to 60 minutes to change your disc pad brakes.

This DIY guide describes how to replace the pads on your disc brakes. But on this type of brake, the rotors are often ready for replacement at the same time. Taking apart your brakes to change the pads is a convenient opportunity to check the condition of your rotors. Our brake rotor replacement guide - opens in new window or tab. shows you how to inspect your rotors, and install new ones if the time is right.

How Often Should Brake Pads be Changed?

Depending on your vehicle and your driving style, your brake pads should last 30,000 to 70,000 miles. Check the manual for your model's recommended brake pad change interval.

Tips and Tricks for DIY Brake Pad Replacement

It is essential to change your brake pads before they are worn all the way down. Most pads have a built-in warning that emits a squeal when the pad is too low. At that point, the indicator warning could cause grooves in the rotors. If you wait too long, the brake pads could wear to the metal backing, destroying the rotor. That’s not safe because it could reduce or eliminate your braking power.
If you hear a grinding noise when you step on the brakes, there’s a good chance you’ll need to replace the discs as well as the pads. Bottom line: Change your brake pads on a regular schedule.
Use an aerosol brake cleaner to remove any greasy fingerprints from the disk before reinstalling the wheel.

Before starting this job, wait at least 30 minutes after driving to allow the brakes to cool down.

This project requires working safely under the vehicle. You will need a floor jack, and jack stands, ramps, or wheel cribs to support the vehicle.

Locate the factory jacking points just behind the front wheels or just in front of the rear wheels. The jacking point is a metal section with two V notches about two inches apart. Check your owner’s manual to confirm the lift location.

Never use jack stands on dirt, gravel, or asphalt. If you do not have access to a concrete work surface, use wheel cribs, solid-base ramps, or wide-base wood supports to support the vehicle. Never use cinder blocks or bricks as supports.

See a complete set of instructions for how to jack up a car - opens in new window or tab..

A mechanic uses an Impact gun to remove lug nuts on a wheel.

Use an impact wrench to remove the lug nuts from the wheel. Alternatively, you can use a tire iron, socket, or wrench.

It doesn’t matter what order you remove the lug nuts. If you have locking lug nuts, be careful not to strip them.

A mechanic uses a wrench on a brake caliper bolt.

Most vehicles use two bolts to hold the brake caliper to the hub. Some use Allen-head bolts, while others use six- or 12-point bolts. In rare instances, vehicles might use Torx fasteners.

Retain the bolts for re-use unless they are damaged. There may be a rubber cap covering the bolts. Use a pick tool to remove the rubber cap.

Lifting a brake caliper off the rotor with a pry bar.

Use a flat-blade screwdriver or pry bar to gently lift the caliper off the rotor and out of its mount.

Some brake pads have a small raised tab that keeps the pad from moving.

To remove the caliper, you might need to wiggle it to compress the piston.

Brake caliper hanging from baling wire in the wheel well.

While you’re working on the brakes, secure the caliper out of the way with a zip tie, baling wire, or a piece of a wire coat hanger. Sometimes, you can rest the caliper on the suspension. Regardless, do not let it hang by the hose.

Here's how to remove your old brake pads. Remove the inner and outer brake pads from the caliper mount. You might need to use a small pry bar or screwdriver.

When removing the pads, note which pads came from the inner and outer positions. Some vehicles use specific inner and outer pads, but others use the same pad for both. This varies by manufacturer and brake position. For example, our demo vehicle has specific inner and outer brake pads for the front. However, the rear pads are the same for inner and outer.

Some vehicles retain the pads in the caliper rather than in the bracket. Remove them in the same way.

In some cases, the carmaker uses an electronic sensor to warn the driver when it’s time to replace the pads. Unplug the wire from the suspension harness and plug in the wire from the new pads. You may need to purchase the sensor separately.

Some vehicles use clips that hold the pads to the caliper. Most brake pads using this type of retainer come with new clips.

Replace the spring clips on the caliper mounts, using the old ones if your new pads didn’t come with them. These clips snap onto the ears at the ends of the pads.

