[luthernil]

Hello,
before anything, I am not a mechanic (auto tech if you want to be P.C. about it) so it is at your own risk that you take the advise that I am providing. Now, on to the fun.

For this project you need:
Lug wrench
1/2 inch ratchet
Jack stands
floor jack
14mm socket
17mm socket
C clamp
New set of brake pads
turned rotors
caliper grease
noise dampening goo
mallet
zip ties


1. Lift car with floor jack and support on jack stands. Engage the parking break and shock the rear tires. Remove wheel/tires using the lug wrench.

2. Open the hood and remove the break fluid reservoir cap. This step will make the retraction of the break fluid into the reservoir easier.

3. Inspect that the caliper is not clamping down on the brake pad/disc. If it is, use the C clamp and push the caliper piston back (I didn't have to do this and only retracted the piston once it was off the carrier bolts.) Using the ratchet and the 14mm socket, remove the carrier bolts that secure the caliper in place. If you find the bolts to be hard to remove, use the mallet, and while applying some counter clockwise pressure on the carrier bolt, and making sure your hand is not on the way, hit the handle with the mallet until the bolt begins to turn.

4. To remove the rotor you will need to remove two bolts that hold the piece of the caliper system that is screwed to the strut and where the brake pads "glide" on. I found these bolts hard to remove, but with the help of the mallet, and after two or three strikes to the handle of the ratchet, the bolts began to turn. I used the 17mm socket for the bolts.

5. Once the caliper is off the assembly, I secured it to the strut spring with a zip tie to not risk the piece falling and hurting me and also to prevent the piece from falling and damaging the rubber brake line. With the help of a clamp (I used an Irwin Sure Grip Tool) and using an old break pad placed against the caliper piston, I pushed in the caliper piston untill it was fully insided the house along with the rubber seal that protects it from dirt and dust. No matter how easy it was to remove the caliper from the brake pads, you will need to push the caliper piston in, don't try to put this back without doing this step.

6. Remove the rotors and have them inspected and turned. I was lucky and didn't have to replace them. O'Reilly's Auto Parts charged me 15 dollars per rotor to have them turned. I think it is a bit steep, but I wasn't feeling like wasting time and gasoline. I also bought my replacement brake pads there. I found that there were some extra tins that were not in the replacement brakepads. These parts are held in place by folded tabs. I used a small flat screwdriver to remove them from the old brake pads an installed them on the new parts. I took some Disc Break Quiet goo and placed it in between the tins and the break pads.

I cleaned the tins that were on the brake pad rails with a wire brush and greased the "tracks" with caliper grease.

7. With all this done, place rotor back in place and to insure that it doesn't move on you while you re-install the caliper, screw in just one lug nut in place. Now you can re-install the brake caliper mount and slide in the new brake pads. re-install the caliper and bolt down in place. Once you have all this, re-cap the brake reservoir and re-circulate the brake fluid back through the system by pumping your brakes a few times until it goes from no pressure pressing down to full pressure. It took me 3 full pumps of the brake pedal to complete this task. When you make those pumps make sure you push down as far as possible on every pump, when the system builds enough pressure you won't be able to push down as far as you did in the first pump.

9. Put tires/wheels back on, lower car from jack stands, and turn the engine on and pump the brakes again. Now, if all feels correct, take it for a test drive and feel proud about your handy work. Best of luck!

Thumbsup: Absolutely superb guide!I had the same thing on my old sentra but there are only differences though. The break pads have two thin metal plates over the back of them. I presume this is to reduce squeaking when breaking.There was no metal plate covering the break caliper piston. I've done the job in merely an hour...Thanks anyway...this would be useful to fellow drivers and car owners.