Toyota Corolla DIY

Item: Duralast Gold Ceramic brake pads – $36 from Autozone
Time: 2 hrs, but probably just a 1hr job

1. start with a beautiful, yet squeaky car

2. get under the car with the jack and get crankin – use at least a 2-ton jack

3. rest the car on jack stands (both sides simultaneously). remove the wheels.

4 (optional). spray down the rotor with brake cleaner and wipe it off to clean some of the gunk accumulated.

5. this is the caliper. using a 14mm wrench, unbolt the two nuts where my fingers are making contact. there is a 3rd nut in the center – dont remove it.

6. the brake hose connecting is too short to allow the components to hang. use a ziptie and hang it off your spring (or however else you fancy).

7. the 4 shims (2 outer/2 inner) and 2 brake pads (1 outer/1 inner) will now just slide out. marvel at the brake pads that have lasted 60k miles!!

8. old versus new. see the difference in thickness! OMGWTF!

9. for some odd reason, my left pads were quite a bit more worn out than my rights!!?

10. this is the wear indicator on the inner brake pad on the top corner closest to the center. mine had the brake dust cleaned off – methinks because it was rubbing on the rotor causing the grinding sound.

11. apply some Anti-Squeal grease between the new brake pads and the shims (photo shows old brake pad). just a few dabs should be okay.

12. place the shims on the inner/outer brake pads and slide the whole assembly on to the clips (it will be obvious where they go).

13. lucky # 13. gosh, this was the painful part. the piston is extended and won’t let you slide it back on the pads. use a C-clamp and push it back in. the other side of the clamp you don’t see is on the middle nut you shouldn’t have removed. Autozone will rent you a brake pad installation kit with a compressor and what not.

14. with the caliper compressed, the assembly should slide back on the pads. torque down the 2 bolts to 25 ft.lb

15. all is well now. throw the wheels back in and jack the car back down.

Stand back and admire your hardwork . NOW, YOUR CAR IS MUCH FASTER….. of a stopper.

Take it out for a drive someplace safe. Mind you, you will need to pump the brake a couple of times before it will first bite.