Most brake pads come with a packet of lubricant—enough to grease one set of four pads. Use it. This grease keeps the pads from squealing or dragging on the rotors. Apply brake pad lubricant to the back of the pad and anywhere the pad touches a moving surface, such as the tabs and caliper surface. Do not put anything on the actual pad or rotor surface.

Installing a brake pad to a brake rotor.

Install the new brake pads into the caliper mount or caliper. This holds the pads in position so they don’t fall out. On some vehicles, spring clips or caliper mounting bolts hold the pads in place on the caliper (through large eyelets or hooks in the pad).

Make sure you install the pads in the correct position, as noted in Step 6.

Compressing the brake caliper piston with a brake caliper tool.

All disc brake calipers use a piston (or multiple pistons) to press the pads onto the rotor. The pistons do not automatically return to a home position, so you’ll need to compress them manually.

Most calipers use a clamp-style tool for compression. Others, usually the rear calipers—which often have a parking brake integrated into them—require that the pistons be rotated (typically counter-clockwise) to pull them back to their home position. A tool kit for the master brake caliper usually has the appropriate tool adapters to rotate the pistons back into place.

For multi-piston calipers, one piston might come out slightly when compressing the other with the common tool (as shown). Multi-piston caliper reset tools are available. Or, use your thumb or a small block of wood to stop a piston from pushing out. Take care to avoid pinching or tearing rubber seals.

Installing a brake caliper onto a rotor.

The caliper slips back over the new pads into the caliper mount. To reduce dragging or squealing, put a little brake lubricant on the part of the bolt the caliper slides on. Grease any sliding surface and the sliding pin so the caliper moves freely.

Use the original hardware to bolt the caliper back to the hub. Torque the bolts to the manufacturer’s specifications. For our demo vehicle, these bolts are torqued to 20 pound-feet per bolt.

Installing wheel lug nuts with an impact gun.

Now it’s time to reinstall the wheel and torque the lug nuts. Clean the hub surface and the back of the wheel so it runs true when tightened. Thread the lug nuts by hand until each lug is seated to the wheel.

On many vehicles, the wheel centers on the hub of the lug nuts, so this is an important step. Don’t tighten any lug nuts until they are all snug (by hand) to the wheel.

Next, use a tire iron, socket, wrench, or impact gun to tighten each lug nut. Do this in a crisscross pattern to spread the load on the wheel equally. Do not torque the lug nuts yet. Only tighten them to about 50 to 60 pound-feet.

Slightly lift the vehicle with your floor jack so you can remove the jack stands. Then, lower the vehicle to the ground.

A mechanic using a torque wrench on a lug nut.

The final torque should be applied with a torque wrench set to the correct specification for your vehicle. Our demo vehicle has large lug studs, so we set the torque wrench to 140 pound-feet. Most passenger vehicles use 70 to 90 pound-feet, based on the size of the lug studs.

Large vehicles like ¾-ton trucks need 140 pound-feet of lug nut torque.

Heat cycles can cause the lug nuts to loosen. Recheck the lug nut torque after about 100 miles.

Pump the brake pedal a few times to push the pads to the rotor. This step is crucial.

If you change your brake pads correctly, you won’t need to bleed the brakes. But you should bed them—an easy process that extends their life. Drive the vehicle to 35 miles per hour and apply the brakes moderately to slow the vehicle to about 10 mph. Don’t come to a complete stop. Accelerate again to 35 mph, then slow to 10 mph. Repeat this five times.

Increase your speed to about 60 miles per hour and apply the brakes harder—although not a full panic stop—to bring the car to approximately 10 mph. Repeat these higher-speed stops three times. Now, you’re ready to drive and brake with confidence.

About the author

Jefferson Bryant

A lifelong gearhead, Jefferson Bryant got his first car when he was two: a Fisher-Price convertible. An industry veteran for over 30 years, Jefferson started in car audio, working his way up to product designer for Rockford Fosgate. He has written nine books and countless magazine articles about automotive technology. Jefferson also produces tech videos on YouTube. His pride and joy is a 1971 Buick GS Convertible with a swapped Procharged Gen V LT1, which he used to drive his newborn kids home from the hospital.

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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.